Boys swimming: St. Charles celebrates seniors at annual meet
"Sometimes, you take it for granted," said Calvin Windle, a St. Charles East senior, after the crosstown meet and senior day celebration between St. Charles East and St. Charles North on Saturday.
The North Stars prevailed 107-76 in total team scores to win the meet. Other highlight performances include junior Alek Filipovic's first-place finishes in the 50 freestyle (20.74) and 100 backstroke (53 seconds).
"I'd just be like: 'Look, it goes quick.'" Windle said. "I didn't think it'd come this quick; it's here, it's senior night. I'd tell him: 'Take your time.'"
Windle will soon move on to swim at the Division I level for the University of Missouri. He's earned state medals in three individual events for his career, including finishing second in the 200 freestyle (1:36.95) and third in the 100 backstroke in 49.44 seconds at last year's state meet.
"The guys and coaches (make our program special)," Windle said. "It wouldn't be what it is without the guys and the coaches. You can do all the training you want ... if you don't have a good surrounding attitude, it's just not going to work out. Everyone around me is what truly what makes this so special."
Windle has swam four years of varsity with his best friend, Braden Clarke, alongside him.
"We've won relays together, raced each other, practiced together a lot longer than four years (in club)," Windle said of Clarke.
Clarke fondly recalls the amount of fun he's had over the four years. He'd also tell himself as a freshman to "trust the process."
"Your coaches know more than you do, and they believe in you more than you might," Clarke said. "Trust what they have (given) to you."
Clarke won the 100 freestyle event on Saturday, clocking in with a 47.74 second first place finish over St. Charles North senior Albert Buvary (50.58).
Clarke's favorite varsity moment was last year's sectional meet.
"It's really the culmination of all my hard work," Clarke said. "I got my first (individual) state-cut, got on three relays and went to state."
"I got that 200 free pool record [1:39.21], that was huge for me," Windle said, who made his third trip to state last year. "I've been looking at that board since I was an 8-and-under looking at those guys."
Buvary, a three-year varsity swimmer for the North Stars, was a part of the two-time state title winning teams.
"It was an amazing moment to reflect on my years at North," Buvary said. "Everything we've been through as a team ... with everything that's been happening this year, too, it was amazing to be able to come together and have our senior night (to) celebrate what we've done."
"Obviously, the state titles were incredible, being a part of (those teams)," Buvary said. "Getting through adversity together, we've been through a lot as a team during my career. Every single time we had big meets, championship meets, we'd always came to compete. We never backed down and I'm very proud of this team for that."
Buvary says he's "incredibly happy" to be in the pool competing this season.
"I'm very lucky to have the people that I've had around me, the coaches and swimmers," Buvary continued. "It's been an incredible four years and I can't wait to see how this year ends up."
Seniors recognized
St. Charles East: Jack Algrim, Braden Clarke, Christopher D'Agostino, Colin Roche, Aidan Szuch, Tulio Vargas, David Dela Cruz, Spencer Godina, Landon Hollman, Oliver Sury and Calvin Windle
St. Charles North: Albert Buvary, Gabriel Noah Del Rosario, Ryan Karsten, Connor Lundborg, Andy O'Hara, John Otto, Kyle Pluskwa, David Sammons III and Noah Smith