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Cary-Grove co-op
(with Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South and Prairie Ridge)
Coach: Scott Lattyak (fourth season)
Last season: First at FVC Invite, six state qualifiers (2019 graduate Kolin Fadden in 50-yard freestyle; Peyton Richardson in 100 butterfly and 200 IM; Ben Castro in 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke; 2019 grad Cameron Castro with Richardson, Ben Castro and Cole Seeger in 200 medley relay).
Top returners: Ben Castro (CLC), so.; Michael Bartczyszyn (CG), sr.; Kameron Fadden (CG), so.; Peyton Richardson (PR), sr.; Cole Seeger (CG), sr.; Noah Siegmeier (PR), sr.; J.T. Matthias (PR), sr.; Bram Byer (PR), jr.
Key newcomers: Danny Sanahurskyj (CLS), fr.; Dexter Zielinski (CLC), fr.
Worth noting: The Trojans won the FVC title for the 11th time in 12 years, beating Jacobs co-op, which ended C-G co-op's streak of 10 straight titles two seasons ago, by over 100 points. ... Ben Castro was named FVC Newcomer of the Year. Ben Castro and Richardson both qualified for state in two events and the 200 medley relay. ... Bartczyszyn was part of C-G co-op's winning 200 and 400 free relays at conference. ... The Trojans graduated their top two sprinters (Kolin Fadden and Cameron Castro). Lattyak thinks Sanahurskyj and Zielinski can push for state bids as freshmen. Siegmeier, Seeger and Byer placed in the top four of the 500 free at the FVC Invite. ... "The top returners are a year stronger and are ready to have incredible seasons," Lattyak said. "They're coming in at their best times already, so expectations are very high."
Huntley
Coach: Jenna Gaudio (second season)
Last season: Third at FVC Invite, one state qualifier (2019 grad Dylan Cherwin in 200 IM)
Top returners: Max Hagberg, sr.; Kacper Cebula, jr.; Max Deutschle, so.
Key newcomers: Ben Rocks, fr.; Michael Boelens, fr.
Worth noting: The Red Raiders graduated their only state swimmer, Dylan Cherwin, who took 20th in the 200 IM last season. Cherwin, who was competing at the high school level for the first time, earned FVC Newcomer of the Year honors, along with C-G co-op's Ben Castro. ... Hagberg won the 50 free and was runner-up to Woodstock North co-op's Quinn Cynor in the 100 free at last season's conference meet. Hagberg, Cherwin, Deutschle and Cebula were runner-up in the 400 free relay. ... "I'm excited to see our varsity team grow," Gaudio said. "We have some young talent coming in and strong returners who have been training great together. I'm excited to what they can accomplish. Several have their sights set on state qualifying times."
Jacobs co-op
(with Dundee-Crown and Hampshire)
Coach: Molly Gomberg (second season)
Last season: Second at FVC Invite, one state qualifier (Vince Chiappetta in 500 free)
Top returners: Vince Chiappetta (Jac), jr.; Alec Orndahl (DC), sr.; Martin Nowak (DC), so.
Key newcomers: Evan Phan (Jac), fr.; Nick Dulaca (Jac), fr.
Worth noting: Chiappetta placed 33rd at state in the 500 free and won the 500 free by more than 17 seconds at the FVC Invite. Chiappetta is the son of Rolling Meadows boys swimming coach Monika Chiappetta. ... Orndahl had two third-place finishes at last season's conference meet in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke. ... "As a team, we lost a strong class of seniors, so this season I'm counting on all our swimmers to step up in big ways and fill their shoes," Gomberg said. "Our athletes have a lot of potential and are already making huge strides in the pool. We are very excited to get our first few meets underway."
McHenry
Coach: Sharon Lesniak (third season)
Last season: Fifth at FVC Invite, no state qualifiers
Top returners: Kyle Hemphill, sr.; Kenneth Fitzpatrick, so.
Worth noting: The Warriors have a big incoming class of nine freshmen, along with four seniors, four juniors and three sophomores. ... "We are a small team, but they are all very hard workers and are willing to put in the hard work that it takes to compete," Lesniak said. "With hard work and perseverance, we will have a great year and great times for all of them. They have a great bond as a team which makes them work well together." ... The Warriors will dedicate the season to Alex Powell, a McHenry West student who died in a motor vehicle crash in June. "Every meet will be dedicated to him," Lesniak said.
Woodstock North co-op
(with Woodstock)
Coach: Ian Shanahan (17th season)
Last season: Fourth at FVC Invite, two state qualifiers (Quinn Cynor in 200 free and 100 backstroke)
Top returners: Brian Lawrence (WN), sr.; Logan Lorr (WN), sr.; Quinn Cynor (WHS), jr.; Gunner Dunnett (WHS), jr.; Frank Dudzik (WN), so.; Bojidar Kostov (WHS), jr.; Brian Jagman (WN), sr.; Nick Phillips (WN), sr.; Aidan Teuber (WN), sr.; Jorge Aragon (WN), jr.
Key newcomers: Nathan Speciale (WN), so.; Erik Sarabia (WN), so.
Worth noting: Cynor holds six program records and is one of two returning area swimmers to qualify for state in each of the past two seasons (C-G co-op's Peyton Richardson). He placed sixth in the 200 free and ninth in the 100 backstroke, becoming the team's first state medalist since 2006. ... Cynor is the two-time Northwest Herald Boys Swimmer of the Year and earned Most Valuable Swimmer honors at the FVC Invite for the second straight season, after setting meet records in the 200 IM 100 free. ... Shanahan is hopeful to qualify a relay to state, with some combination of Cynor, Lorr, Phillips, Dunnett and Teuber. ... "We are expecting to have one of the best seasons in school history," Shanahan said. "We have most of our varsity lineup returning and the chance to break most of the school relay records."