Boys Swimming: St. Charles North second, St. Charles East third at sectional meet

ST. CHARLES – Dan Witteveen had every reason to smile.

The Lake Park swimming coach, who will retire after this week’s state meet, watched his team claim the St. Charles North Sectional title Feb. 18.

The Lancers scored 248.5 to take top honors. St. Charles North was second with 237 points followed by St. Charles East with 234 points.

The Lancers won the 400 freestyle, the final race of the day, to claim the sectional crown. Dominick Perkowski, Alex Gordecki, Matthew Karasek and Jacob Drozd crossed the finish line with a clocking of 3:09.46.

“These are great kids and everybody contributed,” Witteveen said. “To beat great programs like St. Charles East and St. Charles North is quite an accomplishment. It was a lot of fun.”

Drozd, who will be making his fourth appearance at the state meet, led the Lancers with a first-place effort in the 50 freestyle (20.87) and 100 freestyle (47.36).

“There is a lot of pressure next weekend, but I am going to have fun,” Drozd said. “I want to make it a memorable weekend. My mindset is to help the team do well.”

Karasek, a freshman, won the 200 individual medley in a time of 1:56.68.

“I was really nervous,” Karasek said. “It is exciting to be swimming in the state meet.”

The Lancers were first in the 200 freestyle relay in a state qualifying time of 1:26.78. The team was comprised of Drozd, Perkowski, Karasek and Gordecki. Perkowski also qualified in the 200 freestyle.

The North Stars were paced by senior Kriz Kane, who won the 100 breaststroke in 58.07. Kane narrowly missed qualifying in the 100 butterfly with a second-place finish in 52.33. The state qualifying time is 51.90.

“I would like to have qualified in two events,” Kane said. “I was glad I was able to bounce back and win the 100 breaststroke. It has been a challenging four years.”

Other state qualifiers for the Stars were William Deutmeyer (200 freestyle, 500 freestyle) and Stephen DelBello (100 backstroke). The 200 medley relay of DelBello, Kane, Matt Stratton and Brady Nightlinger qualified along with the 400 freestyle relay team of Deutmeyer, DelBello, Nightlinger and Robby Kemp.

The third-place Saints were paced by Kyle Algrim, who won the 500 freestyle in 4:38.93.

“I tried to pace myself,” Algrim said.

Algrim also qualified in the 200 freestyle.

Algrim will be joined at the state meet by Ben Stevens, who qualified in the 500 freestyle.

The Saints’ 200 freestyle relay team of Chris Souk, Will Murray, Ryan Medus and Algrim and the 400 freestyle team of Stevens, Algrim, Souk and Will Murray qualified for the state meet.

In the athletes with disabilities division, the Saints’ Leo Czerwinski won the 200 freestyle (2:24.22), 100 freestyle (1:06.24). 50 freestyle (30.01) and 100 breaststroke (1:33.9).

In 1-meter diving, St. Charles East’s Jake Scalise was first with 465.45 points and St. Charles North’s Skyler Bell was second with 395.80 points. Both qualified for the state meet.