2023-24 Northwest Herald boys swimming preview capsules

Fox Valley Conference

Cary-Grove co-op

(with Crystal Lake Central, Crystal Lake South and Prairie Ridge)

Coach: Scott Lattyak (eighth season)

Last season: First at FVC Invite

Top returners: Drew Watson (CLS), sr.; Kasparas Venslauskas (CLC), jr.; Noah Brereton (CLS), jr.; Connor Chan (CLC), sr.; Mason Gaylord (PR), so.; Brendan Baser (PR), sr.; Victor Praczkowski (CLS), jr.; Logan Kane (CLC), jr.; Jace Kranig (PR), jr.; Michael Nietzel (PR), jr.; Miles Richmond (CLC), jr.; Luke Sander (CLC), jr.

Key newcomers: Ignas Venslauskas (CLC), fr.; Daniel Garcia (CLS), fr.

Worth noting: The Trojans won the FVC title for the 15th time in 16 seasons, taking first in nine of the meet’s 11 events, and were crowned sectional champions at Barrington. C-G qualified swimmers in nine state events and took 18th as a team. … Watson, the 2023 Northwest Herald Boys Swimmer of the Year, was named co-Most Valuable Swimmer at the FVC Invite. At state, he was eighth in the 200-yard IM and 10th in the 100 backstroke. He also was on the Trojans’ 200 medley relay that placed 10th, along with Chan. Watson will compete next year at Miami (Ohio). … Venslauskas won a sectional title in the 100 breaststroke and also qualified for state in the 200 IM. At state, he took 19th in the 200 IM and 21st in the 100 breaststroke. … Brereton was 23rd in the 500 free and was on the 400 free relay team, along with Watson, that finished 15th. … Gaylord placed 32nd in the 100 breaststroke at state. … Lattyak said he hopes to see even more state qualifiers this year, with Braser, Praczkowski and Venslauskas as first-time hopefuls. … “The goal is to try and get eight swimmers to state,” Lattyak said. “Aiming to win both varsity and JV conference (championships).”

Huntley

Coach: Bryan Sewell (first season)

Last season: Second at FVC Invite

Top returners: Luke Hackemack, sr.; Josh Tungol, sr.; Owen Dassie, jr.; Szymon Osadnik, jr.; Jack Peterson, jr.; Matt Glosson, jr.; Dylan Elliot, jr.

Key newcomers: Lincoln Yonomine, fr.; Jacob Rutkowski, fr.; Adrian Pacheco, fr.

Worth noting: Sewell takes over for Jenna Gaudio, who led the Red Raiders for five seasons. Gaudio is still the girls swimming coach at Huntley. This year’s team is on the smaller side with 14 swimmers. … The Raiders are the only team in the past 16 seasons other than Cary-Grove co-op to win the FVC title. They’ve finished runner-up in each of the past four seasons. … Huntley qualified for state in four events last year, but graduated most of its top swimmers. Ben Rocks, who won 50 free and 100 free sectional titles, took 21st in the 100 free and tied for 24th in the 50 free at state. ... Hackemack took fourth at the FVC Invite in both the 200 free and 500 free. Peterson, Osadnik Tungol and Hackemack were second in the 200 free relay. ... “Our goals are simple: train hard every day and compete,” Sewell said. “We will focus on all the details that give our swimmers as much speed as possible. We have to work hard as the conference is very competitive and there are a lot of talented fast swimmers. We have our work cut out for us, and I look forward to seeing what this team can accomplish.”

Jacobs co-op

(with Dundee-Crown and Hampshire)

Coach: Molly Gomberg (sixth season)

Last season: Third at FVC Invite

Top returners: Luke Johnson (Jac), jr. Gabe Niemi (Jac), jr.; Pavlo Komarov (Jac), sr.; Charlie Mason (Jac), sr.; Colin Phan (Jac), jr.; Max Chiappetta (Jac), so.

Key newcomers: Max Biskup (Jac), fr.; Dan Melendy (D-C), fr.; Brandon Schroeter (D-C), fr.; Alex Stefanishin (Jac), fr.

Worth noting: Komarov returns as one of the area’s top sprinters and was the Golden Eagles’ lone state qualifier last year. He was one of two area swimmers to go to state in the 50 free, where he took 39th. At conference, Komarov was third in both the 50 and 100 free. He also will compete in the 100 butterfly. … Johnson (100 backstroke, 50 free), Niemi (100 butterfly), Mason (100 breaststroke, 200 IM) and Phan (100 breaststroke) have shown lots of improvement, Gomberg said, and have potential to place high among conference swimmers. … “Some of our strongest swimmers are now upperclassmen, so I am eager to see them take charge of the team and continue to make waves,” Gomberg said. “We have a lot of newcomers and are looking to continue building strong depth in all events. Many of our swimmers have had great club seasons so far, and I am excited to see how fast they will be by February.”

McHenry

Coach: Sharon Lesniak (seventh season)

Last season: Fourth at FVC Invite

Top returners: Alex Sadowski, jr.; Jakob Axelson, jr.; Caz Henley, so.; Carter Neiman, sr.; Blake DeNovo, so.; Ryan Kuzmiak, sr.

Key newcomers: Ian Boland, fr.

Worth noting: McHenry finished fourth at the FVC Invite for the second consecutive season. Axelson had the highest individual finish, taking fifth in the 200 free. ... Ten of the Warriors’ swimmers are underclassmen, including six freshman. ... “I am looking forward to a great year,” Lesniak said. “The team is very excited and is working well together. They have a great bond and are encouraging each other to be successful this year. Our goal for this year is for the swimmers to achieve their personal best times, to have a great team experience and to help each other be the best they can be.”

Woodstock North co-op

(with Woodstock)

Coach: Maggie Gomberg (third season)

Last season: Fifth at FVC Invite

Top returners: Keaton Parrish (Wdk), sr.; Trevor Hyrkas (WN), sr.; Kayden Bracken (WN), sr.; Lukas Myshkowec (WN), sr.

Key newcomers: Elijah Hedges (Wdk), fr.

Worth noting: The Thunder finished fifth at the FVC Invite in back-to-back years. Gomberg said there has been a big commitment from swimmers to go out of their comfort zone and try different events. ... “We have a great group of motivated athletes,” Gomberg said. “They are willing to try new events and expand their swimming portfolios. We have a strong mix of returning and newer swimmers. Both groups stand to make strong time drops in their events.”