2024-25 Northwest Herald boys swimming preview

Fox Valley Conference

Cary-Grove co-op

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

Coach: Scott Lattyak (ninth season)

Last season: First at FVC Invite; second at sectionals; 27th at state

Top returners: Kasparas Venslauskas (CLC), sr.; Victor Praczkowski (CLS), sr.; Logan Kane (CLC), sr.; Matthew Herron (CLC), sr.; Luke Sander (CLC), sr.; Charlie Edwards (CLS), jr.; Oliver Swietek (CLS), so.; Ignas Venslauskas (CLC), so.

Key newcomers: Nathan Scerbac (CLS), fr.

Worth noting: The Trojans continued their FVC dominance, winning the conference title last season for the 16th time in 17 seasons. C-G co-op won all 22 events between varsity and JV to finish with a whopping 401 1/2 points. Jacobs co-op was next closest with 233. ... The Trojans were the only local team to advance any swimmers to state, with nine entries, but only two individuals return with state experience. Kasparas Venslauskas is the team’s top returner after placing 14th in the 100-yard breaststroke and 18th in the 200 individual medley at state. He holds the program’s best time in the 100 breaststroke, and Lattyak said he is a contender to break the 200 IM record. He also was a part of C-G co-op’s 200 medley relay that was 16th at state. … Praczkowski was a part of the Trojans’ 400 free relay that advanced to state and took 20th. … “Our team has a lot of returning strength,” Lattyak said. “After seeing what they can do during the first week of practice, I was impressed with them and have high hopes for some state qualifiers.”

Huntley

Coach: Adam Wolfenberg (first season)

Last season: Third at FVC Invite; 11th at sectionals

Top returners: Lincoln Yonamine, so.; Szymon Osadnik, sr.; Owen Dassie, sr.

Key newcomers: David Gatto, fr.; Jayden Abbott, fr.

Worth noting: The Red Raiders were third at the FVC Invite after taking runner-up in 2023, with its top finisher, graduate Luke Hackemacke, tying for second in the 100 free and 200 free. Yonamine and Nathan Ludtke were a part of the team’s 200 free relay team that took second behind C-G co-op. … Yonamine was sixth in the 50 free and 100 backstroke, Osadnik was fifth in the 100 butterfly and sixth in the 100 breaststroke, Jack Peterson was sixth in the 200 IM, and Anthony Koterwski was sixth in the 500 free. … “After the first week of practice, [I’ve noticed] how excited the swimmers are and their willingness to work hard,” Wolfenberg said. “The thing I love about swimming is it comes down to you versus the clock. There will always be someone faster than you, and you will always be faster than somebody. What it comes down to is how well you performed against the clock.”

Jacobs co-op

(with Dundee-Crown and Hampshire)

Coach: Molly Gomberg (seventh season)

Last season: Second at FVC Invite; eighth at sectional

Top returners: Luke Johnson (Jac), sr.; Gabe Niemi (Jac), sr.; Justin Bernstein (D-C), jr.; Colin Phan (Jac), sr.; Max Chiappetta (Jac), jr.

Key newcomers: Matvii Dobrogorsky (Jac), fr.; John Beasley (D-C), so.

Worth noting: Jacobs co-op opened the season Saturday by winning the 13-team Harlem Invite. ... The Golden Eagles will look to close the gap against C-G co-op after taking runner-up at the FVC Invite last season. Jacobs co-op was the last team other than the C-G co-op to win the conference championship in 2018, which broke a streak of 10 straight titles for the Trojans. … Johnson, Phan and Niemi were a part of the Eagles’ 200 medley relay that took second at the FVC Invite, while Bernstein, Niemi and Johnson were on the second-place 400 free relay. Johnson was runner-up in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke, Chiappetta was third in the 500 free and fourth in the 200 free, Phan was fifth in the 100 breaststroke, Bernstein was fifth in the 50 free and 100 free, and Niemi was sixth in the 100 butterfly … “Our team is full of dedicated and hardworking athletes who push each other to reach new heights,” Gomberg said. “They take corrections extremely well, and their love for the sport and support of each other is contagious. ... The team’s camaraderie, positive attitude and strong work ethic will make them a force to be reckoned with at every meet.”

McHenry

Coach: Sharon Lesniak (eighth season)

Last season: Fourth at FVC Invite; 10th at sectionals

Top returners: Jakob Axelson, sr.; Blake DeNovo, jr.

Key newcomers: Robbie Rosenbaum, fr. and Lincoln Soderholm, fr.

Worth noting: The Warriors placed fourth at the FVC Invite for the third year in a row, although they trailed Huntley by only 19½ points in the standings. At the conference meet, Axelson finished sixth in the 200 free. His top events this year will be the 100 butterfly and 100 free. ... Lesniak said Rosenbaum could contend for school records and state as a freshman. ... “The team this year is really a great group of boys,” Lesniak said. “They have been working hard and really want to push themselves to the next level. We are a small team, but if they continue to work as hard as they are now, they’ll do very well at conference. They are very supportive and encourage all of their teammates.”

Woodstock North co-op

(with Woodstock)

Coach: Maggie Gomberg (fourth season)

Last season: Fifth at FVC Invite; 12th at sectionals

Top returners: Isaac Morse (WN), jr.; Nathaniel Shirley (WN), jr.; Niko Myshkowec (WN), jr.; Elijah Hedges (Wdk), so.

Key newcomers: Landon Beltran (Wdk), fr.; Landon Nikolich (Wdk), fr.

Worth noting: The Thunder finished fifth at the FVC Invite for the third straight season. Gomberg said the team already has shown signs of improvement. “We have a great group of guys this season that jumped right in and have been working really hard,” Gomberg said. “They came in ready for tough workouts and have exceeded what we have done in past seasons. I am looking forward to both the individual and team growth that we will see this season.” … Morse is a state hopeful in the 100 breaststroke, Gomberg said. She also noted that Shirley, Myshkowec and Hedges have set the pace and pushed other swimmers in practice.