Squad records wins against Leyden and Downers Grove South.
By Mike Miazga
Correspondent
The Addison Trail-Willowbrook co-op boys swimming team got off to a hot start by winning its first two West Suburban Conference Gold Division meets.
AT-Willowbrook recently won 48-46 over Leyden and 101-82 against Downers Grove South at the varsity level. At the frosh-soph level, AT-Willowbrook defeated Leyden 50-44 and lost to Downers Grove South 93-69. At the varsity level, AT-Willowbrook is 2-1 overall.
This year, Willowbrook returns seniors Phillip Campbell (diving, Willowbrook), Jack Wentworth (backstroke, Willowbrook), Jacob Grygo (50, 100, Addison Trail), Mikey Stycharz (100, 500, Addison Trail) and Lucas Walsh (butterfly, breaststroke, Addison Trail), along with juniors Jack Burns (50, 100, Willowbrook) and Evan Zimmerman (IM, backstroke, Addison Trail) and sophomore Thomas Holmes (breaststroke, Willowbrook).
Key newcomers to the team include seniors Patrick Florey (freestyle, Willowbrook) and Zack Thomspon (backstroke, Willowbrook), sophomore Aidan Nichols (breaststroke, Willowbrook) and freshmen Kyle Haake (backstroke, freestyle, Willowbrook), Sean Pienkos (freestyle, Willowbrook) and Salvatore Ciaccio (butterfly, Addison Trail).
At the Rolling Meadows invitational, AT-Willowbrook placed ninth. The 200 medley relay team of Haake, Holmes, Zimmerman and Grygo took fourth.
Burns was sixth in the 50, while the 400 relay team of Walsh, Grygo, Zimmerman and Burns took fifth. The 200 medley relay team of Wentworth, Nichols, Burns and Holmes placed sixth.
The 100 free relay team of Haake, Marco Chaidez, Burns and Grygo won the event.
In the win against Leyden, the 200 medley team of Zimmerman, Nichols, Haake and Grygo took first. Wentworth won the 200, while Florey was third. Zimmerman won the IM. Burns was second in the 50 followed by Grygo in third.
Ciaccio took second in the butterfly, while Chaidez was third. Burns took second in the 100, while Wentworth was third in the 500. The 200 relay team of Strycharz, Grygo, Haake and Burns took second. Zimmerman was second in the backstroke, while Haake was third in the 100. Holmes places second in the breaststroke, while Nichols was third. The 400 relay team of Zimmerman, Florey, Eric Hoda and Burns won the event.
Against Downers Grove South, the medley relay of Thompson, Holmes, Zimmerman and Strycharz took first. Haake was third in the 200. Zimmerman won the IM, while Thompson was third.
Burns was second in the 50, while Grygo was third. Walsh won the butterfly, while Ciaccio was third. Burns took second in the 100, while Grygo was third. Haake was second in the 500 and Sawicki was third. The 200 relay team of Zimmerman, Grygo, Strycharz and Burns took first.
Thompson won the backstroke, while Zimmerman was second. Holmes took second in the breaststroke and Walsh was third in the event. The 400 relay team of Wentworth, Hoda, Grygo and Burns also was victorious.
“The guys have really enjoyed racing, finishing well and winning our meets,” AT-Willowbrook coach Jen Burns said. “We have some great sprinters on our team and we have a depth in talent that we have been developing over the years. As a team, we can finish in the top two for every race. Our strength is our combined talents and versatility.”
Burns, who noted the team has been strong in the sprint events out of the gate, said team chemistry has been strong in the early going. “The guys have really started to come together as a team,” she said. “We have eight seniors this year. Some of them took a season or two off, but have stepped in and helped to fill in any gaps in experience. There are several freshmen from the Addison Frogs and Villa Park Mariners that have contributed to our strong presence at our meets. They bring a tremendous amount of swimming experience that helps us fill up each event with a strong competitor.”
Burns added the team’s middle distance and distance events will continue to evolve as the season goes on. “Our middle distance and distance events will get better as the season continues,” she said. “It is difficult to find adequate pool space in DuPage County for swim programs. Neither high school has their own facility so the guys need to find outside programs to train in for the off-season. I hope eventually we will have our own training facility. Not only will it help our program, but it also will help develop the next group of swimmers.”
Burns has been thrilled with the variety of contributions she’s seen up and down the roster. “It’s hard to pick one or two guys who have stepped up,” she said. “Each meet many of them do what they need to do to help us get the points we need for the win.”
Willowbrook’s Burns and Addison Trail’s Grygo are the team captains this season.
“Jack has a calm and steady discipline and helps to make sure our practices run smoothly and he anchors our relays,” said coach Burns. “Jacob brings the guys together at the end of each practice and gives us the power we need for our relays. Both young men help to bring out our team’s strengths.”
AT-Willowbrook returns to action Friday, Jan. 5 against Proviso West.
“The team seems to be transitioning well since they have to adjust to a new coach,” said Burns, in her first season as head coach of the team. “Our assistant coach Amy Martello helps to make sure we have continuity from last year to this year. I have been impressed with the competitiveness and their love for the sport of swimming. Each season brings a new group of competitors and I have been very proud of how they have risen to the challenge and have been willing to try new events.”
