Central Swimmers Looking for Repeat

After graduating standouts like Mark Menis, Matt O'Brien, Keith Piper and Danny Tucker off of last year's state championship team, Naperville Central's boys swimming team knew it had some holes to fill, especially in the sprints.

After last Saturday's win at the Neuqua Valley Invitational, the Redhawks have a better idea of how their team is coming together.

Central was expectedly led by Jeff Depew and Nate Weeks, but received solid contributions from the likes of Sean Lehane and Pat May, who both won events.

"When you lose so many guys, it's like, 'Where are we at? What are we going to be able to do? Who will be able to step up and go?,' " Central coach Mike Adams said. "This meet isn't the end for us. This meet is only after four weeks. It's what we do from here on out that will determine what we're going to be this year."

The graduated foursome of Menis, O'Brien, Piper and Tucker were the winning combination on both state championship relays for the Redhawks, the 200 and 400 freestyle units, while all contributing with finals appearances in at least one individual event.

Replacing that entire crew of sprinters is a work in progress. Weeks has started to be used in those events, which is a departure for him. He finished off the 200 free relay by swimming the Redhawks to a win in the anchor leg last Saturday.

 "We're still working on it," Depew said. "Losing the Fab Four from last year, it was a huge hit, but everyone in the relay, nothing's set. You have to prove yourself. The spot is not just handed to you. You have to work at it."

You don't have to ask May. He was an alternate at state last year, but he experienced a growth spurt in the off-season and ramped up his training regimen. His win in the 100 freestyle last Saturday, despite being ill most of the week, was a good sign for the Redhawks.

"You can't get everybody in," Adams said of last year's team. "He's been under the weather. But it was nice that he was able to get out and race, do well in the 100 free. He was pretty good on the relays, too."

The nature of high school athletics is that teams will change from year to year, with graduated players moving on and athletes progressing as they age. In that vein, Central knows that remaining in the state's elite is certainly possible. Last Saturday's win proves it.

"Maybe we're not as overtly strong as last year, but I think we have a lot of kids that are going to come through at the end of the year for us," Weeks said. "By the time we get through our taper and do our training, we're going to be a lot closer to New Trier than they think we will be."