Swim Veterans Return With Trip To State On Their Radar

Close didn’t count for the Evanston boys swim team at the Illinois High School Association state preliminary competition last year.

But with five swimmers returning who fell into the “just miss” category when it came to reaching the championship and/or consolation state finals, the Wildkits certainly will be motivated to take the next step in 2023-24.

The goal for seniors Cadel Saszik, Lucas Macy, Max Taufen, Evan Lindner and Henry Chapon --- along with the rest of their teammates --- is to race on the final day of the season at State.

The Kits open their season Friday night with a dual meet against Loyola Academy and have the experience --- and depth --- to take aim at a possible top 20 State finish if those veterans just make the normal progress most competitors make from their junior to senior seasons.

Veteran head coach Kevin Auger has already seen unexpected time drops in preseason workouts and can’t wait to see where his squad stands by the time postseason competition is at hand.

He knows the seniors will be driven to keep their seasons alive right up until the state finals.

“They’re already talking about that 400 freestyle relay and getting to the finals,” said Auger, noting how rare it is for all four members of that team (Saszik, Taufen, Lindner, Chapon) to be back for another try. “We’re all hoping we’ll score some points at State this year, and that means still being there on Saturday. That’s definitely the goal.

“I’m excited about this group. We’ll miss (graduated starter) Michael Pollack in the breaststroke --- that’s one hole we’ll have a hard time filling --- but I think we can be a pretty decent team. They know what they’re capable of and they have that state meet on their radar. This year it won’t be good enough for them to just qualify. They want to make a statement and score some points.”

Saszik is back to try to lower his own school record in the 100-yard backstroke. That effort came on the second-to-last day of the season, at the IHSA prelims, but his time of 51.87 ranked 18th and only the 12 fastest swimmers claimed a spot in the finals.

Macy is a two-time sectional champion in the 500 freestyle and his sectional time of a year ago is just 6 seconds off the school record of 4:33.80 set by Aidan Dillon in 2018. Taufen’s emergence helped the Kits qualify two relay teams to State, and he also punched a ticket in the open 50 freestyle, where he registered a season-best time of 21.87 in the prelims.

“Cadel actually went a half second faster in the backstroke after the high school season (competing for the Wildkit Swim Organization club team). But you never know what will happen, the whole state could be faster in any race,” noted Auger. “Lucas didn’t swim the 500 a lot for his club --- his focus was on the 200 butterfly --- but right now he’s farther ahead of where he was coming into the season last year.

“Taufen has thrown down a couple of good times in races other than the 50 so far. Time will tell what happens at the end. But I have confidence they’ll all be faster, and if they are, then they’ll have a shot at making the finals.”

Lindner and Chapon both came on strong at the end of last season. Chapon’s best sport is probably actually water polo, but his versatility will help Auger fill in his name in the lineup in either the 200 individual medley, the breaststroke and both freestyle relays. Lindner will be counted on in the relays and the open 100 and 200 freestyle races as well.

Other seniors to watch include Mo Frischer, the squad’s likely No. 1 diver coming off his 11th place sectional finish as a junior, plus Harry Winefield and Bjorn Sievert.

Winefield earned a runnerup finish in the breaststroke at the Central Suburban League South division junior varsity championship meet last year, and is probably still dropping time as you read this.

“He was so fast he made our sectional team, and he dropped time again,” said the ETHS coach. “Then he dropped again during the WSO season. Now he’s dropping time in our workouts. He started last year at 1:11 and now he’s down to 1:02. I’m looking for big things to happen for Harry.

“Last year was Bjorn’s first year out for swimming --- he originally came out for water polo as a sophomore --- and now he’s the second fastest guy in the 50 (free) in our time trials. He’s definitely going to help us.”

The junior class is headed by the two guys who shared “Most Improved” honors for the JV squad a year ago, Jonas Nissan and Walker Travis. Nissan is coming off a season last winter in which he dropped 16 seconds of time in the 500 freestyle, and over the summer added a staggering 4 second drop in the 200 freestyle. “He’s really taken a huge step forward for us,” said Auger.

Travis is knocking on the door to claim a spot in the breaststroke, backstroke or IM. Other juniors who could make an impact include Will Huston (500 freestyle, 200 freestyle) and Isaac Tang (IM, freestyle). Nate Cvetas adds depth to the lineup in the freestyle races ranging from the 50 to the 500.

Sophomore Ben Shewfelt is a top candidate to be slotted in somewhere, perhaps the butterfly or backstroke, and can’t be counted out of the 500 freestyle, either. Classmates William Kleinschmit (100 freestyle), Frankie Lang (IM, 500, breaststroke) are on the cusp when it comes to cracking the starting lineup, and Artley Scales could be the one to pick up the slack for the departure of the graduated Pollack in the backstroke.

Freshman Hunter Kleinschmit, William’s younger brother, is counted on to make a splash in the sprint freestyle and backstroke races. Maxton Pomykalski and Logan Eaton-Strong are two other first-year swimmers of note.