Lyons Township High School seniors Jack Dillon and Peter Smith expected to have some new teammates join them this season at the boys swimming and diving state meet.
At the highly competitive LT Sectional Saturday, the Lions earned an impressive 11 state entries – their most since 2017. The state meet is Friday and Saturday at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont.
“We were very surprised. You can only really hope for that to happen like that (at sectionals),” Dillon said.
“I’d like to think we worked really well as a team. When we saw the others doing well. We kind of fed off the energy. Once you see one person doing well, all of the hard work they put in this season, it builds confidence in yourself.”
Entries automatically qualify for state with sectionals titles or by achieving state-qualifying standards at the meet.
The 400-yard freestyle relay of juniors Lachlan Gantt and Colin Schertz, sophomore Matthew Ferguson and junior Jake Thorell (3:08.45), 200 free relay of Thorell, sophomore Jack Hannon, Ferguson and Gantt (1:25.79), 200 medley relay (1:34.66) of junior Declan Vahey (backstroke), Dillon (breast stroke), Smith (butterfly) and Thorell (free) and Ferguson (500 free in 4:36.75) all advanced with second-place finishes.
Third-place Gantt (100 free in 46.50 and 50 free in 21.55), sophomore CJ Bass (200 individual medley in 1:56.57), Ferguson (200 free in 1:41.68) and Dillon (100 breast in 57.55) and fourth-place Hannon (50 free in 21.76) also beat their respective state cuts.
Senior diver Matt Adler was second (473.50 points) and earned his third straight berth at-large.
The Lions (272 points) finished second to defending state champion Hinsdale Central (348), which won all 11 swimming events and forced the Lions into needing state cuts to advance.
LTHS swim coach Erin Rodriguez said when tapered junior varsity swimmers first enjoyed great drops in their final meets, the sectional lineup knew good things were coming Saturday.
“The drops (our swimmers) were having, the energy they had and from the fans in the stands, it was such a special day for all of them,” Rodriguez said.
“It’s an honor to be able to swim against the best in the state (Hinsdale Central) so many times. The only goal was to get all three relays and as many individuals as possible, to get experience as sophomores and juniors.”
Top-16 finishers on Friday advance to Saturday’s finals as opposed to just 12 in years past.
In the 2023 state finals, Dillon was part of the 200 medley relay that tied for 11th and Smith was part of the 12th-place 400 free relay. Adler finished 15th in the diving semifinals.
Nazareth Academy junior Cooper Kosanovich, Saturday’s diving champion (528.55), was an all-state seventh in 2023 and is seeded No. 4.
Based on their sectional performances, Ferguson (500 free) is seeded No. 10, Adler No. 12, Gantt (100 free) and the 200 free relay No. 13, the 400 free relay No. 15 and Dillon and the 200 medley relay No. 16.
Adding an individual state event is a special thrill for Dillon.
“That’s been a goal of mine for like two years. I’ve come up short quite a few times,” Dillon said.
“It was unbelievably fulfilling to have that finally happen for me. (Assistant coach Matt Harder) was thrilled as well. He’s worked with me this whole time and it was awesome.”