Seniors Aiden Pankros and Nate Kissel joined a great senior class in a tremendous finish for the Riverside Brookfield High School boys swimming and diving team last season. The Bulldogs won the York Sectional for only the program’s second sectional championship and qualified seven entries for the 2024 state meet. It was the first state trip for everyone but graduated standout Drew Rosa.
“[That sectional was] probably the highlight of my swim career at RB,” Pankros said.
“With that group of seniors, we had so much talent, a lot of really great athletes, so they were just pushing you to do your best. That makes you better because you’re swimming with better people. This year, still having a great team, the biggest challenge is just maintain dedication and putting in the effort in order to grow and get better.”
The Bulldogs are trying to replicate that peak performance as they prepare for their annual RBHS Invitational with diving Friday and swimming Saturday. At 2024 state, Pankros was part of the 200-yard freestyle relay that reached the consolation finals and finished 13th in a school-record 1:25.84.
Kissel continues to emerge after taking 45th at state (156.25). The Bulldogs finished 26th (21 points). Other key contributors include seniors Julio Aranda and Martynas Bieliauskas and Avi Ponnappan, juniors Aidan Diaz, Michael Kallas, Jake Kocourek and Henry Manning and versatile freshman Dylan Bolt. Kissel was second (219.80) at Hinsdale South’s College Events Invitational Saturday. The Bulldogs were 11th (31 points).
“[Pankros has] been swimming well. [Kissel is] diving at a higher level this year,” RBHS swim coach Mike Laurich said. “[Kocourek] has been solid in all of his events. He is a great leader by example. [Ponnappan] has emerged as our breast stroker, a switch from backstroke. He is also a great contributor in our sprinting.”
The 50 free and 100 butterfly should be Pankros’ best individual chances at reaching state. At last season’s sectional, Pankros gashed his left shin from coming off the bleachers right before the 50 free, the first of four events. He still competed but required three stitches afterwards.
Pankros currently is battling a strained right hamstring suffered during weight training Jan. 6. He still hopes to return for Saturday’s invitational. Kocourek is overcoming emergency removal of his wisdom teeth.
“It’s going to be close but if I can race and dive off a block I’ll be swimming at the invite,” Pankros said. “I didn’t swim club [in the offseason]. Going into [competing], I was a little bit more fresh and I put down some good times, faster than I expected. I hope I can keep gradually dropping time and make my way to state.”
LT boys swimming and diving
The Lions gained plenty of 2024 postseason experience with 11 state entries and two consolation finalists.
Now it’s time for last year’s numerous returnees to reap the benefits — seniors Lachlan Gantt, Colin Schertz and Jake Thorell and Declan Vahey and juniors CJ Bass, Matthew Ferguson and Jack Hannon.
“A trophy or top-5 finish would be ideal, as would improvements from every individual,” Gantt responded.
“[Last season] our relays and the team culture were really strong. We have a lot of returnees and a lot of people have improved a lot. We were fast last year so we know we can be even faster.”
At 2024 state, the 200 free relay of Gantt, Hannon, Thorell and Ferguson was 10th (season-best 1:24.57) and the 200 medley relay with Vahey (back) and Thorell (free) was 14th (1:35.55) after a season-best 1:33.98 in prelims.
Ferguson was 18th in the 500 free (4:39.49), just .46 from reaching the top-16 consolation finals cut, and 26th in the 200 free (1:42.62),
The 400 free relay of Gantt, Schertz, Ferguson and Thorell (19th, 3:08.76) was 1.47 seconds shy of the consolation finals. Also at state were Gantt in the 100 free (tied for 25th in 100 free, 46.75) and 50 free (tied for 32nd in 50 free, 21.67). Hannon in the 50 free (tied for 26th in 50 free, 21.59) and Bass (35th in 200 individual medley, 1:57.35). The Lions tied for 27th (20 points).
Junior Andy Deditz and senior Brody Robison also return from sectionals. Sophomores Jovan Mijailovic and Kilian Arendt are key newcomers.
“Last year was definitely a building year. It’s just made them excited to make more of an impact at the state meet than they did last year,” LTHS swim coach Erin Rodriguez said. “I think a lot of the saw that their training had to increase. We’re seeing those benefits now. And how they carry themselves during meets, during races. [At state] I would like to have all three relays final, have individual finals because we didn’t have any last year and be in the top 10 as a team.”
In the Lions’ Dec. 13 dual loss to two-time defending state champion Hinsdale Central, victories came from Ferguson (200 free in 1:46.94), Gantt (100 free in 48.76) and Ferguson, Gantt, Hannon and Thorell in the 200 free relay (1:28.36) and 400 free relay (3:14.96).
Schertz (Quincy) and Vahey (Gustavus Adolphus) plan to swim collegiately.
“Having returnees helps for sure since we have experience at the state meet, which matters,” Ferguson responded. “Sectionals for the whole team was awesome. State was fun, even though we didn’t do that great, but the 200 free relay was awesome. The whole meet was pretty fun.”