Usually a freestyler, Lyons Township High School senior boys swimmer Jack Hannon answered the call after winter break to contribute the butterfly leg to the 200-yard medley relay.
“It didn’t put that much stress on me because (LTHS coach Erin Rodriguez) knew I could do it and I knew I could do it,” Hannon said. “It kind of replaced my 50 free but that gave (senior) Liam Garrity a shot.”
Despite battling illness Saturday, Hannon qualified for state in all four of his events and helped the Lions advance 14 entries at the Lyons Township Sectional. The Lions qualified automatically with sectional titles or by achieving state cuts at sectionals. It’s the most state entries in Rodriguez’s eight seasons as head coach.
“It was a really great sectional meet,” Rodriguez said. “Our goal is top five (at state as a team).”
Senior Patrick Rhatigan (500 free in 4:33.81), junior Jovan Mijailovic in (100 free in 45.50) and the 400 free relay of Mijailovic and seniors Hannon, Rhatigan and Matthew Ferguson (LTHS pool-record 3:03.92) were sectional champions. Advancing with 2-3 finishes that made cuts were Rhatigan (1:40.14) and Ferguson (1:40.81) in the 200 free and junior divers Chris Yeates (482.55 points) and Owen Kachmarik (469.70).
Lyons Township’s Matthew Ferguson swims the 200 Yard Freestyle during the WSC Silver Championship Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s Danny Sandt swims the breaststroke leg of the Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay during the WSC Silver Championship Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s Patrick Rhatigan swims the 200 Yard Freestyle during the WSC Silver Championship Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s Jovan Mijailovic and Hinsdale Central’s Teddy Chase shake hands after competing in the 50 Yard Freestyle during the WSC Silver Championship Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark) 
Lyons Township’s Andy Deditz heads off the blocks in the 200 Yard IM during the WSC Silver Championship Friday, Feb. 6, 2026 in Western Springs, IL. (Steve Johnston/Riverside-Brookfield Landmark)
Also qualifying were second-place senior CJ Bass (100 fly in 51.02), Mijailovic (50 free in 21.04), the 200 medley relay (Mijailovic, sophomore Danny Sandt, Hannon, Garrity in 1:33.70) and the 200 free relay (Hannon, Garrity, Rhatigan, Ferguson in 1:25.11), third-place junior Finn Hunek (52.73 in 100 back in 52.73) and Ferguson (500 free in 4:37.72) and fourth-place Hannon (100 free in 47.18).
The Lions (302 points) finished second to Hinsdale Central (334) after finishing second to the Red Devils in the West Suburban Conference Silver Division.
“We definitely did what we were supposed to do and needed to do,” Hannon said. “I am excited to see what we are all capable of at state being fully tapered and all healthy.”
Bass returns to state individually after qualifying as a sophomore but missing the cut last season.
“I’ll never forget the support I had from my team and coaches, really all levels,” Bass said. “I knew that this is the end of the line. This is what I’m going to make it to be. I trusted the training. I left it in my hands.”
Top-16 finishers in Friday’s preliminaries advance to Saturday’s finals with the top eight competing for the state title. Based on sectional performances, the 400 free relay is seeded No. 2, Rhatigan and Ferguson are No. 2 and 6 in the 500 free, Rhatigan (200 free) is No. 7 and the 200 free relay and Mijailovic (100 free) are No. 8.
At the Leyden Sectional, Riverside Brookfield had no state qualifiers but achieved something special.
“We were 100 percent best times throughout the whole meet,” RBHS coach Mike Laurich said. “They did really well, a lot of cheering for each other.”
Seniors Henry Manning, who was eighth in the 50 free (22.44), and senior Jake Kocourek, sixth in the 100 butterfly (55.38) and seventh in the 200 free (1:49.18), came closest to state cuts of 21.73, 51.92 and 1:44.59. Seven of Saturday’s 11 competitors were underclassmen (Cameron Cimino, Ryan Meschke, Emerson Lacey, Frank Savaglio, AJ Douglas, TJ Wood and Vincenzo George).
Other seniors competing were Aidan Diaz and Michael Kallas, who nearly missed the whole season after being injured twice during football season. After finally being cleared, Kallas made his season debut at the conference meet. Kallas joined Manning, Kocourek and Cimino on the sixth-place 200 free relay (1:33.07) Saturday.
“(Kallas) took the role perfectly, took advantage and was a real plus being on that relay,” Laurich said.
The Bulldogs were sixth (81 points). Fenwick was second (226 points).
Fenwick senior Jack Posluszny from Riverside qualified for state by winning the 100 breast stroke (57.44) and contributing the breast leg to the winning 200 medley relay (1:33.57). Fenwick senior Sawyer Collins of Riverside was 10th in the 50 free (23.14) and 100 free (51.22).