In the midst of the piercing chants, roars, and applause encapsulating the pool deck, there lies the swimmer. He stares at the smooth water through his chlorine-stained goggles, breathing deeply, anticipating greatness. Awaiting his race, he reflects on every practice, every piece of advice, and every moment that has prepared him for this. The first whistle blows, and on the block, he waits, poised with ultimate confidence. Suddenly, the alarm blares and he launches himself forth, transforming the once-calm water into a sea of powerful ripples with his emphatic kicks. As he approaches the final lap, giving it his all, he finishes the race and sees his diligent work transform into history.
The boys’ swim team is back and stronger than ever! Their season included consistent rigor, determination, sacrifice, and most importantly, sportsmanship. With many new swimmers coming in, either as freshmen or transfer students, the team was at risk of developing an unstable team dynamic. Despite this, the boys embraced their differences to establish a team chemistry that was indestructible and high-spirited. To highlight some of their strong team accomplishments, the boys began their season at the annual Lincoln-Way West Pentathlon, taking third place in a tight competition. Following this victory, the underclassmen went off to the annual Freshman/Sophomore Invite at Victor J. Andrew High School, winning the meet by over 60 points! Soon, both the varsity and junior varsity teams traveled to Bradley-Bourbonnais for a dual-meet and won on both levels, sparking their winning streak. Next, varsity defeated Lincoln-Way West, Andrew, and HF, leaving them hungry for more.
As they approached the end of their season, the boys began to channel all their perseverance and victories into their last two meets—Conference and Sectionals. With the strategical plans of the Varsity coach, Mr. Shaughnessy, and the toughness of the swimmers, they were ready to win. At Conference, the boys executed greatness, with the varsity team taking home a first-place finish for the first time since 2019, and the JV level triumphantly placing 4th! The boys won by a whopping 46 points and had a dominating performance against runner-up, Lincoln-Way East. Highlights from this meet came from freshmen, Soya Kubota and Tyler Hofsommer, finishing top two in the 100 Breaststroke with just a miniscule .01 second difference separating the two swimmers.
Finally, it was time for the team to take on Sectionals—the moment they’ve been waiting for. The prestigious IHSA Sectionals meet consists of 12 strong teams, all fighting for the title of “Sectional Champions.” The boys worked together with pride, excellence, and dedication to land a first-place finish for the first time in school history! This historic feat was so victorious that the boys—and coaches—celebrated by jumping in the pool! To hear inspiring thoughts from Mr. Shaughnessy upon this historic accomplishment, he shares, “We ask them to sacrifice a lot with the hope of reaching their goals. You never know what is going to happen, but because of their preparation, they were ready for everything, and it just fell into place.” But their success does not end there – five of the swimmers (Dominic DiForti, Tyler Hofsommer, Soya Kubota, Tyler Lambert, and Jack Mroz)—competed at the IHSA State competition and fiercely finished their triumphant season with great swims all around. Congratulations on your eternal remembrance in Knight History, boys; the future is bright!
