Top 5 Teams
1. Chesterton: Former Munster coach Mat Pavlovich takes over a team that he is almost certain will place in the top three at state. Senior Andrew Alders, a Purdue commit, and junior Lucas Piunti, an Indiana commit, each had a pair of top-six finishes at state last season. Gabe Kroeger, Alejandro Kincaid, Connor Casbon and Jordan Killosky were state qualifiers. Gabriel Eschbach has shown flashes in the 200- and 500-yard freestyles.
2. Munster: New coach Tina Schmidt-McNulty inherits a Seahorses team that features a trio of senior standouts: Kyle Adams, Grant Afman and Holden Raffin. Adams, an Iowa commit, is the defending state champion in the breaststroke, while Raffin, a USC commit, had two thirds at state. Afman, who just committed to Air Force, was the state runner-up in the butterfly. Kenny Reed, Griffin Poulsen and Fenry Zhou all are very good in their own right. Munster should be near the top three at state.
3. Lake Central: The Indians graduated their top three swimmers from a team that was 10th at state, returning a group that coach Jeff Kilinski says is younger but is learning to compete as the season goes on. Sophomore Eric Tinsley, along with Cam Williams, Kyle Hegyi and Matt Gacek, will be crucial in helping the team reach its goals of top-three finishes at conference and sectionals.
4. Crown Point: The Bulldogs bring back a state qualifier in the backstroke in senior Alex McCormick. He is one of three returners, along with junior sprinter Leo Gonzalez and breaststroker Pablo Nieto, that were on the 200 medley relay that was 18th at state. Freshmen Aleks Kostic and Andy Dyba will be contributors.
5. Valparaiso: Junior Will Miltenberger, a state qualifier in the 100 freestyle, and junior Zach Juhl will lead a team that coach Boomer Nellessen said is very young. Senior Isaac Anderson, the team’s top distance freestyler, and sophomore Kyle Seward join Miltenberger and Juhl on both freestyle relays. Senior Jack Schwartz is the area’s top diver, having placed eighth at state.
Top 20 Swimmers
(in alphabetical order) Kyle Adams, Munster, senior; Grant Afman, Munster, senior; Andrew Alders, Chesterton, senior; Isaac Anderson, Valparaiso, senior; Connor Baker, Michigan City, senior; Gabriel Eschbach, Chesterton, sophomore; Zach Juhl, Valparaiso, junior; Jordan Killosky, Chesterton, senior; Alejandro Kincaid, Chesterton, sophomore; Gabe Kroeger, Chesterton, senior; Alex McCormick, Crown Point, senior; Will Miltenberger, Valparaiso, junior; Lucas Piunti, Chesterton, junior; Griffin Poulsen, Munster, sophomore; Holden Raffin, Munster, senior; Kenny Reed, Munster, sophomore; Jack Schwartz, Valparaiso, senior, diver; Eric Tinsley, Lake Central, sophomore; Cam Williams, Lake Central, junior; Fenry Zhou, Munster, junior.
CJ Peters is a freelance reporter for the Post-Tribune.
