After all their hard work, the top swimmers in the state are here at FMC Natatorium to compete in the 2026 IHSA state meet. Representatives from DVC and sectional champions, Neuqua Valley, as well as Naperville North, have qualified for the finals on the second day. Meanwhile, Hinsdale Central seeks to capture its fourth consecutive state title. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Marmion starts the meet strong
We’ll begin with heat one of the 200 medley relay, featuring swimmers from Neuqua Valley and Naperville North. The Wildcats team of Blake Torpey, Jack Langan, Peter Carroll, and Aly Hassanien win the heat with a time of 1:32.27 seconds, which is good enough to win the heat and is the sixth fastest time overall. The Huskie group of Joshua Leu, Maksim Fedorovskiy, Carter Seiple, and Hudson Labinsky clocked in at 1:34.48, placing them in sixth in the heat. Marmion takes first place in the championship heat over Glenbrook South.
The next race is the championship heat of the 200-yard freestyle with senior Arun Kaura representing Neuqua Valley in lane one. Hinsdale Central senior Luke Vatev is running away with this one in lane four with a time of 1:34.89. Meanwhile, Kaura finishes eighth at 1:40.21. Wade Pyle from Normal takes second with Braden Nagel from Marmion in third.
Neuqua Valley has a record-breaking day
We’re on to the 200 IM featuring Neuqua freshman Blake Torpey and multiple swimmers from Marmion and Hinsdale Central as the teams battle in the team standings. Brayden Capen from Marmion finishes first with a time of 1:45.77, ahead of teammate Dan Ginaitis in second place. Despite finishing in eighth, Torpey sets a new school record for Neuqua with a time of 1:50.65. Wildcat Jack Langan finished third in the first heat and 11th overall.
Moving on, we have heat one of the 100-yard butterfly with Neuqua Valley’s Peter Carroll and Blake Torpey. Carroll is neck-and-neck with Ethan Chung of Niles West, but he just edges him out to win the heat with a time of 49.29, which is another Neuqua Valley school record. Torpey comes in at fourth in the heat and 12th overall. Thomas McMillan from St. Charles North is the 100 fly state champion.
Next up, we have heat one of the 100-yard freestyle, which includes Naperville North senior Maksim Fedorovskiy. Charles Medlin from Schlarman in Danville wins the heat. Fedorovskiy comes in seventh with a time of 45.71. Vernon Hills junior Yury Plaskin takes first over Wade Pyle in the championship heat. Plaskin won the 50 free with Medlin in second earlier in the day.
With seven races down, we have the long-distance 500 freestyle with Arun Kaura back in the mix. The Neuqua Valley senior clocks a 4:35.05 to take seventh place. But getting to the wall first is Brayden Capen from Marmion with a time of 4:26.33. Patrick Rhatigan and Matthew Ferguson from Lyons take second and third. Patrick O’Connor from Marmion is fourth. Two Cadets in the top four puts Marmion back in the hunt for the team championship.
On we go to the 200-yard freestyle relay that features teams from Hinsdale Central, Marmion, and New Trier. The Red Devils team of Luke Vatev and Matthew Vatev, Teddy Chase, and Brandon Saliga is on top of its game as the Devils finish first with a 1:20.23, which breaks the IHSA state meet record.
Hinsdale Central continues its dominant state swimming run
Nearing the end of the meet, we have the 100-yard breaststroke featuring Neuqua Valley junior Jack Langan. Once again, Hinsdale Central senior Matthew Vatev leads the way with a first-place time of 53.47. Noah Chen of Glenbrook South takes second. Langan comes in sixth with a time of 56.24 for the Wildcats.
Luke Vatev from Hinsdale Central gives the Red Devils another first-place finish in the 100-yard backstroke. Jackson Wagoner finishes in 12th place for Neuqua.
To close out the state meet, we have the 400 freestyle relay with teams from Marion, New Trier, and Glenbrook South looking to lock in the top spots. But in the end, the Hinsdale Central group of Luke Vatev, Brandon Saliga, Teddy Chase, and Matthew Vatev put it together and set another state meet record with a time of 2:58.41. The Red Devils set multiple records en route to their fourth consecutive state championship. Marmion finishes as the runner-up with Glenbrook South in third. Neuqua Valley finishes the year in seventh place.
Tyler Issac from Glenbrook South won the state diving championship, with Knox Noble from New Trier in second and Tristan Peterson from Freeport in third.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
