Boys’ Swimming Preview: Flintridge Prep’s Langen has eyes on two titles

LA CAÑADA FLINTRIDGE — Improvement and productivity are the key elements that unite the Flintridge Prep, La Cañada High and St. Francis swimming teams.

Each has a unique set of circumstances facing them this season, but each is expecting to top the 2016 campaign with standout efforts along the way.

History was certainly in the cards for Flintridge Prep last season.

The Rebels captured their fourth straight Prep League championship, tied for for 14th (83 points) at the CIF Southern Section Division III Swimming and Diving Championships and received a banner year from Andreas Langen.

The senior captured the Division III 50-yard freestyle race in 24.46 seconds and, in the process, became his school’s first individual champion in two years and first titlist in the 50 free since Mike Miao in 1980.

Langen also came up just short of doubling his title take by finishing second in the 100 free in 46.65. He did, however, become the area’s first-ever CIF State participant in both events.

Flintridge Prep Coach Ingrid Herskind would like to see “individual wins for Andy in the freestyles and [personal records] all around.”

Beyond Langen, Herskind has quite a few talented returners back, including junior Brett Bell and sophomores Winston Chen and Ben Brookbanks.

Langen, Chen and Bell, along with Sean King, helped make up a strong 200-yard medley relay squad that won the league title and finished sixth in 1:40.88 at the Division III finals.

Chen will continue to compete in the backstroke and freestyle competitions, Brookbanks in the free sprints and Bell in the backstroke and butterfly events.

Herskind has set her sights on another league title for the boys and strong individual advancement throughout the postseason.

Expectations were supposed to be pretty high for La Cañada following a year in which the Spartans finished 4-1 in the Rio Hondo League, took second to San Marino and advanced in a few competitions at the Division II championships.

The Spartans suffered an unexpected blow, however, as senior standout Alexander “Sasha” Vilesov dropped swimming in favor of tennis this spring.

Vilesov won a league title in the 50 free (21.95) and was second in the 100 fly (52.75). At the Division II championships, Vilesov tied for fifth in the 50 free (21.41).

Despite the big defection, Spartans second-year Coach David Hill believes his squad can still be competitive.

“We know that San Marino is a very good team, but our goal is still to go undefeated in league,” Hill said. “I think we can do it. Obviously, losing Sasha hurts, but we have a pretty deep group and I think we’re going to surprise some people.”

Sophomore Eddie Cosic is back and is expected to be the Spartans’ top competitor in the breaststroke, while sophomore Juan Grasses also returns as a strong distance freestyler.

Hill also had a trio of exciting freshmen in Joshua Kim, Michael Lee and Danny Syrkin.

It’s year No. 3 in the tough Mission League for St. Francis Coach Brady Lowdermilk, who’s seen progress.

Though the Golden Knights finished in sixth place, they were within 40 points of Alemany for fifth and did qualify relay teams to the CIF Southern Section Division I preliminaries.

“As we enter this season, I’m really happy with where we stand,” Lowdermilk said. “We have 29 guys on the team (up from 15 last year) – including four seniors (up from zero last year). Of those 29 guys, about half were on the water polo team this fall.”

Lowdermilk will turn to a few valuable upperclassmen for productivity and leadership in seniors Gabriel Azabache and Elijah Havens and junior Michael Humphrey.

Azabache, one of many Rose Bowl Aquatics products on the squad, enters with personal-best marks of 56.61 and 1:53.93 in the 100 fly and 200 free, respectively. Havens will compete in the 50 free (24.25) and 100 free (54.02) and Humphrey is set to go in the 100 fly (55.33) and 500 free (4:55.73).

Beyond the trio, Lowdermilk has a promising sophomore in John Balog, who will compete in the 50 free (23.86) and 100 free (53.26), and a trio of freshmen who are expected to produce in Christopher Bruce, Ethan Gray and Michael Smith.