by Frank Aceto
Associate Sports Editor
If you win your division, it’s a good bet you’ll win the district title.
At least that what Hudson fourth-year head boys swimming and diving coach Matt Davis thinks.
Such was the case last season.
Solon captured the Northeast Ohio Conference Valley Division title last season.
The powerful Comets also won a Division I district championship.
The runner-up in both those meets?
The Explorers.
Hudson would like to change that this season.
But the Explorers probably won’t catch anyone off-guard anymore.
“We snuck up on some people last year,” Davis said. “Nobody expected us to do as well as we did. We’re the hunted now. We’re not the hunters anymore.”
Hudson lost some quality performers from last season.
They include Brandon Bungo, a two-time state qualifier on the relays, Jimmy Coyne, who reached the state meet in the 500-yard freestyle, and Tim Abraham, who qualified for the state competition in a relay.
Also graduating were Nate Kralik, a district qualifier in the breaststroke, and diver Murphy Danko, who reached the district meet.
The Explorers, however, do have three returning state performers back in the mix.
Senior diver Nick Pinkerton, a team captain, reached the state meet after finishing second in a district competition.
Other returning state qualifiers include Corey Jones, who advanced on a couple of relay teams the last two years and juniors John Zucca, who qualified in the breaststroke and on a relay team, and Jimmy Dagley, who advanced in both the freestyle and backstroke events.
Jones and Zucca earned All-American and All-Ohio honors in the 200 medley relay.
Other seniors comprise diver Eric Steiger, a returning district qualifier, Alex Van Dyke (breaststroke), Greg Kithcart (freestyle) and Andrew Bair (freestyle). Van Dyke and Kithcart also are team captains.
The rest of the junior class consists of Alex Lindroth, a district qualifier in both the freestyle and breaststroke events, and Nick Bockanic and Kevin Carrabine, who will swim the butterfly and backstroke events.
Davis also has two veteran performers in sophomores Adam Motter (butterfly and freestyle), who was part of the All-American medley relay team, and Marty Haas (freestyle).
Freshmen freestyle swimmers Ryan Hutcheson and Patrick Choi also expect to get in the mix.
“We do have a lot of depth,” Davis said. “We have a couple of talented freshmen and we had a really good freshman class last year.
“The kids really stepped up during the summer and fall.”
Davis’ assistant is Katherine Kleinert. Paul Steiger is the diving coach.
Davis believes his team can win both Valley Division and district titles.
“Us, Solon and Strongsville have very strong boys and girls teams,” he said.
“You also can throw [Akron] Firestone in there. Wooster and [Cleveland] St. Ignatius are two of the better teams.
“I don’t think there is a clear-cut favorite. We have the opportunity to be district champs. I do feel we have enough talent to win it.”
The Explorers are scheduled to entertain Valley Division rival Stow-Munroe Falls Dec. 4 at 6 p.m.
E-mail: faceto@recordpub.com
Phone: 330-686-3914