After record-setting sectional, 5 swimmers qualify for IHSA state

Parker Maurer and Payton Newton

Feb 27, 2026

Community’s 200 medley relay—Nolan Pyle, Sam Grojean, Wade Pyle and Troy Reckamp—won the sectional title in 1:33.11, setting both school and Normal West pool records. Photo Courtesy of: Community Athletic Department

Five Community boys swimmers qualified for the IHSA Boys State Swimming & Diving meet in seven events and will compete Friday, Feb. 28, at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont after a record-setting sectional meet Saturday, Feb. 21.

State qualifiers include the 200-yard medley relay of Nolan Pyle, Sam Grojean, Wade Pyle and junior Troy Rekamp, which set a school record at 1 minute, 33.11 seconds. The finish cut more than four seconds off the previous school record of 1:37.55.

The Ironmen’s 400 freestyle relay team of Nolan Pyle, Troy Reckamp, Ethan Arndt and Wade Pyle claimed a sectional title with a time of 3:09.38. setting a school record and Normal West pool record in the process.
Photo Courtesy of: Community Athletic Department

The 400-yard freestyle relay of Nolan Pyle, Rekamp, Ethan Arndt and Wade Pyle also set a school record, finishing in 3:09.38 to break the previous record of 3:10.65.

Individually, senior Wade Pyle qualified in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle, setting school record in both events, Coach Heather Budak said.

Pyle won the 200 freestyle in 1:39.60, lowering his previous record of 1:40.46. He won the 100 freestyle in 45.15, breaking his previous record of 45.19.

Sophomore Nolan Pyle advanced in the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke, while Grojean, a senior, qualified in the 100 breaststroke and set a school record with a 56.83.

For Wade Pyle and Grojean, the trip to Westmont marks a fourth-straight State appearance.

That success, Grojean said, “means a lot. It just shows the hard work pays off. And I’m really grateful that I get to just do this for the fourth year and have it be my best year.”

Grojean said the sectional meet was a confidence boost across the lineup, with swimmers posting personal-best times and feeding off one another’s performances.

“Everybody had great performances,” Grojean said. “It’s fun watching your friends succeed” rather than focusing on your own races.

Seeing teammates hit best times, he said, lifts the group’s energy and confidence for the next event.

Grojean also pointed to Rekamp’s improvement as a key reason Community’s relays are headed to Westmont, saying Rekamp’s offseason work helped solidify the lineup.

“Through the off season and through in season, he has showed the dedication, the work ethic to prove himself,” Grojean said. “He had a great split, and he’s a great reason why we even qualified and broke school records and won the sectional [race].”

With multiple swimmers entered in relays and individual events, Grojean said the team has to balance goals.

“You kind of have to strategize what is best [for you],” Grojean said, “and what’s the best for the overall team’s performance.”

The Ironmen, the senior said, used the week ahead of state to make adjustments to improve their chances of medaling in the IHSA’s only single-class state competition.

“We still have small tweaks to fix,” Grojean said. “We’re watching the film and seeing what we can improve.”

Prelims begin at 3:30 p.m. Friday with finals scheduled for 11 a.m. Saturday.

At the sectional meet, Budak said, the rest of the lineup, which included Mason LaKamp, Oliver Kirk, Dhruv Joshi and Layne Wills, also posted personal-best times at sectionals.

Community finished second as a team at the sectional meet with 244 points, trailing Washington’s 269.

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