After a 12-2 season run, the Parkway Central boys swim team set their sights on a third consecutive state championship win. “Winning is not an expectation, but it’s something to strive for,” Junior Hunter Deutschmann said. The odds played in their favor, and the team successfully defended the title, winning with a 266 point total. However the path to a third win was not an easy task.

Hard work and dedication proved necessary for their success. Junior Brody Blatt, 11x Missouri All State swimmer, has swam on the team for all three state championship wins. As a captain, Blatt made sure each team member put in enough work to earn the win. “We tried to make sure everyone was working hard during sets, made sure practices were difficult, critiqued strokes,” Blatt said. Freshman Danny Averbukh, a diver who placed 13th at state, shared this sentiment. “We have become a better team because we put in the work,” Averbukh said. Deutschmann also noticed a change in difficulty, crediting it to his season’s success. “We do 7000+ yards and lactate sets,” Deutschmann said.

Positive team environment also motivates the athletes. Senior Cole Smith, a club and high school swimmer, believes that the two team environments are very different. “High school is more of a team, it motivates the boys to work towards something more than themselves,” Smith said. While club swimmers focus more on improving their individual times, high school swimmers strive to gain points for their team. “Swim more for your school than for a time,” Blatt tells his teammates. This mindset does not only help the team, as many athletes who swim club see personal best times during the high school season. Deutschmann dropped 2.09 seconds from his club time in the 100 fly, placing him seventh overall in Missouri. Sophomore Connor Muran dropped 2.69 seconds from his club time in the 200 IM, placing him third overall in Missouri.

However, every athlete shared a similar sentiment- the true success story of the team is their head coach, Andrew Schonhoff. Throughout his 13 years at Parkway Central, Schonhoff has shaped the very individual sport into a team effort. His coaching style is widely credited as effective, by both his athletes and his peers. But besides helping the swimmers grow as athletes, he has made them grow as individuals. Nathan Malt, a Junior who swims primarily sprint freestyle, credits the team and Coach Schonhoff for his personal growth. “It improved my social confidence,” Malt said. The team environment Schonhoff facilitated helped several athletes create connections with others, giving them the confidence to do that in a real world setting. Deutschmann also feels like he has grown as a person. “The team has made me more dedicated to all things in my life,” Deutschmann said.

The team wishes to continue their winning streak, but with the loss of important seniors, they know they will need to work even harder next year. Malt feels a personal responsibility to cover the seniors leaving, as he swims several events that overlap with Smith and Zeidan Reza. “There is more pressure now that I am older. Next year I will have to work harder than ever before,” Malt said. Averbukh feels similarly, however he also feels responsible to live up to his brother’s legacy. Mathew Averbukh (class of ‘24), was a key player in the team’s victories in years prior. “I have to do better than him and then when my younger brother is a freshman, he will do better than me,” Averbukh said.

While the season may be over, several athletes will continue to swim on various club teams throughout the St. Louis area. They will change from teammates to rivals, however the lessons learned on their high school team will stay with them. If anything, the Parkway Central swimmers are proof that a poor facility does not equal poor athletes.

State Results:

Boys 200 Yard Medley Relay, 1st Place – Smith, Muran, Deutschmann, Malt

Boys 200 Yard Freestyle – Blatt (2nd), Reza (10th)

Boys 200 Yard IM – Muran (3rd)

Boys 50 Yard Freestyle – Malt (10th)

Boys 100 Yard Butterfly – Deutschmann (7th)

Boys 100 Yard Freestyle – Smith (4th), Malt (10th), Reza (11th)

Boys 500 Yard Freestyle – Blatt (2nd), Dimmock (15th)

Boys 200 Yard Freestyle Relay, 1st Place – Muran, Rees, Reza, Blatt

Boys 100 Yard Backstroke – Smith (3rd), Deutschmann (13th)

Boys 100 Yard Breaststroke – Muran (3rd)

Boys 400 Yard Freestyle Relay, 1st Place – Blatt, Reza, Malt, Smith