BOYS’ SWIMMING AND DIVING 1995: PREVIEW : SIX TEAMS TO WATCH : FOOTHILL

Coach: David Simcox (21st year).

1994: 7-5, 4-1 in the Century League. Finished second in league to Villa Park, but did not perform well at the Division I finals, finishing 15th.

Key returners: Brian Brown, Jr.; David Katz, Sr.; Jeff Pflueger, So.

Key newcomers: Robert Arroyo, Fr.; James Thornton, Fr.

Outlook: Last season, the Knights seemed plagued by an attitude problem. Simcox said things got so bad that three seniors did not swim in the league finals, which he says cost Foothill the title and contributed to the team’s poor showing at the division finals. This year, however, the team is looking forward to competing, Simcox said. One factor favoring Foothill this season will be the rebuilding at Villa Park, which lost some key swimmers to graduation. Another will be the presence of two freshmen--Arroyo, one of the top backstrokers in the county, and Thornton, who has a junior national time in the 1,000-yard freestyle. Katz, who took second last year at the division finals in the 100-yard breaststroke and also has a junior national time in the event, will be one of the team’s few seniors.