ST. CHARLES – St. Charles North boys swimming coach Rob Rooney finds there’s “a lot more fire in the belly” of freshman Stephan Hutchinson lately.

Lacking an X-ray machine when he delivered the diagnosis, Rooney instead spoke from instinct and experience, two qualities Hutchinson finally feels he has gathered after two months with the North Stars.

Another St. Charles swimming legacy, Hutchinson entered the program with a grasp of what it took to compete on varsity from years of watching older sisters Kirsten and Loriel. Now that he’s located a full pulse, his teammates are glad to have him.