Lindbergh High School boys’ swimming and diving team head coach Tim Lombardo sees promise in his young squad for the 2009 season.

The Flyers finished 23rd at the Missouri State Championships last year, but lost Kyle Schnoring and Parker Finlinson to graduation.

“We’re going to be very young and inexperienced overall, but we’ve got some talented kids on the team,” Lombardo said. “But for right now, I don’t really know what we’re going to look like this season.”

Senior diver Jim Tyra is the Flyers’ lone returning member to score individual points at last year’s state championships. He took 14th on the one-meter springboard last season by scoring a total of 331.30 points.

“If he dives the way he did last year and even improves, he should be top-16 again this season,” Lombardo said. “With a little luck and a high degree of difficulty, he may even break the top eight.”

One swimmer Lombardo believes will do some damage at state this season is junior Joe Baumgartner, who participated in his first year of competitive swimming last season.

He led off on the Flyers’ 200-yard free-style relay, which took 10th at state.

“Joe was kind of the surprise of the team,” Lombardo said. “He literally came out of nowhere last year.”

Junior Keith Fabick competed in the 200- and 500-yard free last season, but most likely will move to the sprint events in 2009. Lombardo believes that Fabick will swim the 50-, 100- and 200-yard free.

“Keith swam a lot of the 200 and 500 free for us last year,” Lombardo said. “But we’re going to probably have him swim the 50, 100 and 200 free this year.”

Sophomore Ryan Meyer is a distance free-style specialist who will compete in the 200- and 500-yard free.

“Ryan will be our primary 200 and 500 free guy this season,” Lombardo said. “He’s one of those guys that could probably excel in the 1,000 or the mile if they had it in high school.”

Lindbergh Swimming

Sept. 1 Rockwood Summit A 4 p.m.

Sept. 8 De Smet H 4:15 p.m.

Sept. 12 Ladue Invitational A TBA

Sept. 15 Marquette A 4:15 p.m.

Sept. 17 Ladue A 4:15 p.m.

Sept. 22 Parkway South H 4:15 p.m.

Sept. 24 Kirkwood H 4:15 p.m.

Sept. 29 Oakville H 4:15 p.m.

Oct. 6 Lafayette A 4:15 p.m.

Oct. 10 Cape Invitational A 10 a.m.

Oct. 13 Mehlville H 4:15 p.m.

Oct. 17 Flyer Invitational H 10 a.m.