This year is definitely different for Nansemond River High School swimmer Logan Eubanks.

Last season as a sophomore, he stormed onto the scene claiming conference, regional and state championships in the boys’ 100-yard backstroke. This season, he was tasked with continuing this level of greatness.

And he has made it happen, leading to his status as the Duke Automotive-Suffolk News-Herald Player of the Week.

He received the honor last year after winning the regional title, and it is fitting that the same is true this year.

On Feb. 9, he finished the 100-yard backstroke in 55.09 seconds to win at the Region 4A South swimming championships, improving on his 56.34-second time that won the event last year.

“I think it was pretty good,” he said of his latest performance.

He noted it was different from last year’s win in that “I wasn’t sure who was going to be swimming it this year.”

He said Hanover High School freshman Patrick Townsend swims about the same time as he does in the 100 back, but Townsend opted to forgo the event at regionals.

This was important to Eubanks because even in the midst of swimming an event, he said, “I’m looking beside me to see who I have to race.”

His current personal record in the 100 back is 52.41 seconds. He said he definitely would have gone faster than 55.09 on Feb. 9 if Townsend had been there pushing him.

Nevertheless, Eubanks won by nearly three seconds.

“After he made that first turn in the meet, he knew he had won it,” said Nansemond River Shamus Riley. “You could see he was a whole body length ahead.”

Contrasting this year’s regional meet for Eubanks with last year’s, Riley said that last year, “No one knew who he was.”

This year, Eubanks was a known quantity.

“We expected him to be the No. 1 seed,” Riley said. “Everyone was looking at him to win it, so it was one of those situations where I feel like there was more pressure on his back.”

Performing in the role of the favorite can be difficult, but Eubanks has proven up to the task.

“He’s actually taken that role very well,” Riley said. “He knows that it’s expected of him.”

The coach has noticed continued growth in Eubanks from last season.

“He has more confidence, and it’s exciting for others to watch him swim,” Riley said.

Eubanks explained his mindset entering this season after last year’s success: “I just want to keep the titles.”

And to stop them from slipping away to someone else this season, he has continued to improve his stroke and the power in his arms.

He still swims for the Old Dominion Aquatic Club, where he does weight lifting in the mornings and practices regularly. And he is pushing forward in more than just the backstroke.

“I’m swimming the (individual medley) this year, which is all four strokes in one event,” he said, referring to backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.

For the remainder of his high school career and beyond, Eubanks said his goals are to “defend my state title for the next two years and get into college for swimming.”