Metea's Sellers buys into second-place finish

Metea Valley's Megan Sellers sure has put her stamp on the 100 breaststroke in the last four state swim meets.

After finishing, fourth, third and third her first three years, Sellers topped off her high school career Saturday with a second-place finish in the breaststroke, and she did it with some flair.

In the finals Sellers set a personal best in the event by finishing with a time of 1:04.47, and she moved up three spots after finishing fifth in the preliminary round Friday.

“I really got close to my best time of 1:04.63 in sectionals, so beating that mark became my goal for state,” said Sellers, who will attend East Carolina next year. “Yesterday's race was all about getting to the finals, and I managed to just slip in there.”

Rachel Prorok of Naperville North was sixth in the breaststroke.

“Megan did all we could ask for,” said Metea Valley coach Lenny DePasquale. “No. 1 would have been nice, but it was really close. The winner, Paulina Kaminski of Fenwick, had a great race, finishing in 1:03.96. We're happy with the result.”

Another swimmer who should be happy with her results was Downers Grove North sophomore Gabby Sims, who won the 100 backstroke in 55.8.

“This is awesome,” said Downers Grove North coach Judy Busse. “Gabby works hard all the time. She's always on the blocks.”

Gia Dalesandro of Neuqua Valley was fourth in backstroke, and Maya Skorupski of West Chicago was sixth.

For the second year in a row, New Trier won the state championship, this time picking up 177 points. Fenwick was second with 162 and Rosary was third with 136.5.

Neuqua Valley, with Dalesandro leading the way with a third-place finish in the 100 butterfly and her fourth in the backstroke, had the highest point total among the DuPage County schools with 85 points for a sixth-place finish.

“We had a day of ups and downs, but the ups outweigh the downs,” said Neuqua Valley coach Brandon King. “Our varsity group is very strong.”

Neuqua's Courtney Taylor finished sixth in the 200 IM and the Wildcats' 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay both came in sixth.

Downers Grove North was seventh in the team standings with 82 points and Hinsdale Central scored 47. Naperville North (32), Glenbard West Co-op (24), Benet, Naperville Central and Waubonsie Valley (all with 14) finished in the top.

Glenbrook South's Olivia Smoliga set state records in two events over the weekend and won the championship in both the 50 and the 100 freestyle.

DuPage was well-represented in the 100 butterfly. Besides Dalesandro, Glenbard co-op's Connie Hsu finished second, Hinsdale Central's Genna Heidkamp was fourth, and Naperville North's Jen Law was sixth.

Hsu also finished fourth in the 200 freestyle, and Maddy Sims of Downers Grove North, Gabby's twin sister, was fifth.

“I decided to do the 200 free instead of the 200 IM because I wanted to try to compete with some of the people in this race,” Hsu said. “And it worked out. Others might feel disappointed in fourth. But in this race it wasn't the placement that mattered, it was that I did my best and I got my best time.”

Naperville Central's Julia Roller was fifth in the 500 freestyle.

Downers Grove North's 400 freestyle relay finished fourth and the Trojans' 200 freestyle relay was sixth.

Downers Grove North's Meghan Downey brought home fifth place in the diving, and Benet's Taylor Kramer was sixth.

Images: Girls state swimming and diving finals