Girls swimming: Scouting the MSL meet

Mid-Suburban League swimming and diving meet

Where: Barrington High School

When: Diving at 6 p.m. Friday, swimming at 11 a.m. Saturday

Background: Fremd has won the past two MSL meets. This fall, Barrington went undefeated in its conference duals to win the West Division, and Hersey was the East Division champion.

Diving outlook: Prospect's Dana Liva has moved on after completing a four-year run of league championships (along with a state title last fall). Top contenders this year figure to be Fremd's Morgan Faulkner and Carly Goodsite, Palatine's Liz Johns, Hersey's Allie Heidrich and Madeline Bovino, Buffalo Grove's Danielle Hausfeld, Conant's Bailey Hornstein, Elk Grove Anna Sprenger and Prospect's Meghan Schmit and Maddie Marx.

Overall outlook: Barrington is in a commanding position, as no other team this year seems capapble of matching the Fillies' balance, depth and standout individuals. In all of the swimming events, Barrington will have both its swimmers competing in the final, fastest heat. Senior standout Kirsten Jacobsen will not compete in one of her best individual races, the 500-yard freestyle, but will race as the top seed in the 100 free instead (in addition to the 200 free and relays). That still leaves coach Jim Bart with the top two seeds in the 500 free in sophomores Maggie Menso and Maggie Emary, and those two have strong 'second' events in the 200 free and 200 IM, respectively. Barrington has the top seeds in the medley relay and 400 free relay and will also count on big points from senior sprinter Sara Kate Capel, sophomore Emma Graves (200 IM, 100 fly), sophomore Mia Chen (100 fly), freshman Bridget O'Leary (50 free, 100 back) and freshmen Catherine Kitzman and Olivia Gawronski (100 breaststroke).

Fremd edged Palatine in a terrific dual meet matchup, and the two figure to be battle it out again here. The Vikings have the top seed in the 100 backstroke, senior Grace Grzybek, and she should score big points in the 200 IM as well. Others individuals seeded in the final heat for Fremd are Emily Bolger (200 free, 100 free), Becca Rutkowski (50 free), Kristina Buzuloiu (100 fly), Emily Kini (100 free), Rebecca Ballo (500 free, 100 breast) and Jiamin Huang (100 back).

The Pirates have the fastest seed in the 200 free relay, anchored by senior standout Kristin Anderson. She has the top seed in the 50 free and figures to have a great race with Barrington's Jacobsen in the 100 free. Sophomore Ellis Nelson earned the second seed in the 200 IM and the fourth seed in the 100 breaststroke, and Kelsey Hank (200 free), Megan Obernesser (500 free) and Katelyn Kurrie (500 free) will also be racing in final heats.

Hersey sophomore Olivia Kusio has the second seed in the 100 breaststroke and the fifth seed in the 200 IM. The MSL East champs should get a nice scoring boost from their divers, and they have final-heat competitors in Abby Johnstone and Melissa Pollina (200 free), Jenny Lutz (100 fly, 100 back), Emma Wilcher (100 fly), and Sarah Petro (500 free).

Conant senior Sam Wooley will race in the last heat of the 50 free and 100 free, and teammate Lea Cejvan is in the fastest heat of the 100 breaststroke. Prospect junior Gracie Dix is in the final heat of the 50 free, and Rolling Meadows senior Bailey Rowley made the final heat of the 100 fly.

- Aaron Gabriel