Girls swimming: Barrington reclaims top spot in MSL

Yes, Barrington girls swimming coach Jim Bart did participate in the traditional dunking traditionally reserved for the champions of the Mid-Suburban League meet.

Grudgingly, anyway.

"It doesn't say anwhere I've got to make it easy for them," said Bart, who clung to the poles which support the backstroke flags and tossed a few of his swimmers in first before finally taking the plunge himself.

After a two-year lull, Barrington is back on top in the MSL. With individual wins from senior Kirsten Jacobsen (200 free, 100 free), Maggie Menso (500 free), Maggie Emary (200 IM), Emma Graves (100 fly) and the 400 free relay, Barrington amassed 296 points.

Fremd produced a dynamic performance under somewhat trying circumstances to take second with 261, while Palatine was third at 218, Hersey was fourth at 192 and Conant (111) and Prospect (105) rounded out the top six.

"Overall, just a really good day for us," said Bart. "We were able to get all our swimmers into the top six, and that's one of the things we were hoping for."

Jacobsen, who recently committed to a collegiate future at Arizona, produced a memorable win in the 200 free, finishing in 1:50.86 to break both the meet and pool records. She later won the 100 free in 51.79.

"It was a little different for me, coming in to this meet swimming the 200 and the 100 (instead of the 500)," Jacobsen said. "I definitely was aware of the 200 record, so it feels nice to have that one."

Menso was second in the 200 free and followed up with her first conference victory in the 500, finishing in 5:02.13, just ahead of Emary (5:03.32).

Other big point earners included Capel (third in the 50 and 100 frees), Mia Chen (fourth in the fly, third in backstroke), Graves (third in the IM), Bridget O'Leary (second in 100 back, fifth in 50 free) and breaststrokers Catherine Kitzman (second) and Olivia Gawronski (fourth).

Barrington needed all that because of Fremd's effort.

The Vikings won the 200 medley relay with Grace Grzybek, Rebecca Ballo, Kristina Buzuloiu and Becca Rutkowski (1:50.45) and consistently outperformed their seeds throughout the meet, despite battling some illness and, at least in one case, some more acute discomfort.

Grzybek, a senior, was icing down between races to address a muscle strain, but that didn't stop her from putting on a happy face. Nor did it stop her from becoming a conference champion in the 100 backstroke (59.06).

"It's kind of a running joke with my teammates - they've been calling me 'Soft,' as a nickname," said Grzybek. "I didn't want to give them any more reason to use it. I was talking with Kitty (coach Andrew Kittrell) about how important it is, as a senior, to project the right kind of emotion, so I was working on that today even through physically, it was not ideal.

"I'm exceptionally proud of my teammates and the way we competed."

Kittrell pointed to a great leadoff swim in the 400 free relay from Emily Kini (55.66) and strong butterfly finishes from freshman Buzuloiu (2nd, 1:01.51) and Paulina Pappas (6th, 1:03.06) as the kind of performances that made the difference for Fremd.

Other key placements came from Emma Bolger (third in the 200 free, sixth in 100 free), Jiamin Huang (sixth in 200 IM, fourth in 100 back), Rebecca Ballo in the 100 breast (third) and second place for Becca Rutkowski in the 50 free in a lifetime-best 24.72.

Palatine, meanwhile, was keeping the mood light, entering the pool deck with everyone wearing halloween masks.

Then the Pirates showed their true identity, with fittingly free-wheeling and successful swims.

"It's true," said Palatine coach Brittany Berleman. "If we're not doing something a little goofy, that's when I worry. We're at our best when we're having fun."

Senior Kristin Anderson won the 50 free in a season-best 24.26 and anchored the winning 200 free relay, joining Ellis Nelson, Tess O'Brien and Kelsey Hank to finish in 1:40.41.

Anderson placed second in the 100 free (52.96) and also had a leg on the third-place medley relay with O'Brien, Nelson and Mathilde Mogensen.

Contributing important points to the team's highest MSL finish in at least 10 years were Nelson (second in 200 IM, fifth in 100 breast), Megan Obernesser (fourth in 500 free, fifth in 200 free) and Katelyn Kurrie (sixth in 500 free).

"No doubt, it was a really fun day for us," said Anderson. "We knew we'd have a chance in the relay, but we also knew it wouldn't be easy."

Hersey's Olivia Kusio did not have a memorable conference meet last year, but that changed dramatically in this, her sophomore season. A strong second half of her 100 breaststroke made her an MSL champ in 1:08.69.

"It's a good feeling to be a conference champion," said Kusio. "I think I came into it just wanting to do more than I did last year."

Huskies coach Dick Mortensen said swims from seniors Sarah Petro in the 500 free (third place) and Emma Wilcher in the 100 fly (fifth, with 3½-second time drop) made the day a big success. Kusio finished fifth in the 200 IM, Jenny Lutz netted top-six finishes, in the 100 back and 100 fly, and Hersey had a feel-good ending as Abby Johnstone, Kat Gorey, Lutz and Kusio took third place in the 400 free relay.

Senior sprinter Sam Wooley paced Conant's effort by taking fourth place in both the 50 and 100 frees, and junior Lea Cejvan took sixth in the 100 breaststroke.

Buffalo Grove's Alexa Jedryka produced a season-best 2:04.62 to place fourth in the 200 free, Prospect's Gracie Dix took sixth in the 50 free and Schaumburg's Ingrid Hay claimed fifth place in the 100 back.

In another couple of weekends, the MSL teams will be vying for state qualification in the sectional meets. Many will return to Barrington for that, but the MSL will also have teams at Glenbrook North and Downers Grove North.

At least one record-breaking senior isn't thrilled about saying farewell to the MSL.

"Of course, I'm happy that we won," said Jacobsen, "but I'm also sad that it's my last MSL meet."