Neuqua Valley makes clean sweep of DuPage Valley
The DuPage Valley Conference girls swimming teams took to the Waubonsie Valley pool Saturday wanting to start the postseason off right with success against league rivals and with performances that bode well for sectional competition two weeks away.
Neuqua Valley did this the best by defending its league championship by winning nine of 12 events, racking up 424 points and winning the team title by 87 points over second-place Waubonsie Valley (337).
The Wildcats also were champions on the JV and freshman levels.
"We were focused on this meet. We make it a big deal because it's a strong conference year after year," said Neuqua coach Jason Niforatos shortly after he and most of his team took a celebratory jump into the pool. "The lower levels learn that this is a championship meet and you have to work as a team."
Naperville Central was third at 274 followed by Naperville North (273), Metea Valley (263), Lake Park (199), Wheaton co-op (184) and Glenbard North/East co-op (127).
The Wildcats won all three relays starting with the 200-yard medley where Wyli Erlechman, Amanda Brockmeier, Kayleigh Cannon and Kristen Stege finished in 1 minute, 48.64 seconds.
Jill Erlechman, Stege, Athena Salafatinos and Ryan Dulaney clocked a 1:40.41 in the 200 freestyle relay and Dulaney, Maxine Parkinson, Sabrina Firnett and Erlechman prevailed in the 400 freestyle with a 3:38.50.
In the individual events Neuqua chalked up wins starting with Parkinson in the 200 individual medley, Cannon in the 100 butterfly and Dulaney in the 500 freestyle.
Salafatinos won the 100 backstroke and Brockmeier touched the wall first in the 100 breaststroke. Sami Carlson won the diving competition, held on Friday, scoring 430.40 points.
"It's rewarding to see the team work so hard and see that's worth it," Cannon said.
Also going home as conference champs were Naperville North's Connie Zhang and Lake Park's Jennifer Hauser. Zhang won the 100 freestyle in 53.47 and the 200 freestyle in 1:55.46. The victories Saturday were Zhang's second and third varsity conference titles.
"I was pretty happy with my times. My goal was to win and improve from last year and I think I did," Zhang said.
Naperville North coach Andy McWhirter said Zhang did what she had to do late in the 200 freestyle.
"It was even the last 25 (yards). She finished it off," he said. "She's not at all tapered and has been swimming yards all week. Connie showed her mettle, her ability to get out and win."
The Lancers' Hauser, meanwhile, prevailed by almost a second in the 50 freestyle with a mark of 23.89.
Waubonsie's best finishes were the second-place marks of Kelli Holt, Hannah Hunt, Lily Hunt and Rebecca Farber in the 200 medley relay; Lily Hunt in the 100 butterfly, Emma Tinney in the 100 freestyle; the 200 freestyle relay of Farber, Lauren Lee, Lily Hunt and Tinney, Hannah Hunt in the 100 breaststroke and the 400 freestyle relay of Farber, Lily Hunt, Paige Simpson and Tinney.
Next up is sectional competition throughout the state on Nov. 12. Neuqua, Waubonsie, Naperville Central and Naperville North will compete at Metea. Lake Park and Wheaton co-op are at York and Glenbard North/East co-op will be at St. Charles North.