All together now: teams qualify in bunches at Metea

Neuqua Valley senior swimmer Kayleigh Cannon enjoyed great performances by teammates and friends from other girls swimming teams during the Metea Valley sectional Saturday.

Then it was Cannon's turn. Her lifetime-best 56.32 seconds in the 100-yard butterfly earned her first individual sectional title.

"It was just a nice relief. This year we train more long distance so I haven't been dropping as much time," Cannon said.

"I train with a lot of girls from Waubonsie. They're coming up congratulating me. I'm congratulating them. It's just nice to see that everyone's working for the same (state) goal. It doesn't matter what place you get, as long as you get there."

With defending state champion Rosary leading the way, the sectional's outstanding teams combined for 94 state entries compared with 88 in 2015 - and that doesn't include divers in good shape to advance at-large.

The Beads won their third straight sectional title with 267 points and qualified all three relays and 15 of their 16 swimming entries with their one missing the cut by .04 seconds.

Neuqua Valley was second with 228 points and 16 state berths. Waubonsie Valley had 10 qualifiers and Naperville Central and Metea seven each. Neuqua, Waubonsie, Metea and Naperville North advanced all three relays.

"We definitely didn't have everything go our way, but a lot went our way," Neuqua coach Jason Niforatos said. "It's a very talent-rich area. You add some of the programs from around the area that also are very talented, and it adds to it."

Rosary senior Alexis Yager and sophomore Athena Ye, the defending state champions in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke, respectively, won those events. Yager also prevailed in the 100 breaststroke.

Other sectional champions were Naperville North junior Connie Zhang in the 100 freestyle, Neuqua junior diver Cloe Pace and Rosary sophomore Anne Tavierne in the 200 free.

"I wasn't even expecting to win a (state) title as a freshman. I think I enjoyed the team success more," said Ye, Rosary's first state backstroke champion. "It's hard to get to the top, but it's even harder to stay there. I feel a lot of pressure, but I've been swimming for a long time so I can handle it."

Also advancing individually were the Beads' Linda Licari, Sydney VanOvermeiren, Camryn Streid, Emily Ryan, Kathryn Mueller and Mackenzie Adkins, who dropped 16 seconds in the 500 free.

"You can't win the state meet today, but you can lose it and we did everything we needed (for state)," Rosary coach Bill Schalz said. "Now we've got to take the next step, which is get kids in finals. We've got to get our key scorers in the top six swims."

At state, based on preliminary times, swimming finalists compete for first through sixth in the championship heat or seventh through 12th in the consolation heat.

Zhang, ninth in the 100 free at 2015 state, won sectionals in a season-best 51.85 after an advancing lifetime-best 1:52.07 for the 200 free. Isabelle Rocco qualified in the 50 free.

"I'm not completely tapered so I'm pretty happy," Zhang said. "I think I can definitely do top 12 in both and hoping that I can make top six."

Pace, 24th at 2015 state, won diving over sophomore teammate Sami Carlson with a season-high 438.50 to 415.30. The Wildcats traded first place throughout the season with Carlson having the better regular-season high 430.40 to 415.90.

"We go back and forth. But we always know we're going to be at the top," Pace said. "Last year I was third (at sectionals). I came in here expecting second so it's awesome."

Carlson should advance at-large. Metea senior Nicki Cast's third-place 365.05 also exceeded the 2015 cut of 360.05.

Neuqua also individually advanced senior Ryan Dulaney in the 200 and 500 free, Amanda Brockmeier, Wyli Erlechman, Sabrina Firnett, Divya Kale, Maxine Parkinson, Isabella Harder, Jillian Erlechman and Kristen Stege.

Waubonsie individually advanced senior Emma Tinney in the 200 and 100 free, Rebecca Farber, Hannah Hunt, Lily Hunt and Paige Simpson.

Tinney qualified in all four events for the second year in a row. The four-time state competitor has competed several times in the consolation finals but never the championship finals.

"That's definitely the ultimate goal," Tinney said. "All of the people on the relays are tapering for state. I wasn't totally confident in my individuals with not being fully tapered, which I've never done. But the nerves probably helped get me more excited."

Metea junior Anna Scovill also was 4-for-4 with the 100 fly, her first individual berth in three state trips. Sadie Gregory, Kellie Willhite and Lucy Siwicki added the 50 free, back and breast, respectively.

"Qualifying is honestly such a good feeling," Scovill said. "We had some really great girls the past two years. I can't put into words how excited I am going for four events and as an individual."

Naperville Central also relied on youth with freshman Alexa Puccini in the 50 free and 100 back and Lisa Johnson and Payton DeZur qualifying. Maddie Wagner, their lone qualifying senior, is state bound for the first time in the 50 free and with the 200 medley and free relays.

"It's something I've been working towards and I'm glad I got there," said Wagner, a 2015 state alternate. "I watched everybody swim last year and it was super fun, but I'm glad to be part of it this year."

West Chicago/Batavia co-op advanced West Chicago senior Natalie Nelson in the 50 and 100 free, Batavia freshman Kelly Sego in the 200 IM and 100 breast and the 200 medley relay. Nelson has competed at state the past two years with the 200 and 400 free relays.

"I'm happy to say I've swam all three relays at state at least once. I'm excited for that," Nelson said.

West Aurora sophomore Gina Jenkins, a professed distance swimmer, advanced in the 500 free with a personal-best 5:07.06, 11.65 seconds better than her seed.

"I don't have sprinting power. I have endurance," Jenkins said. "I was kind of unsure, but with all of the confidence that all of my friends and teammates put in me, I knew I could do it."

Illinois Math and Science Academy/Yorkville co-op made history as IMSA senior Linnea Lee-Brown advanced in the 50 free. Coach Kevin Satler believes it is the program's first state swimming qualifier.

Then the 200 free relay qualified.

"I honestly stopped and looked up at the (50 free) timeboard and I just started crying. I was so happy," Lee-Brown said. "I felt like I was really supported by my entire team. Just a whole line was running up and hugging me."

Lee-Brown also dives for IMSA, a three-year school. She finished seventh Saturday.

"At times it's really challenging (doing both)," Lee-Brown said. "It gets crazy and I don't really get days off. When I'm not swimming I have dive."