Girls swimming: St. Charles North wins 1st sectional since 2008

For the first time since 2008, St. Charles North's girls swim team can call itself a sectional champion.

Qualifying for next weekend's state meet in 10 events - with seven first-place finishes - the North Stars ended St. Charles East's 7-year sectional title reign Saturday afternoon at St. Charles North.

"I'm happy," said North Stars coach Rob Rooney. "We got through what we wanted to get through. We had a couple close calls as you always do in this meet but I'm looking forward to next week."

Led by junior distance freestyle standout Audrey Guyett, the North Stars amassed 308.50 points, easily outdistancing runner-up St. Charles East (244) and third-place Bartlett-Streamwood (211.50).

"Our main goal was to get people there (to the state meet) and if we win, we win," said Guyett, who kick-started the North Stars' 200-yard medley relay team to a first-place time of 1:45.95 in the day's opening swim event.

Guyett and sophomores Rachel Ponte, Mallory Jump and Kayleigh Lewis came within a whisker of St. Charles East's pool-record clocking of 1:45.67 from 2014.

About 10 minutes later, Guyett returned to win the 200 free by more than 3 seconds over St. Charles East senior state qualifier Amy Pearson.

She added another individual win in the 500 free and swam the lead leg on the 400 free relay, supported by a pair of freshmen - Sydney Maxwell and Megan Armstrong - and Ponte.

"The youthful inexperience - I thought they handled it pretty cool, calm and collective," said Rooney, fielding the youngest team he has had since beginning the program in 2000-01. "Their demeanor was pretty good all day.

"They didn't leave anything in the pool today. Now they really have to be spot-on with everything we've got going on next week. The margin of error next week is going to be none."

In addition to individual victories by Jump in the 100 fly and Armstrong in the 100 back, the North Stars received a pool-record, title-winning effort from Ponte, Maxwell, Lewis and Jump in the 200 free relay (1:35.82).

Sophomore first-year diver Lauren Carne began the day by capturing the 1-meter title (349.95) for the second-place Saints.

"She deserved it," said Saints coach Joe Cabel. "She has worked very hard at it."

The Saints qualified for state in 7 other events, including the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay.

"The girls had a great meet," said Cabel. "They swam out of their minds today."

Senior Amy Pearson qualified with second- and third-place finishes in the 200 and 500 free, respectively, while classmate Anna O'Malley advanced to state with a second-place showing in the 100 fly.

"Anna had a great meet today," said Cabel.

Freshman Mary Jania and junior Kayla Jones both qualified in the 200 IM and 100 breast while senior Rachel Nagler pushed the 200 medley and 200 free relay teams to state berths.

"It was nice to have our other seniors there - we've been best friends since we were little," said Nagler. "Now we have these younger ones coming in who we can train. It was special to have all age groups there."

Bartlett senior Kayla Filipek recorded victories in the 50 and 100 free and joined teammates Brianna Cichon, Paige Edmier and Sydney Kelly for a second-place qualifying finish in the 400 free relay.

"It was a good day for us," said Sabrehawks coach Jeremy Meserole. "Both freestyle relays made it in - which is what we came to do. We got a couple more individual events in than in years past."

Cichon added a second-place finish in the 50 free while freshman Sydney Kelly knocked 13 seconds off her previous best in the 500 free with a qualifying time of 5:08.11.

"That was huge," Meserole said. "After seeing her 200 free, I pulled her aside and said, 'you definitely have a shot.' She was right on pace the whole time."

Defending 100 breast state champion Valerie Tarazi of Crystal Lake posted wins in the 200 IM and 100 breast.

"I would've liked to have been a little faster but I can't complain," said Tarazi. "I walked away winning both events with decent times."

Glenbard North freshman Amber Finke qualified with her second-place finish in the 100 back.

"It's a little surprising but I felt I could do it," said Finke. "My teammates pushed me and raised my energy level."