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Girls swimming: Scouting the Fox Valley

Bartlett/Streamwood co-op

Coach: Jeremy Meserole

Key losses to graduation: Brianna Cichon, Kayla Filipek, Morgan Kelly

Top returning swimmers: Paige Edmier, Jr., Sydney Kelly, So., Kellsie Krisch, So., Gabby Seberger, Sr.

Key newcomers: Emily Rygula, Fr., Olivia Rygula, Fr.

Outlook: Bartlett finished its best girls swimming season in 2016 when the Sabrehawks finished seventh at state. Then the team lost three key swimmers, including Kayla Filipek, one of the top sprint freestyle swimmers in Illinois a year ago. All is far from doom and gloom for Jeremy Meserole's team, however. Junior Paige Edmier and sophomore Sydney Kelly scored at the state meet last year and the Sabrehawks have a star in the making in sophomore Kellsie Krisch, who is already the school record holder in the 100-yard breaststroke. "Obviously it's hard to replace the firepower of (Filipek) and the consistency/leadership of Brianna and Morgan, but we plan on having just as many at this year's state meet as we did last year," Meserole said.

Cary-Grove

Coach: Scott Lattyak

Top returning swimmers: Sarah Pilut, Sr., Emily Harvard, Sr., Sejal Dhindsa, Sr., Ayden Donfris, So., Payton Walsh, So.

Key newcomers: Emily Marks, Fr.

Outlook: Cary-Grove had a good season in 2016. The Trojans finished third in the Fox Valley Conference meet and were sixth in their IHSA sectional meet. This year, eighth-year Trojans coach Scott Lattyak calls his team "small but mighty," and there is plenty of talent in the water. Sejal Dhindsa, Emily Harvard, Ayden Donfris and Sarah Pilut won the 200-yard medley relay at the FVC last year, and all return. Those four swimmers will form the core of this year's team, with three of that quartet in their senior seasons and Donfris a sophomore. "I'm very happy with our leadership from our senior class," Lattyak said. "The team has some lofty goals which I am very optimistic about."

Crystal Lake Co-op

Coach: John Valentine

Key losses to graduation: Paige Dalbke, Tessa Shorten.

Top returning swimmers: Valerie Tarazi, Sr.

Key newcomers: Mikayla Nietzel, Fr., Sarah Niemann, Fr.

Outlook: John Valentine might be new to the Crystal Lake co-op pool deck, but he's very well-known in Illinois swimming, having spent the last 10 years coaching Barrington's boys team to a series of successes. On his new team, he inherits one of the state's top seniors in Val Tarazi. A year ago, Tarazi was second in the 100-yard backstroke and sixth in the 200 IM. "With nine freshmen, our team is building for the future," Valentine said.

Elgin-Larkin co-op

Coach: Carl Metzke

Key losses to graduation: Lilly Woerner

Top returning swimmers: Makenna Downing, Sr., Nicole Levandowski, Sr., Nicole Martinez, So., Melinda Levandowski, So.

Key newcomers: Emma Vasallo, Fr., Joselyn Martinez, Fr.

Outlook: Turnout has increased for Elgin-Larkin's team, which bodes well for the future. This year's team also figures to improve through the season. Unfortunately, the co-op competes in a strong Upstate Eight against the two strong St. Charles teams, Bartlett and a newly-resurgent West Aurora. As a result, Carl Metzke is realistic in his expectations for his squad. "We have more swimmers out for the sport this year compared to last year, so we are pleased with the growth. Our best strength is the girls that we have understand that consistent hard work pays off. There are always strong swim teams in the area. We are lucky and cursed to have the competition in the area," Metzke said.

Huntley

Coach: Brenda Czarnecki

Top returning swimmers: Lindsey Ferguson, Sr., Allison Cravens, Sr., Jordan McGuire, Sr., Katelyn Carlson, Jr., Sydney McGuine, So.

Outlook: A year ago, Huntley had a huge turnout and a strong six-swimmer senior class and that team had a good season, finishing fourth in the Fox Valley Conference meet and sixth at the St. Charles North sectional, though the Red Raiders did not qualify any swimmers for the state meet. Huntley came close, however, to getting athletes to the state meet. With last year's experience behind it, this year's squad has high hopes again. "We have quite a few returning swimmers and a strong freshman class. They are working hard and we are looking forward to a successful season," coach Brenda Czarnecki said.

Jacobs-Hampshire co-op

Coach: Emily Susmarski

Key losses to graduation: Rochelle Sia

Top returning swimmers: Izzy Bavaro, Sr., Megan Herrera, Jr., Makaylin Monasterio, Jr.

Key newcomers: Atzi Gomez, Fr., Jenny Tokarz, Fr., Olivia Johnson, Fr., Julia Koleniuk, Fr., Sydney Skertich, Fr., Riley Skertich, Fr., Faith DiSilvestro, Fr.

Outlook: Jacobs-Hampshire has a senior star in Izzy Bavaro, who returns for her final season. She qualified for the state meet as a freshman and has hopes of returning again in her senior season. Just as importantly, the team had a massive turnout this year, thanks in large part to turnout by incoming freshmen. "The girls are very dedicated and push themselves every day in the water as hard as they can. Our goal is to perform as well as we can at conference and sectionals and hope to get some girls to state," coach Emily Susmarski said.

Rosary

Coach: Bill Schalz

Key losses to graduation: Alexis Yager

Top returning swimmers: Mackenzie Adkins, Sr., Sammie Laurich, Sr., Emily Ryan, Sr., Camryn Streid, Sr., Sarah Woodford, Sr., Linda Licari, Jr., Kat Mueller, Jr., Ann Tavierne, Jr., Sydney Vanovermeiren, Jr., Athena Ye, Jr.,

Key newcomers: Elyssa Brault, Fr., Jessica Geriane, Fr., Payton Matejko, Fr., Payton Izzy Pytel, Fr., Paige Klimavicius, Fr.

Outlook: Rosary enters this season as the two-time defending state champions, and this year's team is loaded for a run at a third straight title. While the Beads lost standout Alexis Yager to graduation, they return the rest of their state team and have talented freshmen added to the mix as well. Rosary's strength has been its depth, so the swimmers who went to the state not only swam in the meet but scored as well and have experience swimming on both days of the meet. Although there is high quality throughout the team, swimmers such as Camryn Streid, Athena Ye, Linda Licari, Kathryn Mueller, Anne Tavierne, Emily Ryan and Sydney Vanovermeiren are elite swimmers who will look to add to their already formidable state success. Add everything together, and there's no sense of overstatement when coach Bill Schalz said, "We hope to repeat as conference, sectional and state champions. We have tremendous depth and strong diving this year also." While it's always possible the Beads won't claim their third straight title, and their seventh this century, but a team is going to have an amazing state meet to finish ahead of them.

South Elgin-Geneva co-op

Coach: Dee McDermott

Key losses to graduation: Carli McGuire, Shianne Brewer.

Top returning swimmers: Kelly Baughman, Sr., Drea Milewski So., Rebecca Palmquist Sr., Lynnette Schlueter, Jr., Kellyn Todd Sr., Michaela Brumball Sr.

Key newcomer: Alaina Gilsinn Fr.

Outlook: Last year was the first year Geneva and South Elgin competed as a co-op team, and the squad established itself as a decent team, finishing ninth in the St. Charles North sectional. With only two losses to graduation, the team is able to build on its 2017 experiences. "We have a good chance going to state with a few of these girls," coach Dee McDermott said.

St. Charles East

Coach: Julia Oelslager

Key losses to graduation: Amy Pearson, Rachel Nagler, Anna O'Malley, and Sarah Sandecki

Top returning swimmers: Mary Jania, So., Kayla Jones, Jr., Lauren Carne, Jr.

Key newcomers: Molly Yetter, Fr., Madison Supple, Fr.

Outlook: It's easy to look at the talented swimmers St. Charles East graduated from last year's team and consider this to be a "rebuilding year." That's not the way first-year Saints coach Julia Oelslager looks at it, and she's got good reason for that optimism. Oelslager, who was hired as the school's head coach after Joe Cabel retired in the summer, is well aware of talented returnees, especially state meet qualifiers Mary Jania and Kayla Jones. The Saints also have 11 solid freshmen, some of whom will make immediate impacts. "We have strong returning leadership for a very young team who are excited for their first high school swimming experience," Oelslager said.

St. Charles North

Top returning swimmers: Megan Armstrong, So., Audrey Guyett, Sr., Mallory Jump, Jr., Kayleigh Lewis, Jr., Sydney Maxwell, So., Mary Kate Phillips, So., Jules Engesser, Jr.

Key newcomers: Lilly Stavropoulos, Fr., Payton Baxter, Fr.

Outlook: Rob Rooney's St. Charles North team has established itself as one of the top teams in the state in recent years and has built the sort of program where there really aren't "rebuilding years." For example, the North Stars finished seventh last year, one year removed from a third-place finish that earned the school its first girls swimming trophy. This year's team looks loaded again, however. Senior Audrey Guyett returns as one of the state's elite swimmers. Junior Mallory Jump placed in two events a year ago. Sophomore Megan Armstrong scored as a freshman. In fact, every North Stars swimmer who scored in last year's meet returns this year. As Rooney says, "Our team motto this year is 'no moments off.' We have the potential to be a great team, but we need to have our sophomores learn from last year and apply what they learned."

West Aurora

Coach: Chris Ranallo

Key losses to graduation: Rachel Heiss, Jennifer Quiroga, Jaslyn Rios.

Top returning swimmers: Haley Atkins, So., Sophie Bastian, So., Rhiannon Gustafson, Jr., Erin Iglesias, Sr., Gina Jenkins, Jr., Ellie King, So., Jill Laurx, Sr., Chloe Leonard, So., Jordan Majersky, Sr., Alexis Newendyke, Jr.

Key newcomers: Jacey Emory, Fr., Mary Emory, Fr., Abigail Kuhn, Fr., Margaret Laurx, Fr.

Outlook: West Aurora crossed a major threshold in 2016 when Gina Jenkins qualified as a sophomore for the state meet in the 500-yard freestyle. While she was the only qualifier, the Blackhawks had a number of swimmers who improved throughout last season and who are poised to make breakthroughs of their own this year. "This team is going to be strong this season and is ready to accomplish a lot at our invite meets," Ranallo said. West Aurora has four strong divers to complement its swim team as well.

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