Girls swimming: Neuqua Valley on pace to defend state title
Things have come full circle for the Neuqua Valley girls swimming team. A year ago the Wildcats won the state championship.
The Wildcats take a shot at this year's state meet that starts Friday at New Trier High School in Winnetka.
Neuqua will be well-represented at state thanks to its performance at its own sectional Saturday afternoon. The Wildcats finished second to Oswego East co-op 240 points to 231. Rosary was third at 159.
"These (sectionals) are never perfect, but we got everything we needed," said Neuqua coach Jason Niforatos. "Our unrested swimmers are ready to go. That's what I'm happy with."
Niforatos was curious as to how the Wildcats would handle this season being defending state champions. He said the team's depth was used when some highly recruited swimmers made college visits.
"Today was the first time this season the whole team was together. And we'll be all in next week," Niforatos said.
Junior Rachel Stege, the defending state champ in the 500-yard freestyle, won that event and the 200 freestyle Saturday. She was fourth in the 200 free at state in 2018.
Stege said she was happy with her sectional times but said just focusing on the race at hand is something she considers crucial.
"I really don't have expectations. I try not to think of the outcome. I try to stay in the moment and don't worry about what happens," Stege said.
She said being on the Neuqua team has been an experience to savor.
"The team is really close. I love it. We have fun and we are always there for each other," Stege said.
Neuqua's Jane Riehs won the diving competition. She racked up 469 points. She should have company at state from the sectional. The next 32 highest-scoring divers that didn't win a sectional also advance.
Naperville Central's Paige Collins, a junior, turned nervous energy into a victory in the 200 individual medley and a second-place finish in the 100 butterfly.
"I was really nervous. I have not been performing well this season. This was a make-or-break meet for me," she said.
The Redhawks placed fourth in Saturday's team standings with 154.
Metea finished sixth Saturday and went home with two sectional titles. Junior McKenna Stone won the 100 butterfly. She took second in the both the 50 and 100 freestyles at state last season.
"Going into the sectional I was a lot calmer than previous years," she said.
The 200 freestyle relay of Laurel Bludgen, Kellie Willhite, Aimee Patterson and Stone won Saturday as well.
Stone said the team was simply following the biggest rule in preparing for and competing in sectionals.
"The week was normal. We were trying to qualify and not do anything special. But we did do some things special and we're super excited. But we're more excited about state. We're not done," she said.