Stevenson keeps attaining its goals
It isn't necessarily winning that's on the minds of swimmers and divers who compete at sectionals.
It's the clock.
Host Stevenson captured the title of its own sectional Saturday with 292 points and boasted nine state qualifiers .
Barrington qualified six, finishing second with 264 points.
"At the beginning of the season we set up our goals," said Stevenson coach Karl Milkereit. "We have a healthy rivalry with Barrington, so our goal is that we always try to beat programs like that."
Ashley Wanland led the way for Stevenson with a pair of wins. She touched out Barrington's Alexa Hamilton in the 200-yard individual medley, clocking a 2:07.16 to Hamilton's 2:07.23. Stevenson's Erin Cunningham was third. Wanland captured the 100 breaststroke in 1:03.32, again besting Hamilton (1:04.67).
The race was redemption for Wanland, who was disqualified from the breaststroke at sectional last year. That, after she won the state championship the previous year as a sophomore.
Stevenson's other sectional champs were Martha VanLieshout in the 500 freestyle (5:06.10) and Kerrin Seymour in diving (446.00). Sam Stenn was second in diving. VanLieshout was runner-up in the 200 free to Glenbrook South's Daniela Cubelic.
Stevenson's Cunningham (200 IM, 100 backstroke), Tori Alland (200 free, 500 free) and Melanie Koto (50 free, 100 free) each qualified for state in a pair of individual events. The Patriots' April McKee and Christina O'Connell earned state berths in the 100 butterfly.
Both Stevenson and Barrington qualified all three relay teams.
Prospect finished fourth (134), Hersey placed fifth (100) and St. Viator, sixth (95) led by Nikki Holladay, who will be making her fourth straight trip to state.
"If the divers get through, we'll have people in something like 11-12 events," said Barrington coach Jim Bart, adding that the senior Hamilton broke the school record again in the 200 IM. "We're just happy."
Prospect finished ahead of Hersey, but will be represented only by Sarah Sohn, who finished fifth (59.82) in the fly.
"It was better than I'd hoped for," said Knights coach Dick Mortensen. "This was a tough sectional. Every one of these kids have been working so hard."
"I think I'm more happy with our times," Sohn said. "We got our best times of the season. Our ultimate goal was for our team to make it to state."
Prospect's KC Dix had her personal best in both of her events, the medley relay and 100 back.
"My taper really worked this year," Dix said. "I had hoped to get my personal best in both events and I did that."
Hersey's representative is Nicole Gill, who placed second (59.24) in the 100 fly. Diver Heidi Johnson will have to wait to see if she qualified as at at-large competitor.
"I had a pretty solid meet," said Johnson, who finished third (403.2) behind the Stevenson duo of defending state champion Seymour and Stenn. "I was consistent."
Hersey's Ellen Deering swam the 50 free and anchored the 200 freestyle relay.
"I got my best time in the 50 free and got my best split in the 200 relay. Almost everyone dropped their time by two seconds."
"We had a real hard sectional," said Fillies diver Amy Manning, who didn't make the top twelve Saturday. "My best dive was a front twist with two flips. Today, I hit it."