Neuqua places fifth

There were no championships for DuPage County swimmers or teams at the state meet finals Saturday, but there was plenty to celebrate.

Starting with Benet's Sarah Galvin, who finished second in the 100 backstroke and Downers Grove North's Adrienne Bicek in both the 200 IM and the 500 freestyle, local swimmers earned numerous top-six medals.

For the second year in a row, Rosary won the state championship with 159 points.

However, the DuPage schools made a strong showing as Neuqua Valley tied for fifth place with 95 points, Waubonsie Valley was ninth with 64 points and Naperville Central scored 52 points for its second 10th-place finish in a row.

Galvin, who also finished third, right behind Bicek in the 500 freestyle, was a little disappointed that she didn't break the five-minute barrier in the 500 but was generally pleased with her day's work.

"I moved up from last year in both races," Galvin said. "And I accomplished my goal of finishing both in the top three."

"Sarah is maturing and she handled the two-day meet very well," said Benet coach Nicole Kothe. "She has an excellent stroke and great walls, but in the 500 it was just a matter of sprinting at the end, and she just didn't have enough left to catch the other two girls."

Bicek's two second-place results were the highest finishes ever by a Downers Grove North girls swimmer, and she got in under five minutes in the 500 free at 4:59.49.

"I was practically goggle-to-goggle with Kally Fayhee (of Rosary) the entire race," Bicek said. "But she did a great job and deserves the win. This is the first time I've ever placed at state in three years as a qualifier. I was more relaxed today because I knew what to expect."

"Adrienne has one speed -- all out," said Trojans coach Judy Busse. "She trains well, swims well, she's totally focused and she has a passion for the sport that is unbelievable."

Neuqua Valley won a trio of third-place medals, earned by Kathleen Patterson in the 200 IM, Atlantis Wilkins in the 50 freestyle and the 200 medley relay team, which included Patterson, Wilkins, Lexi Piranian and Jeanette Nolte.

Elena Carvell of Waubonsie Valley finished fifth in the 100 butterfly. The Neuqua Valley 200 freestyle relay and the Naperville Central 400 free relay also finished fifth.

Sixth-place finishes went to Haley Sims of Downers Grove North in the 100 freestyle, Patterson in the 500 freestyle and to both the Waubonsie Valley 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams.

"Our relays really came together," said Waubonsie Valley coach Tom Schweer.

"And Elena went from someone who was never even in a consolation final to a championship final. This was a nice little step for her and for our program."

Amy Prestinario of Naperville Central rebounded from Friday's disappointment and won consolation heats in both the 200 IM and the 500 freestyle and led her Redhawks teammates to a second-six victory in the 200 freestyle relay.

The Waubonsie Valley medley relay and the Neuqua Valley 400 free relay teams also won their consolation races.