North Stars win another sectional

St. Charles North now has one girls swimming sectional plaque for every day of the week.

And while the previous six awards didn't go into a pile in a corner of the school's pool storage space, the seventh straight title - won on Saturday - carried with it the same significance as the previous ones: Not much.

The title, won 282-227 over St. Charles East, didn't ensure that any additional North Stars advanced to next week's state meet in Evanston. But St. Charles North, the hosts of this year's sectional, were still pleased to pose for pictures with the plaque following the meet.

"It's a definite plus, especially considering that we've won it for a few years in a row," Chokran said. "It's always a great team booster when you get that plaque. That sectional plaque is always one we look forward to going into the meet. Whether we admit it or not, I think it's definitely a boost."

The North Stars did as well as any other team at the sectional in qualifying athletes for the state meet. St. Charles North qualified two relays, the sectional champion diver and 8 swimmers.

"It's awesome to watch other people qualify and then go swim," Chokran said. "You just get this rush of pride for them. It's great to be part of this kind of team, where everyone's successes are your successes."

Chokran was one of the North Stars to qualify in both individual events. In her case, that meant the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 breaststroke. Chokran was also part of the North Stars qualifying 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay teams.

"Today, I felt great in the water," Chokran said. "It was actually a great meet for me. I'm pretty happy with it."

North Stars junior Jessica England qualified in both the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle. Sophomore Jennifer Clay was a 200 freestyle qualifier while junior Taylor Gannon won the 100 butterfly and was joined in event qualification by freshman Gessica Lee. Another freshmen, Lauren Reynolds, advanced in the 100 backstroke. Danielle Goebbert was the school's diving qualifier.

"They definitely did a nice job today, top to bottom," St. Charles North coach Rob Rooney said. "We had a lot of nice swims from freshmen, sophomores - everyone."

In the aftermath of the meet, Rooney said he was most upset for the 400 freestyle relay, which narrowly missed qualification.

"This meet is so gut-wrenching," he said. "You have four kids who work very hard and come up just short. I guess those are lessons in life too."

St. Charles East qualified three entries to the state meet. Freshman Emma Smith was the sectional champion in the 500 freestyle. She finished second and qualified based on her time in the 200 individual medley.

"I'm so happy with it," Smith said. "I had best times in both my individual events and my relays were good too."

Smith is joined in the state meet by Kayla Scott. The Saints junior Kayla Scott qualified in the 200 individual medley.

"We've got a seasoned veteran and a newbie," St. Charles East coach Joe Cabel said. "That should be interesting. But they enjoy it."

There is always a team at every sectional that comes close to having a series of qualifiers but seems just the wrong side of the state cut time and time again. This year, that team was St. Charles East.

"We congratulate each other no matter how we do," Smith said. "It was still good."

But the meet remained a success for the Saints. The team's times dropped across the board. Those times just didn't drop far enough to consistently fall under the state cut.

"We had 100 percent drops today - it was awesome," Cabel said. "We were a little close on our relays and that was a little upset. But it was a great day individually."