'Huge' victory sets stage for Libertyville
Libertyville's girls swimming team enthusiastically splashed past Stevenson on Thursday night, so now a home meet against Lake Forest and potential North Suburban Conference championship are next for the Wildcats.
"Huge," senior Taylor Rogers said of Libertyville's NSC-title goal.
"I think it's going to be a really close meet (against Lake Forest)," said Erik Rogers, Rogers' coach. "I think it's realistic."
Roger that.
In posting a 117-69 win in Stevenson's pool, Libertyville received two wins apiece from senior Taylor Rogers, junior Whitney Mitchell and freshman star Morgan Dickson.
Libertyville moved to 6-1 (its only loss is to New Trier) and 4-0 in the NSC.
"As far as I can find, nobody can remember the last time we won conference," Erik Rogers said. "Our girls really do want to win a conference title. They know it's something that we haven't done in a while and the opportunity's there.
"We came in here tonight saying, 'Can we get up to race with the intent that we really want to win?' And down the line, we had a lot of girls really race with that kind of purpose."
Libertyville's first-year coach credited Dickson's 200-yard freestyle for sparking the Wildcats. She not only won in 1:57.14, touching out Stevenson's Madison Blaydes (1:57.45), but essentially swam state-qualifying (1:57.03).
"I was so excited for that race," Dickson said. "I was mentally ready for it. I had to get myself there. I didn't even know if I got the state cut. I just wanted to race my heart out."
Dickson also captured the 500 freestyle (5:20.33). Taylor Rogers pulled out close races in the 50 freestyle (25.64) and 100 freestyle (55.09).
"I wasn't swimming the 50 until (Wednesday)," she said. "I was originally in the 200, but I traded with Morgan, just because we wanted to see what the 'freshie' could do."
Rogers edged teammate Julia Elsmo in the 50 free and Blaydes in the 100 free.
"I got a little nervous there at the end (in the 100)," Rogers said. "I didn't want to be the first one to lose."
Stevenson's only wins, in fact, came from Michelle Hannon in the 100 backstroke (1:05.01) and diver Kerrin Seymour (250.95 points).
Seymour, the 2006 state champ as a freshman and three-time state finalist, has missed two dual meets and a pair of 11-dive Saturday competitions due to recruiting visits.
The straight-A student has made visits to Auburn, Harvard and Stanford and was planning to leave to Georgia Tech today. She'll check out Arizona next week.
"I'm tired," Seymour said. "I need some sleep. I get home on a Sunday evening from the trips and then I leave the next Thursday. So it's like, OK. But it's fun. It's exciting.
"And missing school is always nice," she added, smiling.
When Seymour has dived for the Patriots, she's done well.
Against Lake Forest last week, she broke her own six-dive school record with a 258.75.
"It's been going well," Seymour said. "It's kind of hard to miss meets - and I miss practices, too - but I've been competing well. The team's fun."
Libertyville's Mitchell touched first in the 200 individual medley (2:14.9) and 100 butterfly (1:01.56). Maggie Boling of the Wildcats cruised in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.33).
Libertyville won all three relays with Elsmo, Mitchell and Rogers swimming on two each.