Girls swimming sectional preview
Saturday at Barrington (9 a.m. diving; 1 p.m. swimming)
Outlook: The field here is the Mid-Suburban League all over again, with the notable additions of Maine West, Maine East, Addison Trail-Willowbrook and St. Viator, and the subtraction of Schaumburg (which will compete at the St. Charles East sectional) and Conant and Elk Grove (which will compete at Downers Grove North).
MSL champ Barrington will approach this meet slightly differently than the others in attendance, with the majority of its swimmers aiming for peak performances the following week, in New Trier's pool at the state meet. In addition to individual standouts such as Emily Fogle, Anne Jacobsen, Jacqueline Holdsberg, Kate Valentine and Erika and Danielle Elliott, the Fillies' relays have a chance to be among the fastest in the state. Still, it's important for Barrington to make its state-qualifying cuts, maintain confidence and position itself well for their big event at state. The Fillies have opted to move sophomore sprinter Erika Elliott onto three relays, making her only individual race the 50 free, where she is seeded second. Fogle is the top seed in both the 100 breaststroke and the 200 IM, freshman Danielle Elliott is the top seed in the 500 free and Holdsberg is the top seed in the 100 backstroke.
Hersey, the MSL runner-up, has an exciting day ahead. The Huskies' 200 and 400 free relays have a chance to advance to state, as do Amanda Petro (200 free, 100 free), Kathryn Korff (100 free, 50 free) and Christine Rovani (breastroke), and Bethany Figiel and Erin Horne (backstroke).
Fremd's Breanna Anderson (IM, breaststroke), Erika Lauraitis (freestyle), Kayleen Samuels (backstroke) and Megan Kennedy and Emily McCarthy (distance freestyle) have a chance to advance but will need superlative swims.
Buffalo Grove's mostly likely individual state meet candidate is Veronika Jedryka (500 free, 200 free); Angela Rodriguez is also close in the 100 breastroke.
Palatine's Monica Dorszewski placed second in both the 200 free and 100 breastroke in the MSL meet and is on the threshold of making the state meet in both races. She is the top seed in the 200 free and the second seed in the breaststroke. Nicole Huffman also has chance to move on for the Pirates in the 100 backstroke.
Maine West junior Ailish O'Connell has been close to the state cut in the 50 and could also advance in the 100 with a big time drop.
Prospect's Kelly Wilson and Meg Dix have been solid in the sprint freestyles, and Jessica Cavaiani's not far from making the state cut in the 100 breaststroke.
St. Viator breaststrokers Stephanie Noland and Melanie Battaglia have both been in the low 1:09s in the breaststroke and ought to have a great chance to advance.
The 200 medley relay figures to be interesting - at the conference meet, Prospect, Buffalo Grove and Palatine were all within a second of each other, and each seems to have a chance at the state cut if everything goes perfectly for them.
Maine East's Natalia Bialecka is the top seed in both the 50 (24.55) and 100 (54.65) freestyles.
Diving figures to be hotly contested. MSL champ Mallory Fisher of Palatine, a junior, barely edged Hersey senior Kate Reszotko at the league meet. Expect quality performances from Barrington's Anna Etherington, Fremd's Elizabeth and Stephanie Uhrich, Prospect's Christina Pekar and Maine West senior Jennifer Rey as well.
Elsewhere: Schaumburg is the only MSL team competing at the St. Charles East sectional, and they'll have lots of fast company. Rosary, St. Charles North and St. Charles East are loaded with talent. The Saxons, who placed fourth in the MSL meet, will be led invidually by returning state qualifier Sammy Schuckles (50 free, 100 backstroke). The Saxons would also need a five-second drop from their conference effort in the medley relay to advance. Conant and Elk Grove will be shooting for season-best times in a meet that features last year's state runner-up, Hinsdale Central, and the fifth-place team finisher at the state meet, Downers Grove North.