More still to come for West Chicago

If West Chicago's results at Saturday's St. Charles East looked solid - and they most certainly were - the better news is that the Wildcats may have much more in store for watchers of state girls swimming.

West Chicago qualified seven entries to next week's state meet at New Trier. Junior Kelly Dunn was among the leaders. She won the 100 freestyle, qualified in the 200 freestyle and swam two powerful relay legs.

"Everyone swam incredibly today," Dunn said. "I think we all came in thinking we were going to do really well. But everyone worked together. It's really nice to know we can work together and help each other where we needed to be."

Dunn capped the meet with the anchor leg of the 400 freestyle relay. She entered the water marginally behind St. Charles East's swimmer but made up that ground and ended up helping her team win the event.

"My teammates are there for me a lot and my coaches too," Dunn said. "I just try to put the whole race in perspective and stay relaxed."

West Chicago qualified all three relays and won the 200 freestyle relay as well as the 400 freestyle relay. The Wildcats have expectations for state meet success.

"Last year we were really looking forward to the relays coming in this year," Dunn said. "We knew we had some new girls coming in who would help us. Next weekend I think all of us are excited. This was a good meet, but we all think we can do better."

Lake Park will be represented at the state meet by sophomore Taylor Johns, who qualified in the 500 freestyle.

"I was very nervous," Johns said.

Johns' nervousness was created from a number of things. She wasn't rested for the sectional meet. And she had narrowly missed the 200 freestyle cut, leaving her with only the 500 in which to make the state meet.

"I'm going to be racing against the same girls next week at state," Johns said. "I feel nervous but also good. I was really scared, but I got it."

Johns finished fifth in the 500 and had to look at the scoreboard to know she had qualified by swimming faster than the state cut.

"I didn't think I got it," Johns said. "But I knew because I felt tired - and then I saw I made it, so that was nice.

Glenbard co-op's Mary Floren qualified in the 100 breaststroke.