Rosary 'awesome' yet still chasing New Trier
Event by event, Rosary's swimmers produced the kind of time drops they expected at Friday's state meet.
Those performances took the Beads and placed them in the thick of trophy contention. Unofficially, Rosary has 148 points from Friday's action, though points are only scored in today's finals.
But as well as the Beads performed on another state swim finals day plagued with delays due to timing system problems, New Trier did better. From a pre-meet projection of 175 points, the Trevians improved to a staggering 211 unofficial point total a total that pushed Rosary into second place based on Friday's performances.
What that means is that while Rosary's four-year run as state champions hasn't ended, and might still continue, it will take an amazing combination of events for that to take place. Teams historically do gain and lose points on Saturday, but barring disqualifications, a 63-point deficit is nearly-insurmountable.
“I think we stepped up and showed what we're made of,” Rosary junior Molly Coonce said.
The Beads had a tough situation based on an average sectional performance. While Rosary qualified in every event, their times put them in difficult lane and heat assignments on Friday.
“Last week was hard for us,” Coonce said. “We may have laughed about it, but deep down, we were all a little concerned. It put a little something to show that we're not what the heat sheet says we are. We are more than this.”
Coonce is one of the Beads who performed exceptionally well. She will swim in the championship heat of the 100-yard butterfly and the 100 breaststroke as well as on two relays. In every event, the Beads will find themselves up against New Trier, bidding for its first state title since 2001.
“The main thing for us Is that we can't control how other people swim,” Coonce said. “We need to stay focused and do what we need to do and what we've trained for these past months. We can't control what (the Trevians) do, but we can sure put our best foot forward.”
All three of Rosary's relays improved places and will swim in the championship heats. Sarah Syskstus also swims in two championship heats today – the 200 individual medley and the 100 butterfly. Rachel Burke is the Beads' other Top Six swimmer today in the 100 freestyle.
“It's an awesome day,” Rosary coach Bill Schalz said. “We swam phenomenal. We put ourselves behind the 8-ball a little bit. We had huge time drops but also got a few seventh places and eighth places, and you've got to be in the bigs and swim for top six.”
St. Charles East fans saw junior Emma Smith swim to the top seed in the 200 individual medley. She later swam the fifth-best prelim time in the 500 freestyle. Smith bids today to become the Saints first state titlist since Laura Lipskis won the 500 freestyle in 2000.
“I was happy with the way I swam,” Smith said. “I'm really looking forward to (Saturday.) There will be some really good competition and I think it will be a really good race.”
Also swimming in two championship heats for St. Charles East is sophomore Nicole Chapko in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke.
“We rested for this meet and it makes it easier for your focus,” St. Charles East Joe Cabel said. “(Chapko) was sixth going into the last heat of the breaststroke and nobody beat her and they were all seeded faster. So it's been a strange meet.”
St. Charles North has a pair of swims in the finals. Lauren Zima was seventh-fastest in the 100 butterfly while Lauren Reynolds was 10th-best in the 100 backstroke.
“I'm happy for those two kids,” St. Charles North coach Rob Rooney said. “We were just a little short today in some stuff.”