Grayslake's Garland helps Loyola to 2nd
Loyola Academy junior Michelle Garland, a Grayslake resident, awoke sore all over Saturday morning.
“Long day yesterday,” she said of the preliminary session at the state swimming meet at Evanston Township High School. “I plan to take a week off after today. I'm looking forward to sitting and sleeping and not doing much more than that.”
Garland was busy climbing on Saturday – three times.
The Rambler scaled starting blocks before receiving medals in the 200-yard medley relay (3rd place, 1:45.67), 100 breaststroke (4th, 1:05.85) and 200 IM (7th, 2:04.95). The impressive efforts helped LA (126 points) finish a program-best runner-up to New Trier (198.5) and ahead of four-time reigning champion Rosary (122.5). Its previous top state finish was a third-place showing in 2005.
Many swimmer s and divers often get caught up and rattled in the highly charged atmosphere at a state meet. A plane taking off is library-quiet compared to the collective clamor of spectators' screams near the end of a race. But the fun-loving Garland, who genuinely enjoys giving friends and teammates makeovers, eyed pressure and smiled at it.
Smiled hard.
“She is one of the happiest kids around, just awesome,” Ramblers coach Dennis Stonequist said. “Doesn't take anything too seriously, which is great and can be quite helpful in athletics. Strong kid, with a great kick. Michelle has tremendous natural talent, but she also has that ability to turn her brain off and let that natural talent take over.”
Garland's time in the 200 IM Saturday bettered her previous life-time best in the event by 2 seconds. She won the consolation heat after securing the last (12th) spot in Friday's prelims.
“Big swim,” said the swim club member of Libertyville-based CATS Aquatics. “That was all adrenaline. I wasn't expecting much after feeling the way I did this morning. I can't remember dropping this much time at a meet.”
But her stories for teammates at the Wilmette school are certainly memorable.
“Lots of stuff happens in Grayslake, and Michelle likes to tell us what happens there,” said Loyola senior Ellie Ansani, who moved from Hawthorn Woods to Bannockburn in August. “We call them her ‘Grayslake stories,' and they're always interesting and entertaining.”
Ansani swam on the Ramblers' third-place 200 free relay (1:36.58). It was her fifth and final career state medal.
Ansani and Garland, along with practically all of their teammates, suffered through a bout of bronchitis this fall. Ansani's voice was hoarse after the state meet Saturday. But that had nothing to do with illness.
“My voice sounds like this because I've been screaming and cheering for my teammates all day,” Ansani said. “Everybody is great now. Everybody is feeling well now.”