Hoffman grad Miles continues to improve in pool

Swimming the distance routes is beginning to pay off for University of Findlay (OH) sophomore Sarah Miles.

The 19-year old Hoffman Estates graduate turned in a personal best of 5:14.62 in the 500 freestyle at the Calvin College Invitational, earning her a spot in the B final of the event.

In a mid-distance race, Miles went 1:57.73 in the preliminary round of the 200-yard freestyle. That also earned her a spot in the B final, and she won her heat with a time of 1:55.43.

Distance and mid-distance training has become a bigger part of Miles' routine at Findlay.

Miles also took part in several other events during the invitational at Calvin. She was clocked in 2:11.01 to qualify for the B final in the 200 backstroke.

The former Palatine Park District Tiger Sharks swimmer also took part in relay events. In the 400 medley relay, she split a time of 59.62 seconds on the backstroke leg. In the 400 free relay, she went 54.57 in her 100-yard leg. Miles anchored a 200 medley relay team, going 24.87 seconds in the 50-free leg of the race.

Reunion time

Two times last month, former Mid-Suburban League West basketball teammates were reunited on the basketball floor.

The first occasion was held in Evanston when former Fremd standouts and Daily Herald All-Area captains Haley Gorecki (Duke) and Bryanna Hopkins (Northwestern) were on opposing benches with their former Fremd coach Dave Yates on hand.

The second developed less than two weeks later in Burlington, VT, when standout Conant graduates Jimmy Sotos (Bucknell) and Ryan Davis (Vermont) squared off in a game televised by ESPN 3.

Sotos' Bison were down 36-23 at the 18:06 mark of the second half when he hit a key 3-pointer during a 12-0 run that got his team back in the game. A short time later, Sotos' tough lefty scoop shot tied the game at 38.

After Davis broke Vermont's six-minute scoring drought with a layup, the Bison took their first lead of the game since early in the game.

Davis ended up with 8 points in 10 minutes of action while Sotos collected 6 points, 4 rebounds and 4 assists as Bucknell improved to 2-2 and 2-0 on the road.

Women's soccer

Winona State 5-foot-8 sophomore forward Georgette Topalis (Buffalo Grove) was named to the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference All-Academic Team of Excellence. Topalis started all 17 games for the Warriors this past fall, and her 3 goals were tied for third on the team.

Topalis scored 26 goals and collected 10 assists as an all-area player at Buffalo Grove where she helped coach Pat Dudle's Bison to a regional title in 2015 and a Mid-Suburban East championship in 2017. Topalis was also an all-area basketball player at BG for coach Steve Kolodziej.

Friday reminder

Former Daily Herald sports writer Marty Maciaszek, being awarded the IHSA Distinguished Media Service Award, will be honored this Friday in between the girls (6 p.m. tip-off) and boys basketball games at Wheeling High School when the Wildcats host Hersey.

Wheeling activities director Steve May has announced there will be a reception at Gator's Wing Shack in Palatine for anyone who wants to stop by to see Marty around 9:45 p.m.

​Women's basketball

Despite her team falling behind by as many as 17 points at Youngstown State, Yale women's basketball team coach Alison Guth (Buffalo Grove) guided her Bulldogs to a thrilling 58-56 comeback win that evened her team's record at 3-3.

"I'm really proud of our execution down the stretch," said Guth, who knows something about executing down the stretch, on the school's website.

Basketball fans in the northwest suburbs all recall a story by Daily Herald high school sports editor John Radtke back in 2000 when Guth's Buffalo Grove Bison won the Class AA state title.

Because Guth was the president of BG's student council, Radtke's lead read, 'Allison Guth for President' as she became the school hero by scoring 7 of her team's 11 points in BG's 60-51 overtime triumph in the title game over Chicago Washington.

Now, Guth is leading Yale's program to some unprecedented achievements in her three seasons.

Yale capped the 2017-18 season by becoming the first Ivy League women's basketball team to win a postseason tournament, claiming the Women's Basketball Invitational with a 54-50 win at Central Arkansas. That was Yale's 19th win of the season, establishing a school record.

In 2016-17, Guth's second season as head coach, she led the Bulldogs to the team's best win total (15) since 2011-12.

In her first season as head coach, Guth led Yale to a 14-17 record (5-9 Ivy). The Bulldogs finished the season on a three-game winning streak.

• Saint Louis University redshirt junior Amber Lindfors (Elk Grove) led the Billikens (2-4) with a season-high 9 rebounds while also scoring 7 points in a 67-65 win over Virginia in Charlottesville (VA). Lindfors also had 2 steals and a blocked shot.

Billikens freshman guard Myia Clark (St. Viator) matched her career best of 5 rebounds and also tossed in 7 points. She also had 2 assists and 1 steal.

Conant camp

The Conant Cougars' Holiday Youth volleyball camp will be Dec. 26-27 for any seventh and eighth graders from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Conant main gymnasium.

The camp will emphasize the basic volleyball skills; serving, passing, setting, hitting, blocking, and game play!

No experience is needed and all campers will receive a Conant volleyball water bottle.

Coast is $30 and you can register at HTTPS://form.jotform. com/83174451803152

Place your I-phone camera over the bar code below to access the link immediately.

You can follow Conant volleyball on twitter for new/updates/info@Coach Pancratz.

Let us know

Please send updates on former Cook County athletes from the Daily Herald circulation area to jleusch@dailyherald.com