Girls swimming: Scouting DuPage County

Girls swimming in DuPage County is nothing if not a community, and for proof of that, look no further than Glenbard North/East junior Ella Witteveen.

Witteveen is coached by Chris Del Galdo, but is the daughter of Lake Park coach Dan Witteveen. Del Galdo coached the younger Witteveen at Wheaton Swim Club, where he also coached current Wheaton co-op coach Angela Shaw, who swam for Dan Witteveen at Lake Park. To boot, West Chicago coach Nick Parry is Dan Witteveen's brother-in-law.

Whew. Got all that? If not, swing by Wheaton College's pool Oct. 16, where the annual tri-Senior Night meet will be held between Glenbard North/East, Lake Park and Wheaton Co-op, honoring seniors on all three teams. Chances are you'll see Del Galdo, Shaw and Dan Witteveen standing together on the deck commiserating. Like the old friends they are.

"To me, when we all have this get-together meet, it's exciting for me," said Ella Witteveen, who attends Glenbard North. "They all come up to me and congratulate me, because they've all coached me at some point."

The DuKane Conference, already strong thanks to St. Charles North and East, will be that much tougher with the presence of Glenbard North/East, Lake Park and Wheaton Co-op. In addition to Ella Witteveen, who just missed state cuts last year in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 backstroke, Del Galdo will also rely on junior Jessica Solar and senior Julianna Boyle, who both had impressive offseasons.

Lake Park will be led by a pair of seniors in Camille Gismondo (100/200 freestyle) and Alice Korwel (500 freestyle/100 butterfly). But Dan Witteveen is excited about a pair of incoming freshman backstrokers, Una Dizdarevic and Ava Russo, who will also swim some freestyle.

Finally, Shaw's Wheaton Co-op team will be led by sophomore Peyton Pasqualicchio, who swam at the St. Charles sectional as a freshman and will be counted on in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke. Shaw said, "I think the 500 may be our event this year," as senior Rachel Moore, junior Molly Claus and freshman Jenna Hendrickson will all participate in that event.

Another tough-as-nails conference will be the DuPage Valley, which boasts sectional title winner Neuqua Valley and top-five finishers Naperville North and Naperville Central.

Neuqua Valley will simply reload, with senior diver Payten Orlow, sophomore Ruhee Chetan in the 100 breaststroke, and freshman Emily Wu, who could swim three individual events and several relays.

Senior backstroker Morgan Sokol and senior butterflier Grace Malinger will pace Naperville Central, and Sokol, for one, is glad things in the DuPage County high school swim scene are getting back to normal after last season.

"This year, we're actually getting to practice with everyone on the team," she said. "Last year we were split between freshmen and sophomores and juniors and seniors. It's a lot more fun to see everyone every day."

Her counterpart at Naperville North, senior Claire Jansen, agreed.

"Last year we had to deal with COVID, and I felt like we didn't get the full high school experience that we have normally," she said. "We're back to the traditions that we do, like Big Sis-Little Sis."

The Huskies, led by first year coach Connor Binning, will see Jansen swim any one of a number of events, like the 100 freestyle or backstroke, or the 200 freestyle or individual medley. Senior Amanda Ng will lead in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke and breaststroke, while junior Aimee DuHamel will contribute in the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle.

The DVC is even stronger thanks to Waubonsie Valley, which will have senior Ellie Filipiak (100 breaststroke/sprint freestyle) and Avery Ball (100 backstroke/100 butterfly). Metea Valley adds to the fun with junior Amanda Schmitt, who made the state cut last year in the 100 butterfly, and sophomore Allie Leslie, who just missed in the 50 freestyle.

Over in the West Suburban Silver, Hinsdale Central is the odds-on favorite to repeat as league champions. The Red Devils will be led by junior sprint freestyler Kit Schneider and senior butterflier Haley Dynis. Glenbard West/South has a host of freshmen that will likely be the team's top swimmers: Kara Donham (100/200 freestyle), Riley McNally (100 backstroke/200 IM) and Ruby Metz (200/500 freestyle). Downers Grove North will have a new coach, as Jennifer Heyer-Olsen is now in charge after a season as interim head coach under Judy Busse.

"We're just excited to be practicing together," Heyer-Olsen said. "It's been a nice change to start the season as a united group."

Downers Grove South will likely pace the West Suburban Gold, behind senior Audrey Mahoney, a state qualifier in 2019 and 2020 in 50 and 100 freestyle. Junior Andrea Paradis was a state qualifier in 2019 in 100 butterfly and breaststroke.

West Chicago won the Upstate Eight a year ago in part through the efforts of senior Ashley Sego in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. Junior Kelly Shortall will swim 200 IM and some 100 butterfly and breaststroke. Abby Niehoff is Fenton's only returning varsity swimmer and will state sprint freestyler and butterlier. Benet will compete in the Metro Catholic Aquatic Conference senior backstroker Maura Fitzgerald and Jackie Yap, another backstroker who will also swim the 500 freestyle.