Coming up big
One has always been a "big-meet swimmer" and the other became one in Friday's preliminary competition at the state meet.
Neuqua Valley's Kathleen Patterson, a senior and veteran of state swimming battles, finished first in the 200 IM, and Elena Carvell of Waubonsie Valley won the 100 butterfly to earn the top seed in those events in today's state finals.
Patterson swam a 2:05.51 IM to edge Downers Grove North's Adrienne Bicek, who registered a 2:05.51. Carvell swam her fastest butterfly at 55.48 to give Waubonsie Valley its only top-six individual swim of the day.
"Seeing Adrienne Bicek next to me kept me going throughout the race," Patterson said. "I was seeded second going into the race, and it was a good feeling to move up. But it all comes down to what I do (today)."
Patterson also finished sixth in the 500 freestyle. She was fourth in state in both races last year.
"Kathleen is a big-meet swimmer," said Neuqua Valley coach Jennifer Heyer-Olsen. "She's a competitor and she's got a lot of pride. Today she swam her guts out."
Carvell gave some credit for her victory to coach Tom Schweer, who has been keeping her focused by working on visualization techniques the past few weeks. She was the 11th seeded swimmer going into Friday's butterfly.
"My taper worked out really well and everything came together," Carvell said. "I know I can go faster. There were things I did in that race that I can change. My turns were kind of slow and I would get so excited that I wouldn't breathe."
Carvell has no intention of resting on her laurels.
"I'm trying to contain my excitement because I know it's not over yet," she said. "I've never placed at state in an individual event before."
"Elena has suffered a little from performance anxiety in the past," Schweer said. "She's always had a lot of talent, but she's had trouble at big meets. But she doesn't have that any more. Now she's in the hardest position a swimmer can be in, going into the final day seeded No. 1."
Also turning in outstanding performances were Sarah Galvin of Benet, who finished second in the 500 freestyle and third in the 100 backstroke; Atlantis Wilkins of Neuqua Valley and Kristine Kassl of Hinsdale South, who placed fourth and fifth in the 50 freestyle; Haley Sims of Downers Grove North, who was fifth in the 100 freestyle and Bicek, who, besides finishing second in the IM was third in the 500 freestyle.
Neuqua Valley made the top six in two relays, finishing fourth in the 200 medley relay and fifth in the 200 freestyle relay.
Waubonsie Valley goes into today's finals after finishing sixth in both the 200 and the 400 freestyle relays.
Naperville Central was fifth in the 400 freestyle relay, salvaging a day of disappointments that included defending state champion Amy Prestinario finishing seventh in the IM and ninth in the 500. She will compete in today's consolation race in the events she won last year. And she's swimming the anchor leg of the 400 freestyle relay in today's finals.
"The great thing about Amy is that she's always about team," said Naperville Central coach Jon Carlson. "Even though she's disappointed, she did well in the relays and was there cheering on her teammates in every race. She's a real champion."