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Girls swimming: Extra effort carries Barrington at state

As so often is the case in the girls swimming and diving state meet preliminaries, fate was fickle.

Particularly so for Barrington's team, which ended up getting two versions of it Friday at New Trier.

Instead of leaving the scene after the 400-yard freestyle relay at the meet's usual endpoint, the Fillies got a bonus half-hour on deck.

At stake was the final qualifying spot in the 200 freestyle relay. Barrington and Neuqua Valley had tied for 12th place earlier.

"I'm blaming Bridget O'Leary," quipped Barrington coach Jim Bart. "She trimmed her nails today."

The tie forced a swim-off, which was held after the conclusion of the main portion of the meet. Barrington and Neuqua Valley got their own miniature warm-up session, followed by the race itself.

And this time, Sarah Kate Capel, Emma Graves, O'Leary and Kirsten Jacobsen came out on top, by an eyelash - in 1:36.15, a full second better than their first attempt, with Mid-Suburban League peer Fremd cheering them on en masse.

That capped a feel-good day for Barrington, which set a team record in the 400 free relay moments earlier in 3:30.25 and qualified ninth.

The meet resumes with the championship finals at noon Saturday.

Barrington senior Kirsten Jacobsen is the No. 2 seed in the 200 and 500 freestyles, behind Lake Forest senior Reilly Lanigan in both.

For sophomore Maggie Emary, who had a leg on the record 400 relay with her classmate Maggie Menso, O'Leary and Jacobsen, the more finicky version of fate showed up.

Seventh in the 500 freestyle last year, Emary finds herself seeded in the top spot of the consolation heat again in that race this year. Of great consolation to her is that it was a lifetime-best effort (4:56.05).

"A little disappointing, yes, because you always want to be in that 'A' final," she said. "But I swam it just the way I need to - very even splits, and you can't be real upset about a lifetime best."

Others earning themselves point-scoring swims Saturday were Fremd senior Grace Grzybek and Palatine senior Kristin Anderson.

Anderson was disappointed after her 50 free effort (23.88) placed her 15th in what turned out to be a very fast year for that event.

Softening the blow somewhat was how things played out in the 100 free.

It first appeared Anderson would be 13th, one place away from advancing, after the heats were finished. But a few moments after the last heat, it was announced that the event's top seed, Hannah Blankmeier of Oak Park-River Forest, had been disqualified. That moved Anderson into the 12th and final qualifying spot.

"It helped a little bit," said Anderson, "because I wasn't in the best frame of mind after the 50."

Palatine senior diver Lizzie Johns capped her career with a 14th-place finish, and St. Viator junior Elizabeth Drab placed 26th.

Grzybek slipped slightly from her sectional performances but still earned a spot in the consolation finals of the 100 backstroke. She finished in 56.92.

Fremd's 400 free relay of junior Emily Kini, senior Becca Rutkowski, sophomore Emily Bolger and Grzybek improved by almost a second from its seed time and finished 14th.

Hersey sophomore Olivia Kusio came up with a lifetime-best effort in the 100 breaststroke, taking 20th in 1:05.60.

"It felt really strong," she said. "I knew I had some specific things I could improve on - my turns. So I think it helped to have some built-in places where I knew I could get better."

Rosary is well positioned to win the team championship, with Lake Forest, St. Charles North, New Trier and Loyola also in the trophy hunt.

Jacobsen, the three-time defending champion in the 500 freestyle and the state record-holder in the 200 free, anchored Barrington's bonus 200 free relay with a 50 split of 23.0, making up almost a bodylength against her Neuqua Valley opponent.

Bart said Jacobsen swam her individual qualifying efforts in the 200 and 500 freestyles under control and hopes to be faster in both in the finals.

Asked how she felt in the 500, which she completed in 4:50.32, Jacobsen had a one-word description: "Great."

Senior Gabby Mathys became Schaumburg Christian's first competitor in any state finals event and came up with a lifetime best in the 200 free (1:57.87, 31st).

Conant senior Sam Wooley made good on her final high school race, finishing the 50 free in 24.26. That placed her 22nd and more than made up for a painful near-miss in qualifying for state individually as a junior.

"She looked great," said coach Justin Bickus. "You love to see someone finish with a lifetime best."

Images: Girls state swimming prelims

  Barrington's Kirsten Jacobsen, second from left, prepares to rocket off the block in the 500-yard freestyle during the girls swimming and diving state meet preliminaries Friday at New Trier. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Barrington's Kirsten Jacobsen eyes her time after her effort in the 500-yard freestyle during the girls swimming and diving state meet preliminaries Friday at New Trier. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Palatine's Kristin Anderson checks her time after the 100-yard freestyle during the girls swimming and diving state meet preliminaries Friday at New Trier. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Emily Kini of Fremd checks her time in the 100-yard freestyle during the girls swimming and diving state meet preliminaries Friday at New Trier. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Emma Graves of Barrington races the 100-yard butterfly during the girls swimming and diving state meet preliminaries Friday at New Trier. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
  Barrington's Kirsten Jacobsen, after winning her qualifying heat of the 200-yard freestyle during the girls swimming and diving state meet preliminaries Friday at New Trier. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.comGabby Mathys of Schaumburg Christian likes her results in the 200-yard freestyle during the girls swimming and diving state meet preliminaries Friday at New Trier.
  Gabby Mathys of Schaumburg Christian races the 200-yard freestyle during the girls swimming and diving state meet preliminaries Friday at New Trier. Mark Welsh/mwelsh@dailyherald.com
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