Scouting DuPage County girls swimming
Top teams: Waubonsie Valley, Neuqua Valley, Hinsdale Central, Metea Valley
Top swimmers and divers: Addison Trail/Willowbrook co-op: Annalise Morrone, sr.; Elissa Haake, so.; Natalie Obrzut, so.; Michelle Ramirez, jr.; Anna Christiansen, so. Benet: Catherine Meehan, so.; Paige Smith, so.; Emma Kash, so.; Fiona Moran, fr.; Jillian Devine, fr.; Megan Dobrolinsky, so.; Downers Grove North: Emily Aument (diver), sr.; Elizabeth Aument (diver) sr.; Ellie Benge, jr.; Elizabeth Candel, fr.; Libby Benge, fr.; Downers Grove South: Alyssa Reinholz, sr.; Allie Puccillio, jr.; Makaila Scheiblien, jr.; Annie Leinart, so.; Beth Vetter, sr.; Melanie Scheiblien, fr.; Jorie Selig, fr.; Glenbard North/East co-op: Grace Schwieters, so.; Amber Finke, fr.; Glenbard West/South co-op: Jane Denenberg, so.; Hinsdale Central: Stephanie Bowater, jr.; Emily Graham jr.; Mia Chiappe, sr.; Hollis Clark, jr.; Maud Willemse, jr.; Maddie Fowler, jr.; Anna Gruvberger, fr.; Hinsdale South: Emily Vollmar, sr.; Brianna Veselik jr.; Cameran Frank, jr.; Tiffany Matulis, fr. Lake Park: Jennifer Hauser, jr.; Francesca Orlando, jr.; Kathy Buff, so.; Donna Kurek, so.; Shannon Murphy, so.; Metea Valley: Anna Scovill, jr.; Sadie Gregory, jr.; Nikki Cast (diver) sr.; Natalia Castillo, jr.; Kellie Willhite, fr.; Laurel Bludgeon, fr. Naperville Central: Lisa Johnson, so.; Alexa Puccini, fr.; Maddie Wagner, sr.; Natalie Hey, jr.; Naperville North: Connie Zhang, jr.; Claire Russell, jr.; Hannah Wessel, sr.; Isabelle Rocco, jr.; Neuqua Valley: Amanda Brockmeier, sr.; Wyli Erlechmann, sr.; Ryan Dulaney, sr.; Kayleigh Cannon, sr.; Kristen Stege, so.; Athena Salafatinos, so.; Sabrina Firnett, jr. Cloe Pace (diver), jr.; Maxine Parkinson, fr.; Waubonsie Valley: Hannah Hunt, sr. Emma Tinney, sr.; Paige Simpson, sr.; Julia Burling, jr.; Lily Hunt, so.; Keili Holt, so.; Rebecca Farber, so.; Kayla Lohman, jr.; Wheaton co-op: Stephanie Palczynski, sr.; Emily Gilligan (diver), sr.; Allison Chang (diver) sr.; West Chicago/Batavia co-op: Natalie Nelson, sr.; Ula Konopko, jr.; Kelly Sego, fr.; Addy Novak, fr.; York: Meghan Quinn, jr.; Sarah Lewand, sr.; Winona Asher, sr.; Ailie Orzak, sr.; Meaghan McIntyre, sr.; Nicole Bednarik, so.
Outlook: The expanded DuPage Valley Conference proved to be every bit as competitive as anticipated, and it should be even stronger this year. All the Naperville-area schools should be in contention, but going in, it could be a battle between defending champ Neuqua Valley and Waubonsie Valley. Neuqua Valley coach Jason Niforatos knew this year's senior class was capable of something special back when they were freshmen. They have improved steadily over the season, and this year group has a chance to fulfill its potential after a disappointing state meet that saw them finish 17th in the team standings. And this was at the end of a successful year that included a DVC championship in the Wildcats first year in the powerful conference.
"At state we were a team that could have been better," Niforatos said. "But a lot of things didn't go just our way. In many of our races we finished in the teens just outside the top 12 finish that gets you points." The coach feels the Wildcats have the talent, the depth and the character to bounce back and finish in the top 10 this year. "We were successful last year by focusing on the process and not on the results," Niforatos said. "We just have to take that final step, and I believe we have the depth and the work ethic to do it." To be sure, there were some scoring performances. The Wildcats' medley relay team finished seventh, Erlechmann was seventh in the 100 fly and Dulaney came in ninth in the 500 freestyle. But the key this year is to turn those "finishes in the teens" into scoring swims. The coach believes Dulaney can score in both the 200 and the 500, Salafatinos is capable of putting up points in the backstroke, Cannon in the butterfly, Brockmeier in the breaststroke as she did as a sophomore, freshmen Parkinson is a future star capable of swimming every stroke, Pace can rack up some points in the diving, and the relays are capable of great things. "Our depth is so good that we have three people of near equal ability in almost any event," Niforatos said.
The Wildcats' top competition should come from Waubonsie Valley, which is really loaded this year. The Warriors scored at state in all three relays and most of the swimmers on those relays return, including Hannah Hunt, who also finished ninth in the 100 breaststroke. Coach Katie Peterson has at least one contender to make it to state in every event. Tinney and Simpson have proved to be standouts in both individual event and relays. "I'm excited," Peterson said. "We have a few girls who can score as individuals and there's a lot of competition for the relay spots. We have great potential for the end of the season."
Metea Valley finished 10th at state and has a lot of talent back, but must replace a pair of talented sprinters who graduated. "We have a lot of good people coming back and we're excited about some of our newcomers," said Metea coach Mark Jager. "The loss of our sprinters hurts because we scored in the two free relays. We're probably not going to finish top 10, but we can make some noise and probably finish in the middle of the conference." The coach believes that Scovill will be outstanding in the fly and Gregory is capable in the sprint freestyle races and the breaststroke. Both girls were members of the Mustangs' 200 free relay team that finished fourth in the state meet. Cast, who finished 16th in diving, is planning to make it into the finals this year.
Naperville Central doesn't have a lot of state meet experience but coach Mike Adams believes his team will do well. "The whole season we'll be looking to put people into the right slots," Adams said. "Everything will depend on how our team develops during the season. We're working toward a good finish and getting after it." Naperville North is led by Zhang who finished ninth in the 100 free. "We have a couple of other girls who will qualify but we have a lot of work to do on our relays," said Huskies coach Andy McWhirter. The Huskies will be young, including 13 freshmen, but with a veteran nucleus to lead them, there will be progress during the season.
Lake Park's shining light is Hauser, who qualified in two events, but felt the effects of a late-season injury and had a disappointing state meet. "We expect her to score this year," said coach Dan Witteveen. "She's our great leader. She sets the tone. If she's swimming well, we're all swimming well." Witteveen also had high praise for Buff, who made great progress training in the off-season. Buff can score in the backstroke, and if he finds a fourth to go with Hauser, Orlando and Buff, the Lancers could qualify a medley relay team.
For Wheaton co-op, Palczynski has her eye on the school record in the backstroke and diver Gilligan is a potential scorer. Glenbard North/East co-op, like Wheaton and Lake Park, doesn't have the numbers to compete with the Naperville-area schools, but they do have a couple of standouts in Schwieters and Finke. Coach Chris Dal Galdo expects Schwieters to take that extra step to the state meet this year, while Finke is a future star, who can swim anything and excels in the sprint freestyle races.
The Hinsdale Central team did not score a point at state for the first time in its history, but Bob Barber's Red Devils had a lot of sophomores. They finished in the teens in all three relays, while Graham, who scored as a freshman, is looking to swim on Saturday, as is sprinter Chiappe. Freshman Gruvberger will be a big addition to the relays. "We have the numbers and a lot of year-round swimmers," Barber said. "We should get some nice results this year." Downers Grove North was in sort of a rebuilding mode after a great run for the five previous years, but there will be some improvement this year and the Trojans still have the Aument sisters, two of the best divers in Illinois who will be contenders for the state championship. York came close to winning sectional qualifying all three relays and the Dukes senior class is motivated to go out with a bang. Lewand, Asher and Orzak have their eyes on the state meet in their individual races. Glenbard West/South co-op always has strong relays, and this year features a group of strong underclassmen.
Downers Grove South, which won the West Suburban Gold, had several swimmers and relays on the brink of qualification and they should be able to take that next step this year. Addison Trail/Willowbrook co-op has a potential scorer in freestyler Haake and Morrone who has gone to state but underwent double shoulder surgery last year, is back to full-strength and could make it in the 100 breaststroke. Hinsdale South, finished third in the Gold behind Downers Grove South and Addison Trail/Willowbrook and the Hornets are hoping to send the medley relay to state along with Veselik in the fly and Matulis in the breaststroke and IM.
Benet's program is on track to return to the heights of the early 2010s. The Redwings could send a pair of free relays to state, while Meehan is a comer who could qualify in a number of races. West Chicago/Batavia co-op is better since the merger several years ago. Nelson and Konopko both have state meet experience and should qualify as individuals and lead at least one relay to the postseason.
Key dates: Sept. 9-10: Neuqua Valley Invite; Hinsdale South Hornet Invite; Sept. 17 West Chicago Wildcat Invite; Metea Valley Diving Invite; Sept. 23-24: West Chicago Wildcat Championships; Downers Grove North Invite; Sept. 24: Rosary Invite; Sept. 30-Oct. 1: Downers Grove South Invite; Oct. 8: Naperville North Invite; Oct. 28-29: Conference meets: Nov. 11-12; Sectional meets: Nov. 18-19 state meet.
- Neil Shalin