Girls swimming: Sectional title a confidence boost for Neuqua Valley

A girls swimming sectional is the kind of event where the athletes don't have to win to get excited about their performance.

Saturday's Metea Valley sectional produced happy swimmers by the bunch.

Neuqua Valley won the team championship with 369 points, though that's not ordinarily the point of the sectional. But the confidence they gained in winning the meet means a lot for the state meet.

"For us this is a very different type of sectional because we have so many that are coming in that are not fully suited, shaved, tapered, that sort of thing," Wildcats coach Jason Niforatos said, "and it's nerve-wracking and I think the girls have shown that they can get it done, and they should be very excited heading into next week."

Senior Athena Salafatinos and junior Teagan Michalek were among the happy swimmers, qualifying third and fourth, respectively, for Neuqua in the 100 backstroke.

"I wanted to go a 56, but a 57.12 is pretty good," Salafatinos said, noting the Wildcats, like all state swimmers, are timing preparations so the best results come next week.

Salafatinos also swam the qualifying medley relay and 200 free relay.

"I thought our 200 free relay was really good," Salafatinos said. "Everybody went (the times) they were supposed to go. Especially since we're all not tapered or suited or shaved or anything."

Michalek earned her first trip to state, dropping almost two seconds in the 100 backstroke and coming out of the third of the four heats to qualify.

"I'm really proud of how the whole team kind of embraced their role to get down there," Niforatos said.

Rosary placed second with 340.

"We got everybody through that we really need for next week," said Rosary coach Bill Schalz. "... This meet's all about qualifying for state, and every single one of our girls who swam today is swimming next week. I think we qualified in all but maybe two or three races, so we're set up exactly where we need to be for next week.

"I'm really happy with the way the girls raced too."

West Aurora placed ninth with 123 points, normally not the kind of result that would trigger a celebration. But the Blackhawks qualified their 200-yard medley relay despite it placing eighth. It's the first West Aurora relay to qualify for state since at least 1996, hence the celebration.

"Just in general, the taper came together. The girls supported each other along the way, and overall they pushed each other big-time at this meet," said West Aurora coach Chris Ranallo, named sectional coach of the year to start another celebration. "They all fired on the same cylinder today, which is good. It's what you hope for as a coach."

West Aurora also will send senior Gina Jenkins to state in the 200 freestyle as well as the relay. Freshman Annabel Olivo made it in the 50 free, and Sophie Bastian qualified in the 100 butterfly.

The Blackhawks broke a number of school records along the way, generating still more smiles.

Downers Grove North sectional:

Downers Grove North won the sectional with 293 points. Glenbard West-South co-op placed second with 270.50.

Each school qualified all three relays. Kate Morris won the 100 and 200 freestyles for the co-op. Molly Rosenthal won the 500 free and qualified third in the 200 free, with Addison Trail-Willowbrook co-op's Elissa Haake qualifying in second place.