Girls swimming: Armstrong sparks St. Charles North's runner-up finish
Smoothe, consistent and determined.
Those attributes describe St. Charles North's Paige Armstrong.
Armstrong swam her way to first place honors in the 100 backstroke with a time of 59.13 and helped the North Stars to a second-place effort with 343 points at Saturday's 21st annual St. Charles North Invitational.
New Trier captured the team title with 350.5 points and Hinsdale Central was third behind the North Stars with 330 points.
The Lady Trevians were dominant in wining 4 individual events and 2 relays.
"I got as much push underwater as I could get," said Armstrong. "I was off to a slow start the first two weeks. I am starting to get into shape."
Armstrong was also third in the 200 freestyle and on the second-place 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams.
"It was a breakthrough meet for Paige," said North Stars coach Rob Rooney. "She had a good plan and swam well."
Angelina Messina joined Armstrong in the winners circle by winning the 200 individual medley with a clocking of 2:08.27. Messina was third in the 100 butterfly and a member of the second-place 200 medley and 400 relay teams.
Jillian Wilson claimed second place in the 100 butterfly and was on the second-place 200 medley relay.
Julia Fifer was runner-up in the 200 freestyle, was third in the 500 freestyle and was on the second-place 400 freestyle relay team.
Enya Linson was second in the 500 freestyle and was on the 400 relay team.
"This was a good meet for us," said Rooney. "It was a nice swim for us. We need to learn race strategy."
The third-place Red Devils got individual first-place efforts from Kit Schneider who swam 53.18 to win the 100 freestyle and Burlingtyn Bokos who won the 500 freestyle in 5:11.21.
The Red Devils also won the 400 freestyle relay with Schneider, Bokos, Haley Dynis and Phoebe Parlberg in a time of 3:35.72.
West Chicago was fourth with 243 points. The Wildcats' best individual performance came from Ashley Sego who was third in the 100 breaststroke. West Chicago's 200 medley relay team with Sego, Sarah Michael, Kelly Shortall and Cami Mayo was third.
St. Charles East placed sixth with 190 points.
"I am happy with the way we swam against some very tough competition," said Saints coach Adam Musial, "It is good to see how we do against some different teams from different parts of the state."
Sophia Mruk was the top individual performer for the Saints with a fourth-place finish in the 50 freestyle.
"We are in the midst of a very tough schedule," said Mruk. "I am hoping to qualify for state for the fourth time and I am hoping the two relays can qualify for state."
Payton Dorman was fifth in the 500 and 200 freestyle.
Bartlett-Streamwood co-op was eighth with a score of 91 points.