It’s the 45th annual girls swimming and diving state meet at New Trier High School. Many individuals from Metea, Naperville Central, Naperville North compete for state titles along with Neuqua Valley, who is in the hunt to repeat as state champions.
200 IM
We start first with the 200 yard IM. Neuqua’s Maxine Parkinson and Naperville Central’s Paige Collins in the second heat. At the end of back stroke, Lyons Callahan Dunn leads the way with both Parkinson and Collins just a stroke behind her. Coming to the end, Dunn taps first in 2 mintes, 1 point 24 seconds. Parkinson finises 3rd and Collins right behind her in fourth.
50 Free
Fastest race up next, don’t blink or you’ll miss it. Naperville Central’s Alexa Puccini in the 5th lane of the 2nd heat. Oswego’s Grace cooper finishes in first in 22 point 43 seconds. Puccini finishes in 23.62 seconds, good enough for 5th place in the state.
Diving
Let’s take a break with swimming and move over to diving. Two wildcats in the top twelve making it to the finals, Jane Riehs and freshman Elle Jacobson. The state newcomer performs a back one somersault 2 and one half twists free earning her 41.85 points helping her to 5th place with 426.45 total points.
Junior Jane Riehs looks in to improve from her state appearance last year and she abolsutely does as she performs a back one somersault 2 and one half twists free. 47.25 points for that dive and 450.25 total points, the best diver in the state goes to Jane Riehs.
100 Butterfly
We go back to the blocks for the 100 butterfly with Metea’s McKenna Stone and Naperville Central’s Paige Collins in the second heat. Halfway through the race, Stone leads the pack by half a body and she will hold that lead and even extends it to the wall in 53 point 27 seconds. Redhawk Paige Collins not even a full second behind her in second. Teammate Alexa Puccini finishes in 7th.
500 Freestyle
Longest race of the day is the 500 freestyle and Wildcat Rachel Stege all ready set a new record in the prelims but she looks to hold the top spot for the second year in a row. Halfway through the race looks promising and even to the end, not another swimmer in the frame when she finishes in 4 minutes 45.13 seconds. Another first place finish for the wildcats.
200 Freestyle
We round out our state coverage with the 200 yard freestyle relay. Metea’s Kellie Willhite starting us off against Neuqua’s Megan Ciezczak. Halfway through the race, the wildcats have a small lead over the mustangs and Oswego. And down the streth they hold on to that lead to grab first place in 1 minute 32 point 67 seconds. Metea finishing not even point 3 seconds after. That big relay win helps the Neuqua Valley Wildcats grab hold of the Girls Swimming state title for the second year in a row with 183 points. Metea Valley finishes in 5th and Naperville Central in 7th.
Check out other swimming meets in our Girls Sports Highlights!
