High school girls swimming: McHenry's Hannah Lange ready for last shot at state

Last year's state swimming meet was a bittersweet bit of role reversal for McHenry's Hannah Lange.

Two years ago, she had been on the pool deck, competing with the state's top swimmers, her family in the stands cheering her on. Last year, she was up in the stands, watching her younger sister compete after failing to qualify herself.

"She was actually joking around with me after I didn't make it. She was a little angry at me that I wasn't down there with her, but hopefully this year I will be," Hannah Lange said.

Lange is one of four current local swimmers who has competed at state before – along with her sister Payton, Crystal Lake High School co-op's Valerie Tarazi and Jacobs/Hampshire co-op's Izzy Bavaro.

Each is in a different position coming into Saturday's sectionals.

Tarazi is a returning state champion looking for a third trip to state. The Prairie Ridge junior became the second local swimmer to win a state title and the first to do it before her senior year, giving her a chance to defend her title in the 100-yard breaststroke and improve on her finish in the 200 individual medley.

McHenry's Payton Lange, now a sophomore is aiming to make it 2 for 2 on trips to state. She qualified last year in the 50 and 100 freestyle.

Bavaro, like Hannah Lange, went to state two years ago but missed out last season. Unfortunately for the Jacobs junior, she won't get a shot at returning this year. Bavaro won't swim at sectionals, Jacobs/Hampshire coach Emily Susmarski said, because of an injury that forced her out of last week's Fox Valley Conference Meet as well.

For Hannah Lange, the only senior of that group, Saturday's Lake Forest Sectional will be her last chance to make amends for last season and get back to the state's biggest meet.

"I'm feeling very good. I'm actually a little nervous, because of [last season], but I'm building off of that and staying positive within that, just using that to train harder and work harder," Hannah Lange said. "We've been swimming fast and strong all week."

Last year, McHenry's season was thrown off by a teachers' strike that kept them out of school and practice for more than a week.

"Everybody was out of rhythm, but we tried to stay as positive as we could going into sectionals," Hannah Lange said. "I had a really good 200 before my 500, so I was feeling a little more confident, a little more at ease, but sometimes you have those races when it's just off."

This season, however, has been a dream for the Warriors. McHenry went undefeated in conference duals and won last week's FVC championship meet, taking seven of 11 events.

"I believe we're definitely swimming a lot harder than we were last year," Hannah Lange said. "We've just been having a great season all around this year, so that just helps build your team spirit and helps yourself feel good. When everyone else around you is improving and your team as a whole is doing good, it helps you improve as well. That also gives you other people to push yourself against."

Lange won the 200 and 500 freestyle at the conference championships, coming under state qualifying standards in both events.

"I tell you what, she works really hard in practice every day," McHenry coach Craig Fowles said. "She comes in and she is here to work. She definitely goofs around with the rest of them ... but she just works super hard. She loves the challenge of a good hard set, and she will do whatever she possibly can to complete it to the best of her abilities. It's really inspiring too. She gets the other girls going and she's definitely a good leader along those lines."

Beyond just the individuals, the strength of the Warriors' team has them hoping to send a relay to state. They won both freestyle relays at the FVC meet in record time and will be seeded first at sectionals in both.

"I know they're excited. I know the girls want to go down with a relay," Fowles said. "It'll be a lot more special. The girls have gone down separately, Hannah's gone by herself, Payton's gone by herself. Even to go with someone else as an individual is a lot more fun, to go down with a whole relay is way more fun. So, obviously, that is a big target for them."

With Hannah Lange signing this week to swim at South Dakota next year, this weekend is the sisters' last chance to qualify for state together.

"It would be amazing," Hannah Lange said. "I was really upset that I didn't get to go with her last year, but I still got to go support her and I was up in the stands. To be on deck with her, and hopefully our other relays, it would be the icing on the cake of my senior year.

"I can't even think of anything better right now."

Where they swim

Saturday's local girls swimming sectional assignments:

St. Charles North Sectional: Jacobs/Hampshire co-op, Dundee-Crown, Crystal Lake High School co-op, Huntley

Lake Forest Sectional: McHenry, Woodstock co-op, individuals from Richmond-Burton and Marian Central

Stevenson Sectional: Cary-Grove