Girls Swimming: St. Charles North takes DuKane Conference title, looks primed for state run

Coach Rob Rooney and the St. Charles North swimming team seem primed for a run at a state championship in three weeks.

St. Charles North, which hosts the sectional meet in two weeks, claimed top honors at Saturday’s DuKane Conference meet held at St. Charles East.

The North Stars, with 10 first-place finishes in 12 events, won the conference meet with 275.5 points.

Rival St. Charles East was second with 236.5 points followed by Wheaton co-op with 177 points, Glenbard North (113) and Lake Park (105).

“We need to tighten the bolts for the state meet,” said Rooney. “We need to go from complacency to expectations. We need our eyes focused. The girls have been diligent, looking at the right aspects.”

The North Stars grabbed first-place accolades in seven individual events and three relays.

Angelina Messina and Paige Armstrong were double winners for the conference champs.

Messina won the 100 butterfly (58.05) and 100 breaststroke (1:06.24) while Armstrong was in the winners circle in the 200 freestyle (1:56.65) and 100 backstroke (59.20).

Other individual winners for North were Anna Buvary (50 freestyle, 24.80); Julia Fifer (100 freestyle, 54.09) and Elizabeth Bawolek (50 freestyle. 5:16.60).

St. Charles North swept the 3 relays. Quinn Bike, Jillian Wilson, Messina and Buvary won the 200 medley in a clocking of 1:48.13. The Stars claimed the 200 freestyle (Izzy Beu, Fifer, Buvary and Messina) in 1:58.36, and they won the 400 freestyle in 3:36.57. The winning foursome was comprised of Fifer, Beu, Armstrong and Enya Linson.

The runner-up Saints were led by Sophia Mruk, who is headed to Emory University in Atlanta. Mruk took top honors in the 200 intermediate in a time of 2:11.30. Katie Kempff won the 1 meter diving with 376.98 points.

The Saints placed second in all three relay events. Tess Walsh, Mruk, Emma Maxwell and Payton Dorman keyed the Saints’ runner-up effort in the 200 medley while Mruk, Ella Mruk, Walsh and Kate Lewandowski were on 200 freestyle which finished behind St. Charles North.

In the 400 freestyle with Walsh, Dorman, Lewandowski and Allyson Kichka, the Saints earned second place.

“We swam well and met our game plan for the conference meet,” said Saints coach Adam Musial. “We are gearing toward the sectional meet in two weeks. We competed well against (St. Charles) North, who is a top three team in the state.”

Wheaton’s best effort came from Haylie Hinckley (1 meter diving) and Jenna Hendrickson (200 intermediate) who finished second.

Glenbard North’s best finish came from Ella Witteveen who was third in the 100 breaststroke.

Camille Gismondo was Lake Park’s top swimmer with second-place efforts in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle.