Girls swimming: Dixon’s Laci Long wins third straight sectional title in diving

Dixon senior Laci Long won the sectional title in 1-meter diving for the third straight season, helping the Byron swimming co-op claims its third consecutive team title on Saturday at the Rockford Jefferson Sectional.

Long scored 412.55 points to easily win the crown for the third straight year. Byron teammate Addison Bausman was second with a score of 381.20.

“My mindset was to have fun, since I knew it was my last sectional,” Long said. “I wanted to have fun and enjoy every moment, just not have any nerves. I guess it worked really well, because I executed my dives well.”

After the diving portion of the meet in the morning, Long cheered on her teammates in the pool in the afternoon. Kate Schilling led Byron with wins in the 200 IM (2:05.73) and 100 butterfly (56.88 seconds), and swam legs on the victorious 200 medley (1:48.93) and 400 freestyle (3:36.75) relay teams.

Madi Groharing and Audrey Kilmer joined Schilling in both relays, with Lily Swiech swimming a leg in the 200 medley, and Emily Marshall swimming in the 400 free.

“I love knowing that I gave my team points at the beginning, and they started swimming with the lead,” Long said. “I had already set them up, and they did so great, swam fast and had a good meet. I’m really proud of them.”

Long will be making her second trip to the suburbs next weekend for the state meet, as she also qualified as a sophomore. There was no state meet last year due to COVID protocols.

“I’m so excited to go to state this weekend, see what we can do – and see all the amazing divers there as well,” Long said. “I’m just so blessed to have a great support system. My coach, my family, my team is my everything, and I wouldn’t be able to do this without them. I’m just really excited to swim next weekend.”

Byron scored 269 points, with Hononegah finishing second (198) and Guilford taking third (189). Sterling swam to seventh place with 106 points.

Madison Austin led the Water Warriors with a fourth-place finish in the 50 freestyle (24.68) and a sixth in the 100 free (54.42), while Payton Purdy finished fourth in the 100 backstroke (1:05.11). Sterling also took fourth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:51.46) and sixth in the 200 medley relay (1:59.96).

United Township Sectional

Morrison 5th in East Moline: The Fillies finished fifth at the UT Sectional, scoring 118 points. Dunlap won with 293, and Moline was second with 223.

Morrison did not have a state qualifier, but did nab seven top-six finishes. Schyon Drolema placed second in the 50 freestyle (24.71), missing the state qualifying mark of 24.34 by .37 seconds. She also finished fourth in the 100 free (55.78).

Kate Henson took fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.44), breaking the school record of 1:10.99 set in 2006 that she had been chasing for her entire four-year career. She also took sixth in the 200 IM (2:23.05).

Morrison took third in the 400 freestyle relay (4:00.25) with the team of Morgan Baker, Laney Edgeton, Landri Harmon and Drolema. The Fillies finished fourth in the 200 free relay (1:47.33) with the team of Baker, Henson, BayLeigh Brewer and Drolema, and fifth in the 200 medley relay (2:01.98) with the quartet of Edgeton, Henson, Harmon and Brewer.

“We had a great meet as a team; everyone swam great cuts, and we are very happy with the results,” Morrison coach Chelsea Brewer said. “I’m so happy for Kate, who finally broke the record in the 100 breaststroke she has been chasing for so long.”