As one of the most decorated swimmers in the history of Lake Forest, Maddie Smith made her closing act in her home pool a memorable one.
The senior posted the fastest state-qualifying times in the 50-yard freestyle (23.31 seconds) and the 100 freestyle (51.06) as the host Scouts won their own sectional Saturday with 266 points. They finished ahead of Warren (223) and Libertyville (215).
Lake Forest qualified in all three relay events and will have Scouts in eight of the nine individual events when the state meet begins Friday at Evanston.
“There is always a lot of energy at sectionals because everybody gets suited up,” Smith said. “I went for pool records in both events. I got the 100 and missed the 50 by .03, but it was still a good swim. I had a little bit of nerves, so there were some little things I want to get right going into next week.”
Smith finished sixth in both freestyle sprints at last year’s state meet.
Libertyville make a splash
Libertyville senior Emma Richert won the 200 individual medley (2:07.36) at Lake Forest to qualify in the event for the third time in four years. She used her superior kick in the breaststroke and freestyle in coming from behind to edge Lake Forest’s Ella Needler and McHenry’s Caileigh McCafferty.
“I had a great attitude going into the meet, and I was relaxed,” Richert said. “I was super excited with this being my last year. I put in a lot of work to make it happen.”
Libertyville swept the diving competition as senior Morgan Paul, a BYU recruit, dominated the field with 422.30 points to easily surpass junior teammate Claire Neuberger (387.10).
Paul qualified for her third state finals. She was especially relieved at her second dive, a reverse 1-1/2.
“I have had issues with it in the past, just mental blocks and not doing it well,” she said. “I really hit it super well and scored sevens and eights, and I just thought all the hard work and effort I put into it the last two years has really paid off.”
CSL North swimmers make state
Vernon Hills qualified its 200 medley relay team for state and will have swimmers in five individual events as well. Sophomore Drew Petereit recorded the Cougars’ top individual finish at Lake Forest with a second-place showing in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.34), just ahead of senior teammate Lilly Hemesath (1:06.44).
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Deerfield qualified two relays and will have seven chances to earn points in five individual events after finishing fourth at its own sectional on Saturday. Senior Lindsay Guare registered the state’s seventh-best diving score (463.00) and finished fourth at the sectional meet. Sophomore Nicole Piatek was a two-time qualifier in the 50and 100 freestyle.
Diver Aliana Velick was Highland Park’s lone qualifier.
MSL East athletes give their all
Prospect senior Gracie Dix produced one of the most exhilarating finishes at the Stevenson Sectional on Saturday by edging Hersey junior Olivia Kusio to win the 50 free. Despite swimming in an outside lane, Dix made a furious push to earn her first state finals appearance.
“I started the flip turn and saw that I was little bit ahead of the girl next to me, but I had no idea where anybody else was,” Dix said. “I just told myself to keep fighting.”
Kusio rebounded from the disappointment of narrowly missing the cut in the 50 free by shaving more than a second off her season-best time to finish fifth (1:06.19) in the 100 breaststroke to punch her ticket to the state finals.
She has reached state in at least one event for three consecutive years.
“It wasn’t exactly perfect, but it was good enough,” Kusio said. “I think at the state meet I can tweak some things and make some improvements and definitely go faster.”
Junior Madeline Bovino qualified in diving for the Huskies.
Lake Zurich’s Goushchina heads to Evanston
Lake Zurich sophomore Sophia Goushchina finished third in the 100 freestyle and fourth in the backstroke at Stevenson to qualify for her first state appearance.
Few things are as motivating for Goushchina as chasing down the swimmer next to her.
“I saw somebody right next to me, and I tried to get them,” she said. “I missed some things on my turns, but I am pretty happy with what I did.”
Patrick Z. McGavin is a freelance reporter for Pioneer Press.
Twitter @Pioneer_Press