Riverside Brookfield High School girls swimmer Maria Ellis has come extremely close to reaching the state meet the past two seasons. This season, the senior is trying a different approach.
“I’m not so much focused on making it to state. It’s my senior year. I just want to have fun,” Ellis said. “I want to make it the season I’ve had so far, regardless of my times. That’s my one and only goal because I think the past couple of years I’ve gotten so caught up in making state that I’ve forgotten the whole point of high school season is to have fun.”
On Saturday, Ellis was among the highlights for the Bulldogs at their annual RB Relays Saturday by finishing third in the 100-yard butterfly (1:01.04) and 100 breast stroke (1:09.92) for the seventh-place Bulldogs seventh (105 points).
Those are her fastest times without wearing a speed suit. That will happen when Ellis and her teammates compete at sectionals.
In the 200 individual medley, Ellis was third at last year’s Hinsdale Central Sectional (2:10.77) to just miss the state cut of 2:10.54, which is 2:10.58 this season. As a sophomore, Ellis swam 2:10.54 at sectionals but the 2023 state cut was 2:10.26.
RBHS Maggie McCoy swims the 100 yard freestyle during the invite held Saturday Sept. 13, 2025. (Erica Benson) 
RBHS Isabel Rosa swims the 200 yard individual medley during the invite held Saturday Sept. 13, 2025. (Erica Benson) 
RBHS Bea Ryan swims the 100 yard freestyle during the invite held Saturday Sept. 13, 2025. (Erica Benson) 
Riverside/Brookfield’s Charlene Wang swims the 200 yard individual medley during the invite held Saturday Sept. 13, 2025. (Erica Benson) 
RBHS Maggie McCoy swims the 50 yard freestyle during the invite held Saturday Sept. 13, 2025. (Erica Benson) 
RBHS Lizzy Ryan swims the 50 yard freestyle during the invite held Saturday Sept. 13, 2025. (Erica Benson) 
RBHS Carly Romero swims the 200 yard freestyle during the invite held Saturday Sept. 13, 2025. (Erica Benson)
Non-sectional champions must achieve state cuts at sectionals to qualify for state.
“I think (Saturday) was a great reflection of that (new) mindset,” Ellis said. “I went into this meet and I wasn’t really nervous at all. I was actually really, really excited to race and it paid off.”
The Bulldogs only have three seniors this season – Ellis, Veda Hall and Chloe Ivan – but plenty of postseason experience.
Juniors Brynn Gizewski, Paige Phelan and Isabel Rosa and sophomores Bea Ryan, Lizzie Ryan and Charlene Wang also return from the 2024 sectional lineup. This year’s freshmen share two first names — Violet Bower and Violet Gerny and Josie Chase and Josephine McAllister. They graduated Hailey Vlcek, the program’s only all-state swimmer.
Like Ellis, several returnees already are ahead of their 2024 pace.
“(Our key is) just keeping the kids healthy and working together as a team to fill the spots,” RBHS swim coach Mike Laurich said. “Maria, in the offseason, has three times gone underneath the state cuts so it’s as long as we can do it at the right time at sectionals.”
Phelan and Gizewski also could contend for state under diving coach Amy Phillips.
Phelan (195.45 points) and Gizewski (182.15) were second and fourth Saturday. At last year’s sectional, 419.45
Gizewski (360.45) and Phelan (354.55) were ninth and 10th yet within range of the 419.45 state cut.
“There’s a lot of room for improvement but I think I’m pretty happy with how I did (last season),” Gizewski said. “The goal is to have fun but obviously getting to state would be a nice plus.”
Gizewski had her best meet at sectionals, even with one “iffy” dive out of her 11.
“My personal goal is just to do good at sectionals (again),” Gizewski said. “If I make state, I make state. I want it to happen but if it doesn’t, I can’t do much about it.”
McCoy also continues making progress. On Saturday, McCoy was fourth in the 100 free (56.71) and seventh in the 50 free (26.28) Saturday. At the 2024 sectional, McCoy was fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:02.91) and seventh in the 100 free (54.33). Ellis, McCoy, Lizzie Ryan and Vlcek were third in the 200 free relay (1:40.16) and fourth in the 400 free relay (3:38.69).
Also at the invite, the 400 free relay with McCoy, Rosa, Wang and Ellis (3:59.97) and 200 medley relay with McCoy, Ellis, Lizzie Ryan and Bea Ryan (1:59.13) both took eighth.
“To see everybody cheering each other on (Saturday), we’ve got a lot more involvement,” Ellis said. “They’re up, they’re behind people’s lanes, giving people high fives so that’s been awesome to see this season.”
