Time finally on Ellis’ side, gains first trip to state 

At past girls swimming and diving sectionals, Riverside Brookfield High School senior swimmer Maria Ellis was the queen of close calls — just missing state berths.

Such was the case again in her first event at the Hinsdale Central Sectional, Saturday. While Ellis swam a lifetime best in the 100-yard butterfly that broke the school record, her 58.39 seconds missed the state cut by just .01.

“Honestly, I wasn’t even that sad. I was actually pretty happy because I had broken the school record by .69,” Ellis said. “I was laughing a bit because any scenario where I’d break the record and not make state, it would be by .01.”

In the 100 breast stroke, Ellis got the last laugh. In her final chance at state, she achieved a lifetime-best 1:05.92 to easily qualify for her first state meet Friday and Saturday at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont. 

Sectional champions automatically qualify for state as well as entries that achieve state cuts at the sectional. Ellis’ second-place time beat the 1:07.25 state cut and also was an NSCA state cut for her club season with the Bullets.

“I haven’t really fully processed yet because this has been such a big dream of mine ever since I was a freshman. To achieve it almost feels surreal. I’m sure it’ll hit me once I’m actually at the meet,” Ellis said. “When I saw the time, the first thing I thought about was I made NCSAs and then, ‘Oh my gosh, I made state. Oh my gosh, I got second.’ I was like, ‘Oh my gosh, what is happening?’ It was so awesome.”

The Bulldogs were fifth (160 points) with Ellis their lone qualifier.
Junior diver Paige Phelan was seventh with a personal-best 399.25 points for 11 dives and just missed the at-large cutoff score of 408.35.

The past two seasons, Ellis nearly reached state in the 200 individual medley. In 2024, her 2:10.77 just missed the state cut of 2:10.54. As a sophomore, Ellis swam that 2:10.54 at sectionals but that season the state cut was 2:10.26.

“It was a long time waiting for her last race for the cut, which is how they write it in a novel, the last possible second,” RBHS coach Mike Laurich said. “Great story, great kid, a great individual inside and outside the pool.” 

Ellis said she bypassed another state attempt in the IM this season after improvement during club season with her 100 breast stroke and fly.

“I think I wanted to try something new. My IM, I didn’t feel too strong during club season and over the summer,” she said.

In the fly, Ellis broke the 59.08 school record of 2024 graduate and multiple all-stater Hailey Vlcek. 

“I was worried how, mentally, she would be after [just missing state], but she was smiling, happy as a clam,” Laurich said. 

“I was like, ‘OK. We’re good.’ That’s her main goal and making state would have been a bonus. I looked at (assistant coach Tatum Bruno) and I said, ‘There’s a 1:05.9 in her (for the breast). If she decides to do it, it’ll be great.’ And that’s what she went.”

Junior Maggie McCoy and sophomore Lizzie Ryan battled recent illness. McCoy was seventh in the 100 freestyle (55.07) and eighth in the 200 free (2:02.43), and McCoy, Ellis, Ryan and sophomore Charlene Wang were fourth in the 400 free relay (3:49.45) and sixth in the 200 free relay (1:44.56).

LTHS swimming and diving

Along with its strong senior class, the Lyons Township girls swimming and diving team is bringing several newcomers are coming with to the state meet.That includes sophomore Livia Joern, who won the 100 breast with a personal-best 1:05.48 in her postseason debut at the Hinsdale Central Sectional. The Lions (303.5) won their third straight sectional team title by eight points over the Red Devils.

Seniors Dylan Jorgensen (200 individual medley in 2:07.70) and Maeve Collins (100 butterfly in 55.15) and junior diver Brynn Krantz (466.20 points) also were sectional champions.

“[Sectionals] was such a cool experience. I really liked the whole environment, seeing everyone get so excited after racing,” Joern said. “I knew I was capable of going the time but there’s so much pressure. I had no idea what to expect so it was a really good outcome.” 

At state, expect the Lions to challenge last year’s fifth-place state finish. The Lions earned 20 state berths overall and all 14 LTHS athletes who competed qualified in at least one event.

All three relays qualified at-large with second-place finishes – the 400 free relay (senior Anna Pansing, sophomore Olivia Chavez, seniors Dylan Jorgensen and Kylie Thompson in 3:28.38), 200 free relay (Pansing, Thompson, senior Maeve Collins and junior Claire Crimmins in 1:34.88) and 200 medley relay (freshman Sydney Kail, Jorgensen, Collins and Crimmins in 1:43.05), just .15 from the school record. 

Qualifying at-large in two individual events were senior Lindsay Forebaugh in the 100 fly (2nd, 56.06) and 500 free (3rd, 5:02.38), Pansing in the 200 free (3rd, 1:53.43) and 100 free (3rd, 52.16) and Thompson in the 500 free (2nd, 5:02.23) and 200 free (5th, 1:54.44). 

Also advancing at-large were second-place freshman Molly Forebaugh (200 IM in 2:08.49), third-place Crimmins (50 free in 23.93) and Krail (100 backstroke in 56.52), fourth-place freshman Anna Fagans (100 back in 57.38) and sophomore Abby Thompson (100 breast in 1:06.05) and fifth-place Chavez (100 free in 52.86) and sophomore diver Abby Rehor (425.85).

“That was amazing,” Joern said. “Right before me in the 100 back, we had two freshmen make it and it was just a really good confidence boost. It’s just nice to have everyone get to go to state.” 

Based on sectional results, the medley relay (No. 2), Collins (No. 5 in 100 fly), 400 free relay (No. 6) and 200 free relay (No. 6) are top-eight seeds. Lindsay Forebaugh is No. 9 in the 100 fly.

“The way we’ve talked all season is to be fast on Friday (for prelims),” first-year LTHS coach Brendan Weibel said. “I think we did the job (at sectionals) of getting everybody to be able to swim Friday and then the goal is just everybody to keep getting faster.”

Collins, a two-time all-stater in the fly, regained her Hinsdale Central pool record Saturday and was just .11 from her school-record 55.04 that took fifth at 2024 state.

“People are pretty amped up (for state). Being collectively together, it’s going to give us a really good vibe,” Collins said. “I really wasn’t looking much for a good sectional swim. I just wanted to get the cut, move on. Hopefully that (school) record will go down (at state).” 

Nazareth/Fenwick swimming and diving

Nazareth junior diver Ellie Fleischmann (436.00) qualified at-large for her second state meet with fourth at the Hinsdale Central Sectional.

 Fenwick sophomore Samantha Stowe of Riverside qualified for her first state meet with the Friars’ winning 200 free relay (1:37.55) at the Leyden Sectional. Stowe also was third in the 100 back (1:00.42) and swam backstroke for the third-place 200 medley relay (1:49.10).