In what could have been her last high school diving meet, Riverside Brookfield High School senior Paige Phelan was determined to do her best. A personal-high of 437.35 points earned fourth place at the Lyons Township Sectional Saturday and easily qualified her for her first state meet at-large.
“I am very happy to make it to state for the first time, especially because this is my last year,” Phelan said. “I was pretty nervous but I was glad to dive with (teammate Cora Rosenfeld) even if it was going to be my last meet. I’m very happy about getting my best score and I would be proud of myself even if I didn’t qualify.”
Lyons Township (307 points) finished second to Hinsdale Central (318) and earned 20 state berths, either automatically with sectional titles or at-large by achieving state cuts at the sectional. RBHS was fourth (165).
The state meet is Friday and Saturday, Nov. 13-14, at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont.
At last year’s sectional, Phelan scored a then-personal-best 399.25 points for seventh and missed the 408.35 state cut. This year’s cut was 389.30. He broke 400 points for the first time by winning the Andrew Invite, Oct. 9 (407.45). RBHS diving coach Amy Phillips has praised Phelan for adding two new dives that she did on Saturday – a back 1½ pike (203B) and back 1 somersault with 2½ twists (5225D).
“I wanted to try new things this year to see what could bring up my scores because (senior year is) my last chance at trying to qualify,” Phelan said.
LTHS sectional champions were the 200-yard medley relay of freshman Collins Brock, junior Abby Thompson, sophomore Tatum Fridrych and senior Claire Crimmins (1:43.50), Abby Thompson (100 breast stroke in 1:06.02), Fridrych (100 butterfly in 55.40) and Brock (100 backstroke in 55.58).
Nazareth Academy senior Ellie Fleischmann won diving (454.70).
Also advancing for the Lions were second-place junior Livia Joern (100 breast in 1:06.14), sophomore Molly Forebaugh (200 free in 1:53.23), freshman diver Abbie Fauth (447.05 points), Brock (200 individual medley in 2:09.71), Crimmins (100 free in 52.41), the 200 free relay (junior Olivia Chavez of Brookfield, Crimmins, junior Paige Foster, Joern in 1:36.15) and the 400 free relay (Fridrych, Chavez, Forebaugh, sophomore Sydney Kail in 3:28.76), third-place Chavez in the 100 free (52.53) and 200 free (1:53.65) and Forebaugh (500 free in 5:03.76), fourth-place freshman Sophie Thompson (500 free in 5:09.49) and Kail in the 100 fly (57.78) and 100 back (58.57).
Chavez is among several Lions who got their first taste of state in 2025, qualifying in two events. This season has been a steady diet of improvement, resulting in her advancing in the maximum four events. She surprised herself Saturday with a personal best in the 200 free.
“I’m pretty excited to have a bigger (state) lineup this year and see what I can go (timewise) after putting in all of this hard work,” Chavez said. “I did better than I expected (at sectionals) because we didn’t go full tapered. For the 100 free, I was a little bit nervous (about qualifying) because it’s such a sprint event. For the other ones I wasn’t too worried.”
Before advancing in the 500 free, Sophie Thompson swam a personal best 2:10.95 in the 200 free but missed the state cut of 2:10.69. Now she joins older sister Abby at state after Abby joined graduated sister Kylie at state in 2025.
“Seeing that I went a best time (in the 200 free) and seeing everybody else was swimming really well was a boost for my 500,” Sophie said.
“It’s really cool (going to state) because Abby went from having Kylie last year to me this year. It’s exciting getting to keep the Thompson sisters on the state team.”
The Bulldogs’ highest relay finish was the third-place 400 free relay of freshman Beatrix Provost, senior Maggie McCoy, Lizzie Ryan and junior Charlene Wang 3:53.05 (3:37.77 cut). McCoy (200 free in 55.53) and Provost (100 fly in 1:04.79) were sixth.
Top 16 finishers Friday advance to Saturday to contend for all-state honors.
In the medley relay, the Lions and second-place Hinsdale Central (1:44.11) posted the two fastest sectional times in the state.
Also based on sectional results, Brock (100 back) and Fridrych (100 fly) are seeded No. 4 and the 400 free relay is No. 5.
At the Leyden Sectional, Fenwick junior Samantha Stowe of Brookfield went 4-for-4 in state qualifying, winning the 100 fly (58.66) and with the 400 free relay (3:3.29) and advancing with second in the 100 back (58.01) and with the 200 medley relay (1:48.84).