As Riverside Brookfield High School senior Hailey Vlcek was deciding on swimming for the University of Illinois, one sacrifice was missing the 2023 Suburban Prairie Conference Meet for a college recruiting trip.
“The dates they had to visit happened to line up with conference weekend,” Vlcek said.
With the Bulldogs now part of a different conference, the two-time all-stater showed her championship form again at the Upstate Eight Conference Meet Saturday.
Vlcek won the 200-yard freestyle (1:54.29) and junior Maria Ellis won the 200 individual medley (2:14.79) while the Bulldogs (231 points) finished second to host West Chicago co-op (337).
As a sophomore, Vlcek won an SPC title in the 100 free (53.61) by .05.
“[Winning] was definitely really special for me being my senior year and just getting to be a part of the team,” Vlcek, an all-state third in the 200 last season (1:51.05) after a school-record 1:50.50 in prelims.
This was the first conference title for Ellis, second in the 200 IM at the SPC Meet the past two seasons.
“It meant a lot. It was my first individual win,” Ellis said. “It always means so much to watch teammates win individually so to finally have one under my belt felt really good. I’m most proud how the team did overall.”
Vlcek was second in the 500 free (5:14.75) and Ellis was third in the 100 butterfly (1:02.31). They also joined Maggie McCoy and Lizzie Ryan for second in the 200 free relay (1:44.11) and 400 free relay (3:47.52).
Diver Paige Phelan (365.70 points) was third. McCoy (200 free in 2:01.86), Charlene Wang (100 breaststroke in 1:21.38), Carly Romero (500 free in 6:09.69), and the 200-medley relay of Liv Dobbe, Wang, Audrey Simpson and Claire Ruska (2:07.38) were fourth.
The Bulldogs compete at the Hinsdale Central Sectional Nov. 9. Sectional champions automatically qualify for state as well as entries that achieve state-qualifying standards at the sectional.
Qualifying standards for every swimming event have changed from 2023. Vlcek already is under cuts in the 200 free (1:56.21) and 500 free (5:13.64). Going for her first state berth, Ellis hopes to beat the 200 IM cut (2:10.54) after posting that exact time at the 2023 sectional by dropping 5.39 seconds from conference. Last year’s state cut was 2:10.25.
“It’s a different kind of pressure but I’m just going to try and have fun with it and worry about my lane but also worry about our relays as well. We have a good shot,” Ellis said.
LTHS swimming and diving
The significant improvement of junior Anna Pansing adds another strong freestyler to an already powerful Lyons Township lineup of numerous returning all-staters and state qualifiers.
On Friday, Pansing contributed to three event titles as the Lions (341) comfortably won another West Suburban Conference Silver Division Meet Friday at York by 60 points over second-place Hinsdale Central.
Pansing swept the 200 free (1:54.71) and 100 free (53.18) and was part of the winning 200 free relay with Audrey Cavaliere, Lauren Jablonski and Ella Jean Kelly (1:35.94) that set a Silver Meet record.
“It was really cool to go back-to-back. Everyone was so excited, and the vibes made it easier to swim fast and have fun while winning,” Pansing said.
“It probably was my best meet of the season. It was so fun, and everyone was having a great time and having teammates come to support us, I think the atmosphere just made a big difference. The last few years I’ve been able to look up to (the seniors). Now it’s cool to be a part of the mix.”
The winning 200 medley relay (Kylie Thompson, Jablonski, Maeve Collins, Cavaliere in 1:45.83) also set a Silver Meet record.
Other event champions were the 400 free relay (Cavaliere, Maeve Collins, Kylie Thompson, Kelly in 3:33.67), diver Brynn Krantz (391.60 points), Kelly (100 breast in 1:05.31), Dylan Jorgensen (200 IM in 2:13.59), Maeve Collins (100 fly in 57.65) and Abby Thompson (500 free in 5:09.09).
It’s the first step to a great postseason for retiring coach Scott Walker. The Lions compete at the Hinsdale Central Sectional Nov. 9 with hopes of contending for their second-ever top three state trophy after taking fourth in 2023.
The overall silver title is based on conference meet and dual results. These are the Lions’ first consecutive titles since shared ones in 2015-16 and believed to be their first consecutive outright titles since 1997-98, also under Walker.
“It’s just kind of a sweet way to go out and also knowing the future looks so bright,” Walker said. “It’s been a really tough two weeks training wise. I really think the varsity fed off of our JV swims, which were mind-blowing. The added cherry on top was getting two conference records.”
Krantz set an LTHS pool record with 263.60 points for six dives Oct. 3.
Cross country
The RBHS boys and LTHS boys and girls will go after 3A state team berths at the Hinsdale Central Sectional Nov. 9 after advancing with top-six finishes at the LT Regional Saturday.
At sectionals, the top seven teams advance to state as well as the 10 highest individual finishers not from the qualifying teams.
The top-10 rated Lions won the boys regional 53-57 over No. 1-rated and defending 3A state champion Downers Grove North, which did not compete its top three runners. RBHS was fifth (105 points).
LTHS senior Ben Wuggazer (2nd, 15:45.91) and RBHS senior Brady Norman (3rd, 15:47.37) were all-regional. Other finishers were LTHS senior John O’Halloran (8th, 16:02.23), junior Tyler Gantt (10th, 16:10.53), senior Charles Ciesla (14th, 16:21.33), junior Patrick Collins (19th, 16:40.71), freshman Brennan Monohan (27th, 17:05.37) and senior Eric Roemer (32nd, 17:07.33) and RBHS seniors Diego Lopez-Molina (18th, 16:40.00) and Asa Kahle (20th, 16:44.11), junior Tommy Bogden (28th, 17:05.84), sophomore Aiden O’Brien (36th, 17:21.24), junior Emmitt Olson (58th, 18:22.87).
The LTHS girls were third (96) with sophomore Amelia Ludden (11th, 20:18.10), freshman Evelyn Thomas (17th, 20:35.61), junior Addison Powers (18th, 20:40.26), juniors Annika McDonnell (22nd, 20:45.98), Ainsley Grove (28th, 21:10.17) and Grace Rhoden (34th, 21:33.84) and freshman Lucinda Martinez (35th, 21:43.59). Junior No. 1 runner Mya Coglianese is expected to return for sectionals.
The RBHS girls (183) were eighth, 21 points from sixth. Junior Addie Vaia (19th, 20:42.56) was an individual sectional qualifier. Senior Gianna Gelb (32nd, 21:31.32) was two places and 9.11 seconds from the last berth, followed by freshman Elsie Clark (37th, 21:46.09), junior Rebecca Dosek (42nd, 22:00.22), freshmen Evelyn Walsh (54th, 23:11.40) and Julia Daniels (57th, 23:35.25) and sophomore Elizabeth Moran (59th, 24:34.73).