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Girls Swimming: Familiar faces on the podium
Lake Forest's Rachel Stoehr finished 1st in the 200 Yard Freestyle during Saturday's IHSA girls swimming championship held at New Trier High School. | Brian O'Mahoney~for Sun-Times Media
Updated: November 19, 2011 7:38PM
Olivia Smoliga and Rachel Stoehr each won two events, Gabby Sims added to her family’s legacy and New Trier held off an inspired effort by Fenwick to repeat as state champions Saturday at the state swimming finals in Winnetka.
Smoliga, a Glenbrook South junior, won two individual events for the second straight year, defending her title in the 50-yard freestyle and winning the 100 free for the first time.
Smoliga broke the state record in the 50 for the second time in as many days, lowering the mark from 22.66 to 22.55. Then she knocked off defending champion Samantha James of New Trier in the 100. Her time of 48.92 was .04 shy of the state record she set in Friday’s prelims but 1.02 seconds faster than James.
“I’m really proud of myself,” Smoliga said. “I woke up in the morning and I felt my shoulders, all my neck and back were sore, but you have to realize that it’s state finals and you have to go out and race.”
Even though most swimmers are unable to swim faster in the finals than the prelims, Smoliga felt she had another record in her.
“Bettering my time I felt was within reach because usually I do improve from prelims to finals,” said Smoliga, who now has four state titles and three state records. “I saw the national record is 22.04. I missed it by a half-second, which is a lot in the 50, but I’m proud I improved my time.”
Stoehr was the other two-time winner. The Lake Forest senior captured the 200 free, the same event her brother Mitch won in 2010, in 1:49.16 and the 500 free in 4:50.14.
“It’s amazing,” the Arkansas-bound Stoehr said. “I’ve been thinking about being a state champion since middle school. I had older siblings swim in high school and watching them go through, it never seemed possible, so to actually do it is unbelievable.”
Sims, a Downers Grove North sophomore, became the fourth member of her family to win an individual crown when she won the 100 backstroke in 55.80. She joins her father Dave (1980), brother Burke (2009) and sister Haley (2010) as state champs.
“It feels great,” Sims said. “I’m happy that I was able to keep with the family legacy. It was a complete surprise to me and I’m ecstatic and really excited.”
Host New Trier was excited to win its 12th team title despite not winning a single race. The Trevians tallied 177 points, 15 more than Fenwick. Rosary was third with 136.5 points.
“I think it’s just that we have a lot of depth,” said James, who anchored New Trier’s 200 medley and 400 free relays to second and the 200 free relay to third. “We love the relays and it was disappointing that we didn’t win a relay, but we were just happy with what we did.”
Stephanie Marchuk was runner-up in the 200 and 500 and fellow junior Jessica Sutherland was second in the backstroke.
Fenwick’s highest finish was fueled by sophomores Mimi Schneider and Paulina Kaminski, who won the 100 butterfly (53.63) and 100 breaststroke (1:03.96) respectively.
“It’s incredible,” Schneider said. “I haven’t stopped smiling. Looking back I think it will mean more but right now I’ve been living in the moment.”
Schneider and Kaminski, who are best friends, helped the Friars win all three relays, capping the meet by combining with junior Haley Wickham and senior Maureen Barron to close the meet by setting a new state record in the 400 free relay (3:25.22).
“We’ve been training partners for two years now and we push each other and we’re like sisters,” Kaminski said. “It’s a dream come true to be state champions together.”
St. Charles East senior Emma Smith won her first state title when she prevailed in the 200 individual medley. The Yale recruit tied her personal best time with a 2:02.82, nearly four seconds faster than her preliminary time.
“I’m very pleased with the way I swam,” Smith said. “There are a lot of fast people in that event so it was really fun to go out there and race with all them. We just try and have a good time.”
Deerfield senior Erin Purdy had a good time relishing her diving championship. The North Carolina signee had a poor sectional meet and was seeded sixth before taking a 4.5-point lead after prelims. She held on to win with 405.95 points. Lincoln-Way West senior Kaitlyn Neiheisel was second with 382.15.
“I knew that all I had to do was hit all my dives, which I certainly didn’t do last week,” Purdy said. “It was kind of nice being able to come in and not be the one that everybody is going after, not being seeded first or second.”
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