Hinsdale Central Captures Another Sectional Championship

DOWNERS GROVE -- After completing the 100-yard breaststroke at the Downers Grove South Sectional Saturday, Hinsdale South junior Maya Rodrigues didn't want to look at the scoreboard to find out her time.

It turns out she didn't need to.

"When I heard my teammates screaming, I knew it was good news," said Rodrigues, who earned her first state berth. "I was so nervous. It's such a weight off my shoulders. There's been so much pressure the entire season. I'm so excited and I'm pretty much speechless."

First-place finishers and those achieving qualifying standards Saturday advance to the state meet Nov. 19-20 at Evanston High School.

Rodrigues, who fell just six-tenths of a second shy of earning a state berth last year as a sophomore, placed third in the 100 breaststroke Saturday with a time of 1:07.87 to beat the qualifying time of 1:08.46.

Rodrigues' junior teammate Hannah Veselik also secured her first state berth by placing third in the 100 butterfly (59.24).

"I've been wanting to go to state since freshman year, so I've been working hard all season," Veselik said. "This is absolutely the most amazing thing to happen to me in my life so far."

The day belonged to Hinsdale Central, however.

The Red Devils took first with 313 points to win their sixth sectional championship in the past seven years. More importantly, Hinsdale Central qualified 12 individuals and all three relays to state.

"It was a great day," Hinsdale Central coach Bob Barber said. "The times speak for themselves. The girls were ready to go and had a spectacular meet."

Lyons Township (290 points) took second, while Stagg (201), Hinsdale South (166), Mother McAuley (141) and Downers South (123) rounded out the top six teams in the 12-team field.

Hinsdale Central juniors Jen Coady and Genna Heidkamp earned state berths in four events.

They teamed with sophomores Kerry Grosshans and Olivia Garrett to win the 200 freestyle relay (1:38.29), with juniors Fontini Kaufman and Kristen Worthington to finish first in the 400 free relay (3:33.06) and joined juniors Hannah Lillioja and Lindsay Pavich to place second in the 200 medley relay (1:49.59).

Coady also took first in the 200 individual medley, while Heidkamp was first in the 100 butterfly (58.77).

"It was an amazing day," Heidkamp said. "We can't really expect anything else. I think everyone is happy with what happened. It's important to win the sectional, but to be honest, it's more important to get as many qualifiers to state as we can. Winning is just an added bonus that we're happy about. Hopefully, we can finish in the top five at state."

Kaufman won the 500 free (5:03.70) and senior Kelsey Truedson took first in the 100 backstroke (58.88). Pavich won the 100 breaststroke (1:07.17) and also earned a state berth in the 200 individual medley with her second-place finish (2:10.24).

Junior Abbey King won the 500 free (5:03.70) and took third in the 200 free (state-qualifying 1:55.45).

"I swam better than I thought I would," King said. "Everyone did really well. Everyone had such a good attitude. Winning sectional brings up our confidence. We can walk into the state meet proud of what we did. It's just a good feeling winning it."

Grosshans (2nd in 50 free, 24.79), Lillioja (2nd in 100 butterfly, 59.00; 2nd in 100 backstroke, 59.28) and Worthington (3rd in 500 free, 5:08.34) also earned additional state berths.

Hinsdale Central divers Maxx Marano (5th, 332.30 points; 5th) and Marley Marano (6th, 332.10) will have to wait and see if they earned one of the 32 at-large berths in diving.

Downers Grove South senior Sara Koniecko is also headed back to state.

She won the 50 freestyle (24.66) to lock up her second trip to state.

"It's really exciting," Koniecko said. "I went last year with a relay and it's just a great end to senior year to make it myself. Winning and getting my lifetime best time just makes it amazing."