State Swimming Champ, Best College Football Player and More

We all know there's a lot of talent that comes from the Darien and Woodridge area. In 2012, our headlines highlighted some of the best and brightest youth our towns have to offer:

Girls Swimming: Downers Grove North's Gabby Sims Wins State Title

Downers Grove North junior Gabby Sims won her second individual state title in dramatic fashion Saturday, breaking the pool record in the 100-yard freestyle at the IHSA girls swimming and diving finals in Evanston.

Four Downers Grove South Students Earn Perfect ACT Scores

Seniors Emma Chaplin, Marjorie Fera, Ammar Kalimullah and Samarth Malhotra each received a perfect composite score of 36 on the exam, which is administered to high school juniors nationwide.

Woodridge Native Finalist for Most Outstanding College Football Player

Elmhurst College running back Scottie Williams, a Woodridge native and 2009 graduate of Downers Grove South, won the Gagliardi Trophy, the award that recognizes the most outstanding football player in NCAA Division III. 

VIDEO: D99 Cheerleaders Prep for State

Both the Downers Grove North and Downers Grove South co-ed varsity cheerleading squads made it to the state finals in 2012. Woodridge Patch was there to get video of the squads showing off their skills. 

Football: Downers Grove North Hosts Benet for IHSA 7A Quarterfinals

Downers Grove North, which finished 2012 with a 5-4 regular season record, defied all odds in its 2012 playoff run. The Trojans knocked out top-seeded Batavia 38-26 in Round 1, and beat Thornton 29-13 last week in Round 2. Coming off 1-8, 2-7 and 2-7 seasons, Downers Grove North nearly made a state championship run but fell short against Benet in the final seconds of the quarterfinal game.

Woodridge Man is a Pokemon Master

Evolution is a major aspect of Pokémon, and Woodridge native Matt Sybeldon has evolved from a 6-year-old playing a Gameboy to one of the top Pokémon players in the country. Sybeldon qualified last month for the 2013 Pokémon U.S. National Championships after he won a regional championship October 14 in Philadelphia. 

Did we miss a great accomplishment by a local student? Make sure to add it to the list by commenting below!