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Riverside Brookfield High School women swimmer Maria Ellis has come extraordinarily near reaching the state meet the previous two seasons. This season, the senior is attempting a distinct method.
“I’m not so much focused on making it to state. It’s my senior year. I just want to have fun,” Ellis stated. “I want to make it the season I’ve had so far, regardless of my times. That’s my one and only goal because I think the past couple of years I’ve gotten so caught up in making state that I’ve forgotten the whole point of high school season is to have fun.”
On Saturday, Ellis was among the many highlights for the Bulldogs at their annual RB Relays Saturday by ending third within the 100-yard butterfly (1:01.04) and 100 breast stroke (1:09.92) for the seventh-place Bulldogs seventh (105 factors).
Those are her quickest occasions with out carrying a pace go well with. That will occur when Ellis and her teammates compete at sectionals.
In the 200 particular person medley, Ellis was third ultimately 12 months’s Hinsdale Central Sectional (2:10.77) to only miss the state lower of two:10.54, which is 2:10.58 this season. As a sophomore, Ellis swam 2:10.54 at sectionals however the 2023 state lower was 2:10.26.
Non-sectional champions should obtain state cuts at sectionals to qualify for state.
“I think (Saturday) was a great reflection of that (new) mindset,” Ellis stated. “I went into this meet and I wasn’t really nervous at all. I was actually really, really excited to race and it paid off.”
The Bulldogs solely have three seniors this season – Ellis, Veda Hall and Chloe Ivan – however loads of postseason expertise.
Juniors Brynn Gizewski, Paige Phelan and Isabel Rosa and sophomores Bea Ryan, Lizzie Ryan and Charlene Wang additionally return from the 2024 sectional lineup. This 12 months’s freshmen share two first names — Violet Bower and Violet Gerny and Josie Chase and Josephine McAllister. They graduated Hailey Vlcek, this system’s solely all-state swimmer.
Like Ellis, a number of returnees already are forward of their 2024 tempo.
“(Our key is) just keeping the kids healthy and working together as a team to fill the spots,” RBHS swim coach Mike Laurich stated. “Maria, in the offseason, has three times gone underneath the state cuts so it’s as long as we can do it at the right time at sectionals.”
Phelan and Gizewski additionally may contend for state below diving coach Amy Phillips.
Phelan (195.45 factors) and Gizewski (182.15) have been second and fourth Saturday. At final 12 months’s sectional, 419.45
Gizewski (360.45) and Phelan (354.55) have been ninth and tenth but inside vary of the 419.45 state lower.
“There’s a lot of room for improvement but I think I’m pretty happy with how I did (last season),” Gizewski stated. “The goal is to have fun but obviously getting to state would be a nice plus.”
Gizewski had her greatest meet at sectionals, even with one “iffy” dive out of her 11.
“My personal goal is just to do good at sectionals (again),” Gizewski stated. “If I make state, I make state. I want it to happen but if it doesn’t, I can’t do much about it.”
McCoy additionally continues making progress. On Saturday, McCoy was fourth within the 100 free (56.71) and seventh within the 50 free (26.28) Saturday. At the 2024 sectional, McCoy was fifth within the 100 backstroke (1:02.91) and seventh within the 100 free (54.33). Ellis, McCoy, Lizzie Ryan and Vlcek have been third within the 200 free relay (1:40.16) and fourth within the 400 free relay (3:38.69).
Also on the invite, the 400 free relay with McCoy, Rosa, Wang and Ellis (3:59.97) and 200 medley relay with McCoy, Ellis, Lizzie Ryan and Bea Ryan (1:59.13) each took eighth.
“To see everybody cheering each other on (Saturday), we’ve got a lot more involvement,” Ellis stated. “They’re up, they’re behind people’s lanes, giving people high fives so that’s been awesome to see this season.”
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