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Evanston’s swimmers couldn’t have had a greater begin on the Illinois High School Association state finals, scoring two college report swims within the first two occasions of Friday’s preliminaries on the FMC Natatorium in Westmont.
That’s a tempo the Wildkit ladies couldn’t maintain into Saturday’s finals. But these two report efforts, by junior Vanya Gojakovic within the 200-yard particular person medley and the 200-yard medley relay group, pushed Evanston to its greatest group end at State for the reason that 2018 season.
The Kits certified for Saturday’s finals in two particular person races and two relay occasions, chalking up a tie for sixteenth place group end total with Whitney Young at 46 factors apiece. That’s this system’s greatest end since a tenth place exhibiting in 2018.
Stevenson edged St. Charles North 236 to 227 for the group championship.
Evanston counted an eighth within the 200 IM and a 14th within the 100 backstroke from Gojakovic, together with a seventh-place effort by Gojakovic, Nina Gatchell, Tacy Jamison and Annika Wartowski within the medley relay and a thirteenth place exhibiting by the 200 freestyle relay group that featured Gojakovic, Wartowski, Jamison and Talia Wexler.
“It was a roller coaster here for us. That’s what the state finals usually are,” stated ETHS head coach Kevin Auger. “This is probably the most intense meet these ladies will ever swim at and you may’t be on this deck (as a state qualifier) and never really feel the strain. But qualifying for the finals (championship and comfort heats) in two particular person races and two relays is unbelievable. This complete season has been a giant step ahead for everybody.
“Vanya had four races both days and it’s hard to sustain a high level in all four races at this meet. There’s nowhere to go, nowhere to hide from the intensity here. But she had three fabulous races in the IM (setting school records in three consecutive swims at the conference and sectional meets, in addition to Friday’s prelims) and what she did is nearly impossible. That’s something only great swimmers can do.”
Auger, who additionally coaches the boys group at ETHS, updates the report board on the college’s pool each summer season, however usually the one modifications required are the components that checklist state information for both the boys or ladies.
Not this yr. Gojakovic saved reducing into her personal IM report within the month of November, and the Kits additionally took down each the medley and 200 freestyle relay information with their sturdy postseason surge.
On Friday, the lanky junior made a splash proper from the beginning, with a backstroke leg of 25.2. Gatchell, a sophomore, adopted with a swift 29.5 within the breaststroke and Jamison (26.5 within the butterfly) and Wartowski (23.6 freestyle) completed off the spectacular efficiency that resulted in a college report of 1:44.42.
That time eclipsed the earlier mark of 1:44.51 set in 2016. But the Wildkits needed to wait a couple of minutes to search out out as a result of the scoreboard malfunctioned and didn’t submit any splits or ultimate time of their lane in that warmth.
It was definitely worth the wait. That identical foursome got here again to submit a time of 1:45.21 on Saturday in a race gained by Stevenson in 1:42.89.
“That medley team really stepped up,” Auger praised. “They swam very, very quick and all on the identical time, and we have been very near that point once they got here again on Saturday. We began out the season taking part in round with that relay, placing completely different individuals in several positions, till Tacy went 26.9 within the fly at a meet and that basically solidified it. We knew then they’d do nice.
“It was incredible when they qualified last week, and then they came in here and went faster. That, and Vanya’s IM (on Friday) were definitely the high points of the season.”
Gojakovic acquired again within the pool a couple of minutes later and posted the third quickest prelim time within the IM, with a time of two:02.65 that was a full second sooner than her sectional efficiency. The junior standout light to eighth place on Saturday, clocked at 2:04.59, and by no means actually mounted a problem in a finals race gained by Kate Farrell of St. Charles North in 1:59.84.
But the smile didn’t go away her face though she was aiming larger.
“I was really excited and honestly, really glad I got this opportunity this year,” Gojakovic stated. “I believe the accomplishments outweigh the negatives — actually, there ARE no negatives — and it was an unbelievable alternative for me.
“On the entire, the season was an 11 out of 10 for me. I used to be a part of 4 information in a single yr and that’s simply loopy. When I got here in as an 8th grader I used to be at 2:13 within the IM and now I’m at 2:02. I’m simply speechless! A drop like that’s virtually unprecedented.
“There was definitely pressure on me in the IM (after the prelims), but I tried to see it as an opportunity, and I’d never been in an A final (championship heat) at State before. I was really more excited than nervous. I was disappointed in my finish, but after the race I thought about how the whole season came together and I couldn’t be disappointed. My taper was a lot better this year — I think it was structured a lot better — and next year I just have to focus more on carrying momentum over to the finals.”
Gojakovic reached the comfort finals within the backstroke as nicely, advancing with a prelim time of 56.23 and settling for a 56.71 on Saturday.
In the 200 freestyle relay, ETHS posted a prelim time of 1:35.67 and virtually matched that on Saturday, ending in 1:35.89. Gojakovic contributed a 22.92 anchor leg on Saturday after switching locations within the order with the same old anchor, Wartowski, a senior who began off the race in 23.99.
Evanston’s different entrants have been eradicated on Friday, in a format the place the eight quickest instances superior to the championship warmth and the following eight quickest moved on to the comfort finals.
Junior Susannah Keller’s 5:15.59 fell in need of advancing within the 500 freestyle, and Gatchell bowed out within the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:06.24 that was slower than her sectional effort of 1:05.87. The Wildkits’ different entry was the 400 freestyle relay group of senior Merrill Short, Jamison, Keller and Wartowski, clocked in 3:38.45 within the prelims.
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