Oswego aiming for even bigger splash

Oswego Co-op swimmer Nicole Ligeza will compete in the 200-yard individual medley and the 100 breaststroke in the state meet, which runs Friday and Saturday. Her team’s goal is to break into the top 10.

(Corey R. Minkanic / Special to The Beacon News)

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Finishing 11th in the girls swimming state meet last season, Oswego Co-op made a statement. This year the team plans to set a standard.

Oswego qualified three individuals, a relay team and a diver for this weekend's IHSA state finals at Evanston Township High School, and the goal is to break into the top 10. Oswego placed eighth at the Neuqua Valley Sectional last weekend, considered by many as the toughest sectional in the state.

Two-time defending state champion Rosary won the event, Benet was second and Waubonsie Valley, Neuqua Valley, Naperville North, Naperville Central and Wheaton Co-op followed.

"The competition will be just as fierce (today and Saturday)," Oswego coach Deryl Leubner said. "We weren't real rested and we weren't shaved, but we're swimming faster now than we did shaved last year.

"We had a breakthrough year last year and our goal is to make the top 10 (at state). It would be a great statement for our program and the girls are motivated to do that. Oswego is not known for swimming, but these girls have made it a personal mission to say we can swim, too."

Junior Karolina Wartalowicz, junior Nicole Ligeza, sophomore Rebecca Hatcher and freshman Stephanie Komanecki teamed up last weekend to qualify in the 200-yard medley relay. Wartalowicz won the 100 breaststroke and placed fifth in the 200 individual medley, while Ligeza was second in the 200 IM and in the 100 breaststroke. Hatcher qualified in the 100 butterfly and senior diver Nikki Schropp won the sectional.

"The relay is just as good as we were last year and they have a very legitimate shot of making the finals," Leubner said.

Wartalowicz and Ligeza scored at the state meet last year, and they're prepared for the sometimes chaotic event.

"It's a really good experience; there's a lot of noise, a lot of fun and everyone is cheering for each other," Wartalowicz said. "I'm really excited to go back and compete. I'll just do my best and see what happens."

All season Oswego has been putting up personal-best times, and the athletes appear to be getting stronger at the right time.

"It's taken a lot of hard work -- practices, lifting weights, running and dealing with the pain during meets in the season," Wartalowicz said. "It'll all pay off this weekend. We'll definitely be ready to go (this) morning."

For the first time in school history, Plano will send a representative to the state meet. Earning that spot was sophomore Katie Hallenbeck, who took seventh in the 100 butterfly at Neuqua.

"The juniors and seniors are really fast," she said. "I'm seeded around 24th, but I think I can move up and drop my time. My coach thinks I should get a 57-(second performance), which would get me into finals."

Two-time defending state champion Rosary returns a plethora of qualifiers. Olivia Scott will defend her crown in the 200 IM and go for a third straight in the butterfly. Kara Savegnago claimed the 50 freestyle last week while turning in the third-best time among all sectionals. Kally Fayhee will defend her title in the 500 freestyle and qualified in the 200 free.

Waubonsie Valley qualified in all three relays and returns several individuals to the season-ending competition. Elena Carvell will swim the 100 butterfly, Andrea Baumgartner the 50 free, Julia Carroll the 100 backstroke and Megan Sellers in the breaststroke.

Qualifying for the state meet makes a statement, but now is the time to set a standard. Oswego is ready to be included the conversation of top programs.

"That's one of our goals," Wartalowicz said. "We want to set the standard for the younger kids coming in next year and get this program going for the kids to come."

Not to mention for themselves -- all of Oswego's athletes will be back in 2009.