Venlos garners pair of medals

WINNETKA -- St. Edward's Megan Venlos earned two medals at the girls swimming State Finals on Saturday.

Venlos placed eighth in the 100 freestyle (52.54 seconds) and 10th in the 200 freestyle (1:53.42). The top 12 finishers in each event earn medals.

The Venlos medals were the first by any city of Elgin high school swimmer since 2006, when St. Edward's Keri Sink took home two medals, bringing her career total to four.

St. Charles North accumulated 63 points to finish seventh among teams. St. Charles East (41) finished 12th. Rosary won its fourth state title in a row with 177 points.

The North Stars' 200 medley relay team of Lauren Reynolds, Angie Chokran, Taylor Gannon and Kirsten Hutchinson took first in 1:45.82. East's team of Nicole Chapko, Kayla Scott, Hayley Krzeczowksi and Juliet Suess medaled with a 12th-place finish (1:49.36).

Reynolds also medaled in the 100 backstroke, finishing sixth in 57.96.

North also earned a medal in the 200 freestyle relay (10th, 1:38.03), led by Chokran, Hutchinson, Jennifer Clay and Allie Smith.

East's Emma Smith took second in the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:56.12. North's Jessica England finished ninth (5:03.74). Smith also took home a medal with an eighth-place finish in the 200 freestyle (1:52.71).

Scott placed eighth in the 200 individual medley (2:07.64).

North (7th, 3:34.12) and East (11th, 3:35.61) each received a medal in the 400 freestyle relay.

In Friday's action, Burlington Central's Courtney Van Oost failed to advance to the championship finals in the 100 butterfly (15th, 58.27) and the 100 backstroke (26th, 1:00.22).

Also failing to qualify for Saturday's finals for the Saints were Suess in the 50 freestyle (25th, 25) and 100 freestyle (28th, 54.19), Chapko in the 200 IM (21st, 2:10.60) and 100 breaststroke (24th, 1:08), Krzeczowski in the 100 butterfly (38th, 59.86) and Ashley Shanel in the 500 freestyle (40th, 5:15.12),

Swimming on Friday for North, but unable to advance, were Clay in the 200 IM (40th, 2:14.95), Meredith Beird in diving (42nd, 139.85), Lauren Zima in the 100 butterfly (15th, 58.27) and 500 freestyle (26th, 5:10.02) and Taylor Gannon in the 100 butterfly (29th, 59.19).