Lockport's Pope eyes prize(s)

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Lockport High School senior Courtney Pope owns the third-place seed time in both the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyles as the Girls State Swimming and Diving Meet gets under way today at New Trier High School in Winnetka.

Pope, who dominated the Lockport Sectional last week, swam a 1:52.38 in the 200 free. That trailed only Peoria Notre Dame junior Rebecca Stoughton's 1:52.22 and Evanston junior Sarah Thompson's 1:52.27.

In the 500 free, Pope finished in 5:02.41. The top two were Stoughton at 4:51.71 and St. Charles East sophomore Emma Smith at 4:59.40.

Lockport qualified relay teams in the 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free. The 200 unit was fifth in the sectionals at 1:37.86. The leader was New Trier at 1:36.99.

The 400 relay, meanwhile, was 10th at 3:35.04. The leader was New Trier at 3:31.21.

A couple of area swimmers are in line to do well in the 200 IM. Lincoln-Way East senior Alyssa Toland swam a 2:07.32 in the sectional, sixth best in the state, and Lincoln-Way North freshman Cheyenne DeGraff was 12th in 2:09.00. The leader was Normal Community's Lindsay Gendron at 2:04.31.

Also 12th in seed time was Lockport sophomore Jill Rothgery in the 100 back. She swam a 58.85, with Evanston senior Jane Munro on top at 56.23.

Toland and DeGraff, like Pope and Lemont senior Melanie Waszak, qualified in two individual events. Toland also qualified in the 500 free and DeGraff also will compete in the 100 breast.

Waszak was sixth in sectional seed time in the 100 fly, posting a 57.03. The 56.25 of Anna-Jonesboro senior Elizabeth Bell led the way. Waszak also reached state in the 100 back.

The state meet will conclude Saturday with consolation finals and finals.

For a full list of area qualifiers, see the accompanying chart.

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