McHenry swimmer Lenard 'feeling good'

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McHenry’s Kristen Lenard will head to the IHSA girls swimming sectional in better shape – both physically and mentally – than a year ago.

Lenard, a sophomore, won the 500- and 200-yard freestyle races at the Fox Valley Conference Meet to take MVP honors along with teammate Courtney Matthys. The success was in sharp contrast to a year ago when Lenard was called for a false start in the 400 freestyle relay that cost the Warriors a conference championship.

Along with a nagging knee injury, Lenard said she was not swimming at her best at sectionals last year. With her 500 freestyle time three seconds from the state qualifying standard, no injuries and coming off the high of a McHenry conference championship, she is more confident.

“I’m feeling good this year about it,” Lenard said. “Last year I gave up after conference. It set me back for a while.”

Lenard and Matthys will lead a Warriors team that will attempt to qualify someone for the IHSA Girls Swimming State Meet for the first time since Jenny Habjan made it in the 100 breaststroke for McHenry in 2000.

Matthys, a senior, will attempt to qualify in the 100 breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. She needs to shave off about a second in the breaststroke and less than two seconds in the IM.

Warriors coach Mike Shanahan is hopeful that his team can peak at sectionals.

Peaking in swimming is a process of reducing workouts enough leading up to a big meet to let the muscles recover, yet still stay sharp.

“We did a good job at conference, but the delicate balance is not to do too good,” Shanahan said. “If they’re fresh, they have a chance, but you never know what’s going to happen.”

McHenry, Woodstock and Cary-Grove will swim Saturday at the Vernon Hills Sectional. Jacobs, Crystal Lake Central and Dundee-Crown will be at the St. Charles East Sectional.

Jacobs junior Kristin Horney is eliminating all distractions in her quest to qualify again in the 50 freestyle. Horney is the only local swimmer who made it to state last year.

Horney said the only other race she would swim at sectionals was the 200 freestyle relay, also a 50 free for her leg.

“I want to focus on the 50,” she said. “I don’t want to get too psyched out about it.”

Horney won the 50 free at conference and was 0.13 seconds over the state qualifying time.

Because the race is only two lengths of the pool, the margin for error is slight, which increases the pressure.

“You can’t mess up,” Horney said. “You have no chance of making it if you mess up.”

Swimmers this year will not have the advantage of using technical suits. Horney said she wore a Speedo LZR last year to qualify and thought it made a big difference. Now she is not so sure.

“I remember going into last year thinking, ‘Wow, this is the fastest suit,’ ” she said. “Now that I don’t have it, I was very scared going into conference. I don’t think it’s as big of factor as I thought it would be.”

Other area swimmers hoping to qualify for state include Dundee-Crown’s Colleen Champa in the 100 butterfly, Woodstock’s Becca Ortmann in the 100 freestyle and Cary-Grove’s Courtney Mega in the 100 backstroke.