Trojans swim to another close win

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McHENRY – Cary-Grove defeated McHenry, 87-83, in a Fox Valley Conference girls swimming dual on Thursday.

The tight score was all too familiar to the Trojans, who edged Woodstock by two points and lost to Jacobs by six earlier this season.

The win came with Danielle Dalbke out sick. Dalbke was the top seed in the backstroke and an integral part of C-G’s relay teams.

“That leaves a big gap in our lineup,” Trojans coach Scott Lattyak said. “The team overall was able to step it up.”

Lauren Curtis won the 200-yard freestyle (2:03.13) and the 100 freestyle (56.28) for the Trojans and was a member of the winning 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams. Curtis said this is the time of the season where morning practices, meets and schoolwork begin to take their toll.

“It’s the hard part, that’s for sure,” Curtis said. “The total of less sleep and early mornings is a lot, but we get used to it.”

Curtis is looking to qualify for state in the 100 and 200 freestyle events and hopes that hard work and a good recovery before sectionals will bring her times down.

“I think she’s going to get both,” Lattyak said.

Melissa Rose, a freshman, won the breaststroke against McHenry in 1:13.79 and also has a chance to qualify for state in that event.

“I’m still hoping for Rose,” Lattyak said. “Traditionally she’s been a pretty good taper swimmer.”

Also winning for the Trojans were Hannah Weber in the 50 freestyle (26.92) and Molly English in the 500 freestyle (5:52.61).

McHenry’s Michaela Matthys won the 100 butterfly in 1:04.04 and was second in the breaststroke (1:14.43). Matthys, who hopes to qualify for state in both events, nearly made it last year in the butterfly. She went out fast in the first 50 at sectionals but was not able to maintain the pace.

That experience should help her this year, Warriors’ coach Sonny Shanahan said.

“Last year we probably did get a lot of confidence from it,” Shanahan said. “She was the fastest kid at the 50. She does have a good chance (this year).”

Also winning for McHenry were Courtney Naughton in the 200 individual medley (2:32.14) and Sam Smith in the 100 backstroke (1:10.47).

The Trojans won all three relay events. Emily Griswold, Rose, Ashley Mega and Weber won the 200 medley relay (2:00.51), Rose, Weber, English and Curtis won the 200 freestyle relay (1:46.94) and Weber, Griswold, English and Curtis were first in the 400 freestyle relay (4:00.51).