Five weeks before New Trier hosts the IHSA state swim meet, the defending champion Trevs had an opportunity to see how they measure up against some of the powers from the western suburbs and North Shore.
Based on this evidence, New Trier once again may be the team to beat.
At the 12-team Trevian Relays on Saturday, the hosts set a few meet records, scored 173.00 points and captured the title, finishing ahead of Neuqua Valley (131.00), Hinsdale Central (119.00), Lake Forest (118.0) and
Fenwick (113.0).
“We had some solid efforts and swims and we’re starting to answer some questions now,” said New Trier coach Bruce Woodbury.
The coach said he knows the other teams bring their best to the event.
“They know this is the state-meet pool. When they come here, they’re geared up to swim fast because they’re going to be back here in a few weeks,” he said.
Several Trevian swimmers enjoyed fine afternoons, nobody more than senior Samantha James.
James won the 100 butterfly in a meet-record 56.67 and the 50 free (23.80), and also swam the anchor leg on the first-place 200-medley relay and the 200 free relay.
“We don’t know what events she’s going to swim (during the postseason), but her relays today were exceptional,” Woodbury said. “It’s nice to know that she’s there on those relays. She was on two of them and did a nice job, and she had two nice individual swims.”
Woodbury said James accomplishments in the pool only represent a small portion of her contribution to the team.
“Her experience and her leadership are great,” he said. “She leads by example and gets people excited by being excited herself. People watch how confident she is and how she swims, and that really helps everybody.”
In the meet’s first event, James anchored the 200 medley relay that finished with a meet-record 1:46.34. Joining James on that relay were junior Jessica Sutherland, senior Elizabeth Good and sophomore Kara Lucenti.
Later the all-senior team of Good, Lauren Stone, Morgan Scott and James captured the 200-free relay (1:37.46).
New Trier secured five of the six relays; each relay event featured varsity and JV components.
The Trevians’ varsity 400-free relay clocked 3:32.30 and was narrowly edged out by Fenwick (3:32.18) in the final event. Swimming for the Trevians were junior Campbell Costley, Good, Scott and junior Stephanie Marchuk.
Marchuk also touched first in the 200 free (1:52.62) and 500 free (5:01.06).
Among the other individual highlights for New Trier were: Sutherland (second in 100 backstroke, 59.56); junior Sharon Wu (third in 100 back, 59.71); Scott (third in 200 free, 1:56.15; third in 100 free, 54.04); Good (fourth in 100 fly, 58.34); Costley (third in 500 free, 5:07.11); and junior Riley Hayward (second in 100 breaststroke, 1:08.05).
