High school girls swimming preview: 5 to watch in 2019

Check out our five swimmers to watch with the 2019 girls swimming season set to begin Monday.

Jenny Tokarz, Jacobs co-op, jr. – After making her state debut as a freshman, Tokarz, who goes to Jacobs, returned to state yet again. She placed fifth in the 200 free at sectionals and 20th in the state preliminaries. In 2017, Tokarz went to state in the 500 free. She was runner-up in 200 free and 500 free to 2018 Northwest Herald Girls Swimmer of the Year Payton Lange at the Fox Valley Conference Invitational.

Eleni Gewalt, Richmond-Burton, so. – Gewalt became the first girls swimmer from R-B to qualify for state by winning the 100-yard breaststroke at the Lake Forest Sectional. The Rockets freshman finished 22nd in the state preliminaries. R-B doesn't have a girls swimming team, so Gewalt, who lives in Spring Grove, travels to Pleasant Prairie, Wisconsin, to swim with the Pleasant Prairie Patriots Swim Team.

Jamie Gindorf, Crystal Lake co-op, sr. – Jamie Gindorf, who goes to Prairie Ridge, won the the 100 butterfly at the FVC Invite and earned her first trip to state in an individual event in the 200 individual medley. Gindorf tied for 30th in the state preliminaries.

Makayla Nietzel, Crystal Lake co-op, jr. – Nietzel, who goes to Prairie Ridge, won all four of her races at state and set four state records for athletes with disabilities. Nietzel, who is legally blind, won the 50 freestyle, 100 free, 200 free and 100 breaststroke for athletes with disabilities. She dropped times in all four events after setting four records as a freshman in 2017.

Kate Trembly, Jacobs co-op, so. – Trembly, a Jacobs student, was named co-Fox Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year with Huntley sophomore Emma Young at the FVC Invite, taking second in the 100 backstroke and third in the 50 free.