Dundee-Crown co-op’s Nowak, Crystal Lake South co-op’s Fontana earn spots in state finals

Girls swimming state meet: At FMC Natatorium in Westmont, Dundee-Crown co-op’s Maggie Nowak and Crystal Lake South co-op’s Bella Fontana earned spots in Saturday’s state finals.

Dundee-Crown co-op’s Maggie Nowak competes in the 100-yard butterfly during the Fox Valley Conference Championship Meet at Woodstock North High School on Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024 in Woodstock . (Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local/Patrick Kunzer for Shaw Local)

Both will swim in consolation heats.

On Friday, Nowak, a Dundee-Crown senior, tied for 11th place in the 100-yard butterfly (56.50), while Fontana, a Crystal Lake South junior, placed 15th in the 200 freestyle (1:52.48). Fontana also swam the 100 freestyle (21st, 52.25) but did not qualify for finals.

Fontana’s teammate, Prairie Ridge senior Abby Uhl, finished 17th in the 200 IM (2:07.93), just behind 16th-place finisher and finals qualifier Vanya Gojakovic (2:07.65) of Evanston. Uhl placed 19th in the 100 freestyle (51.78).

In the 400 freestyle relay, the Crystal Lake South co-op team of Fontana, Uhl, Penny Brereton and Emely Rudsinski finished 20th (3:34.46). The same foursome took 27th in the 200 freestyle relay (1:38.87).

Nowak and her D-C co-op teammates Rachel Johnson, Kaitlyn Tomaszewski and Eli Niemi almost made the 200 medley relay finals, as they finished 17th (1:46.96). Lyons Township (16th, 1:46.69) secured the final consolation-heat spot. Johnson, a Jacobs sophomore, almost made the consolation finals in the 200 freestyle as well, finishing 17th (1:52.53), just behind Neuqua Valley’s Carolina Piater (16th, 1:52.50).

D-C co-op’s 400 freestyle relay (Johnson, Nowak, Niemi, Carly Pierzchalski) also finished 17th (3:34.16), just behind York (16th, 3:33.92).

Burlington Central senior Hannah Johnson placed 23rd in the 200 freestyle (1:53.68) and 28th in the 500 freestyle (5:10.56).