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For the first time in three years, Lemont High School’s girls’ swimming program will be represented in state finals competition. Senior Isabella Calcagno placed first in the 50 freestyle at the IHSA Lockport Sectional on November 16 to secure her first state finals berth. She will compete at the 2019 IHSA Girls’ Swimming State Finals, which will be contested on November 22-23 at New Trier High School.
Calcagno touched the wall in a personal best time of 25.27. She is the lone swimmer from her sectional to advance to the state finals in the 50 free, and will be one of 44 state finals competitors in the event. All swimmers who equal or surpass an established minimum qualifying time in sectional competition advance to the state finals, as do those who finish first in their events.
Lemont matched the program’s best sectional finish, placing fifth of 12 teams with 158 points; that point total established a new program standard in sectional competition. Senior Julia Lesnicki placed second in the 100 backstroke in a school record time of 59.63.
Calcagno helped head coach Erin Horan’s team to its fifth consecutive South Suburban Conference-Blue Division crown earlier this fall. Calcagno won SSC Blue titles in both the 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly events, and was part of the victorious 200 medley relay and 400 freestyle relay squads.
Lemont’s best finish by an individual in IHSA State Finals competition came from Melanie Waszak ‘10, who was eighth in the 100 butterfly at the 2009 IHSA State Finals.
The IHSA State Finals preliminaries will begin at 3:30 p.m. on Friday, November 22, while finals competition will start at 11 a.m. on Saturday, November 23. Consolation finals will be swum immediately prior to the championship finals in each event.
Girls’ swimming is the fourth Lemont High School sport to be represented in IHSA State Finals competition this year. Lemont was 12th at the IHSA Class 2A Girls’ Cross Country State Finals; Nick Kania and TJ Polen competed at the IHSA Class 2A Boys’ Cross Country State Finals; and Paulius Malcius was fifth at the IHSA Class 2A Boys’ Golf State Finals.