Community swim wins second straight Sectional, advances 7 to State

Inkspot Staff • Nov 9, 2022

Seven members of Community’s girls swimming and diving team will race in the IHSA State competition in Westmont after the team won the Normal West Sectional on Saturday, Nov. 5.

Community took first in six of the meet’s 12 events, finishing 39 points ahead of the Normal West Wildcats to secure their second straight Sectional Championship, the team’s third in school history.

Community competes in three relays and three individual events in Friday’s preliminary round of competition at FMC Natatorium.

Making their second trip to State as individuals are sophomore Kenna Malinowski and senior Nina Osborne.

Malinowski finished first in 50-yard and 100-yard freestyle races, improving her times at last season’s Sectional.

Malinowski finished the 50- freestyle in 23.6 seconds, .17 under the State qualifying time, and .72 seconds faster than last year’s race.

Community freshman Piper Lowder finished behind Malinowski at 25.01 for second place.

After qualifying on time in the 100- free last season as a freshman, Malinowski won the race outright this season to earn a repeat appearance at State.

The sophomore touched the wall at 52.16 seconds, a .3-second improvement over last season’s Sectional.

Nina Osborne won the 500-yard freestyle for the second consecutive year, finishing with a time of 5:17.01.

As a junior, Osborne earned first in the 500- free with a time of 5:10.06.

Community junior Ava Johnson took second in the race (5:17.79), less than a second behind Osborne.

Malinowski finished first in her four Sectional races, and Osborne topped the podium three times — helping Community to qualify for State in the 200- and 400- freestyle races.

The 200- freestyle relay team of Nina Osborne, senior Meghan Kilcoin, Piper Lowder and Kenna Malinowski took first for Community (1:40.68), a repeat appearance at State in the event for all but Lowder.

Ava Johnson joins Lowder, making her first trip to State.

Osborne, Lowder, Malinowski and Johnson’s placed first in the 400 free- relay, posting a 3:43.55 performance.

Senior Avani Rai and sophomore Alexis Plassman join Kilcoin and Lowder at State, competing in the 200- medley relay. The team secured first at Sectionals, finishing .2 seconds ahead of West at 1:55.72.

Community coach Mrs. Heather Budak was named Swim Coach of the Year at the Sectional meet, sharing the honor with West coach Mrs. Dawn Fudge.

The State swim preliminary round heats begin Friday at 3:30 p.m.

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Inkspot Staff

Stories published under Inkspot Staff are unattributed to a single reporter because they: have been produced through a collaborative staff effort; individual staff member contribution is not easily distinguishable; and/or the story was disseminated from announcements or press releases.