• Want to receive periodic updates from the Inkspot? Sign up for our newsletter highlighting the latest headlines, top stories and more here
Whatever you are interested in, we've got it covered.

Inkspot

Whatever you are interested in, we've got it covered.

Inkspot

Whatever you are interested in, we've got it covered.

Inkspot

Community swim wins second straight Sectional, advances 7 to State

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. 

Donate to Inkspot
$1780
$3000
Contributed
Our Goal

IF YOU SHARE THE INKSPOT'S PASSION for empowering Normal Community's aspiring journalists and equipping them with viable and valuable digital media skills, please consider contributing to our cause.
Your support plays a vital role in enabling the Inkspot to invest in top-tier equipment, maintain memberships in distinguished professional organizations such as the Journalism Education Association and National Scholastic Press Association, send our students to compete at state and national contests, and attend the National High School Journalism Convention.
Your generosity is the key to providing these students with a truly enriching educational experience. THANK YOU.

About the Contributor
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.
Donate to Inkspot
$1780
$3000
Contributed
Our Goal