Lowder returns to State in 50, 100 free on first solo trip

Senior earns 4th-straight trip to IHSA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals

I’Aria Blackmon and Maddie Lane • Nov 14, 2025

Senior Piper Lowder poses on the starting blocks with her sectional medals Nov. 8 after qualifying for her fourth straight trip to the IHSA Girls Swimming & Diving State Finals, the IHSA’s only single-class state competition. Image Courtesy of: Community Athletics Dept.

Piper Lowder is headed back to the IHSA State Swimming & Diving Finals—but for the first time she’ll go alone, racing only individual events in Friday’s prelims at FMC Natatorium.

The senior punched her ticket to Westmont winning the 50-yard freestyle in 24.08 seconds and finishing second in the 100 free in 52.37 at Nov. 8’s Normal Sectional, posting career-best times in both events.

As sectional champion, Lowder punched an automatic ticket in the 50 free. In the 100 free, she was racing the clock. Lowder posted 24.41 in the 50 and 52.95 in the 100, both under the state-qualifying cuts, locking her into the sprint field.

In her first three state appearances, Lowder competed as part of Community’s relays—qualifying in the 400-yard freestyle relay and 200 free relay in 2022, 2023 and 2024 and also swimming the 200 medley relay in 2022. This weekend marks her first chance to test herself individually against the state’s fastest sprinters.

Lowder enters state seeded 29th in the 50 free in a 43-swimmer field and 20th in the 100 free among 39 qualifiers.

Lowder’s sectional performance capped a sixth-place finish for Commnity in the 13-team field with 124 points. Washington won the meet with 303 points, followed by LaSalle-Peru (230), Normal Community West (165), Bloomington (136) and Normal University High (135).

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About the Contributors

I’Aria Blackmon, Senior Staff Reporter

I’Aria Blackmon is a junior at Community and is involved in track. She is a senior staff writer. On the weekend, I enjoy talking to my friends and going out. My favorite movie is Netflix’s “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before.” My all-time dream is to travel around the world.

Maddie Lane, Senior Staff Reporter

Maddie is a senior at Community; she is on the girls lacrosse team and is involved in the choir program. She is a senior staff reporter for the Inkspot. On the weekend, I enjoy spending time with friends. My all-time dream is to travel the world. My biggest pet peeves are stopping in the middle of hallways and rude people.