Peoria-area high school girls swimmers and divers to know ahead of the 2022 season
PEORIA — The Dunlap co-op and Notre Dame will likely slug it out for area dominance in the pool again this fall as the 2022 Illinois High School Association girls swimming season gets underway.
Dunlap/IVC/Princeville won the East Moline Sectional last season, while Notre Dame finished third there. Pekin was fourth last season in the Normal Community West sectional.
There is an abundance of athletes from those teams, and others, that are among the Journal Star swimming and diving athletes to watch:
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Shannon McCall, Dunlap co-op
The senior is the reigning Journal Star swimmer of the year and finished 33rd at state in the 100 back with a 1:00.05 effort. She was a four-event state qualifier last season, including the 100-yard backstroke and three relays: the 200-yard medley, 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard freestyle, to lead Dunlap to the East Moline Sectional title.
She and the 400-yard free team of Kaylee Dexter, Ally Unruh and Ava Salverson were 17th in state prelims at 3:38.85 — the highest finish among area swimmers.
Bailey Amerman, Notre Dame
The sophomore qualified for state last season and won the United Township sectional in the 100 butterfly, placed second in the 400 free relay and third in 200 medley and 200 free relays. She headed to state and finished 24th in the 100 fly at :58.06.
Ava Salverson, Dunlap co-op
The junior swam in three relays — 400 free, 200 medley and 200 free — at the state meet in 2021. The 17th-place prelim finish in the 400-yard free relay was the highest among area swimmers. She teamed with McCall, Dexter and Grace DiGiallonardo in the 200 medley relay to finish 22nd in 1:49.26. The 200 relay was 21st. She also finished second in the 100 free (:54.05) at the East Moline Sectional.
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Allie Unruh, Dunlap co-op
The junior qualified for state in two relays last year with Dunlap, and placed third in the 200 free and second in the 500 free at the IHSA sectional at East Moline.
Cassie Lawless, Notre Dame
The senior turned in personal bests to finish fifth in the 200 and 500 frees at the East Moline Sectional. She was also part of relay teams that finished third in the 200 and second in the 400.
Grace DiGiallanardo, Dunlap co-op
A senior who was a state qualifier in the 200 medley relay, and finished second in the 100 fly and 100 breast at the IHSA sectional at East Moline.
Olivia Kula, Pekin
The senior was second in the 500 free (5:20.52) and third in the 200 free (1:58.87) last season at the Normal West Sectional. She also helped Pekin to a second-place finish in the 200 free relay and third in the 400 relay.
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Kyleigh Mousty, Washington
The junior just finished first in the 100 free at the Tazewell County Meet in late July. She had a big showing at the Normal West Sectional last season, finishing fifth in the 200 free, sixth in the 500 free and fourth in the 200 free relay. Another athlete to watch is her teammate, senior diver Meghan Sears.
Rhenna McDaniels, Pekin
The junior pulled a fifth-place finish in the 200 medley relay, plus a second-place effort in the 200 free relay and fourth in the 200 backstroke at the Normal West Sectional.
Elayna Keyster, Dunlap co-op
The senior finished second in the 1-meter diving event at the East Moline sectional last season. She and junior Naina Reddy make a solid diving pair for the Eagles — also also have Princeville sophomore Mazie Streitmatter as part of the co-op.
Dave Eminian is the Journal Star sports columnist, and covers Bradley men's basketball, the Rivermen and Chiefs. He writes the Cleve In The Eve sports column for pjstar.com. He can be reached at 686-3206 or deminian@pjstar.com. Follow him on Twitter @icetimecleve.
This article originally appeared on Journal Star: IHSA swimming: Peoria-area high school athletes to know in 2022
