It’s the opening week of the girls swimming and diving season as Metea Valley makes an early-season trip down Eola Road to face Waubonsie Valley. A new season filled with young talent has both programs excited to get underway this fall. This highlight is sponsored by BMO.
Freshman Olivia Linduska makes an early splash for Metea Valley
Jumping into the 200-yard medley relay. The Mustangs get off to a fast start in lane four behind Ellen Chua in the backstroke. Aly Rivero swims the butterfly with Rachel Carter in the breaststroke and Olivia Linduska swimming the freestyle leg. The Warrior group in lane five looks to keep pace with Madelyn Hartsell, Malini Madiman, Brooklyn Landtiser, and Calin Ball in pursuit. Linduska finishes off the victory for Metea by a comfortable margin. Ball hits the wall in second place, just tenths of a second ahead of hard-charging teammate Anna Honcharuk, who helps Waubonsie take the second and third place slots.
Up next is the 200-yard freestyle. Hartsell and Honcharuk get just a brief break before being back in the pool for their second event for Waubonsie. Honcharuk and Molly Schalk from Metea Valley battle for the early lead. Down the home stretch, fellow Warrior Estelle Castaneda pulls in front and takes the victory with Hartsell in second and Schalk in third.
Back to the 200 IM, which becomes a two-person race the further it progresses. Molly Brown in lane five adds another 10 points for the Waubonsie tally as she gets to the wall just ahead of Ellen Chua from Waubonsie.
The 50-yard freestyle comes next, with swimmers sprinting down the water towards the wall. A pair of Mustangs are out in front in Olivia Linduska and Aly Rivero ahead of Calin Ball and Malini Madiman from Waubonsie. Approaching the finish, the freshman Linduska picks up her first career solo victory with Rivero taking second. Ball and Madiman take third and fourth.
Waubonsie Valley begins to rack up first-place finishes
After the break, the meet moves on to the 100-yard butterfly. Aubrey Talaga from Waubonsie looks to track down the leaders, Aly Rivero from Metea, and Warrior freshman Mirabel LaCoursiere. Another rookie earning a victory as LaCoursiere narrowly gets to the wall ahead of Rivero to help Waubonsie expand the team lead.
Turning to the 100-yard free, where Olivia Linduska looks for her third win of the night. But veteran Anna Honcharuk takes the early lead for the green and gold and does not give it up. Teammate Abbey Brown works her way into second place with Linduska not far behind in third.
The 500-yard freestyle is not typically known for being a race that features a neck and neck race down the stretch after over five minutes of swimming. But Madelyn Hartsell from Waubonsie Valley and Molly Schalk from Metea Valley battle right to the final reach for the wall. Hartsell is able to take the win at 5:29.03, just a half-second ahead of Schalk.
After another win for Waubonsie in the 200 free relay, the Warriors look to pull away in the 100-yard backstroke. Kamylle Centeno from Waubonsie competes against Ellen Chua from Metea in lane four. However, in lane five, it’s the freshman, Mirabel LaCoursiere, who emerges as the first-place winner with Chua in second and Centeno in third.
Waubonsie swims past the Mustangs to start the 2025 campaign
Near the end of the meet, the 100-yard breaststroke features another exciting finish. Brooklyn Landtiser takes the early lead for Waubonsie in lane five ahead of Mustang swimmers Aarohi Bhatia, Leah Wojciechowski, and Rachel Carter. Down the stretch, it’s Carter in lane four who makes the pass and takes the win over Landtiser. Bhatia takes third in a strong event for the Mustangs. Waubonsie Valley goes on to win the meet with a team score of 119-64 after closing things out with a win in the 400 free relay. A great start to the DVC girls swimming schedule.
For more prep sports highlights, visit the Naperville Sports Weekly page!
