Notre Dame Recruit Becky Rentz Shines as Aurora Rosary Roars to IHSA (IL) Girls State Title

2023 IHSA Girls State Championship

• November 10-11, 2023
• FMC Aquatic Center, Westmont, IL
• SCY (25 yards)
• RESULTS

TOP 5 TEAM SCORES

1. Rosary – 243
2. New Trier – 203.5
3. Stevenson – 182.5
4. Lyons – 156.5
5. Hinsdale Central – 144

FULL TEAM SCORES PDF

The Illinois High School Association (IHSA) held their girls state championship at the FMC Aquatic Center recently, featuring the top high school swimmers in the state. IHSA is one of the few high school associations in states with higher populations that only has one division for swimming, so the IHSA state meet is usually fairly deep as far as high state championships go.

After a 6th place finish at last year’s meet, where they scored just 92 points, Aurora Rosary came out on top this year with a score of 243, winning the state title handily and nearly tripling their score from last year. Junior Becky Rentz, a Notre Dame class of 2025 recruit, was critical to Rosary’s success.

Rentz won both her individual events and helped two Rosary relays to victory with huge splits. She kicked things off in the 200 free, where she won decisively with a 1:47.47. She was out fast, splitting 24.57 and 26.78 on the first two 50s for a 51.35 on the opening 100. She then faded off that pace a bit, clocking a 27.51 and 28.61 coming home but she still hit the finish in a new career best. O’Fallon sophomore Alyssa Albertyn was also under 1:50 in finals, posting a 1:49.58. Rentz then went on to take the 100 fly in a very tight race. She swam a 53.47, narrowly beating out St. Charles North junior Izzy Beu, who took 2nd in 53.66. Rentz was once again out like a bullet, splitting 24.60 on the opening 50, while Beu was well back, clocking a 25.64 going out. Rentz swam her career best of 53.07 in prelims.

Beu was an individual event winner as well. She took the 200 IM in 1:58.37. A Georgia 2025 recruit, Beu’s swim was fantastic, marking a new personal best. She attacked the race from the beginning, swimming a 25.65 on fly and 29.77 on breast for a 55.42 on the opening 100 yards. A 34.37 breast split and 28.58 free split powered her into the finish.

Rosary won the 200 free relay in a new IHSA Record of 1:32.45, winning the event by 1.5 seconds. Junior Olivia Moore got the team out to a very solid 23.57 on the lead-off and was followed by Rentz with a speedy 22.45 on the 2nd leg. Junior Bella Wojtowicz then clocked a 23.36 on the 3rd leg, and sophomore Ariyana Nieckula anchored in 23.07. Perhaps the most exciting thing about this relay is that Rosary will be returning all 4 legs next year, so they stand a very good chance of lowering the record even further.

In the 400 free relay, Nieckula (51.21), Rentz (49.43), Wojtowicz (51.60), and freshman Annabelle Nawrocki (51.97) combined for a 3:24.21, winning the race by a little over 2 seconds. Once again, Rosary is in a great position, as all 4 legs will be returning next season.

In addition to the Rentz, Rosary also earned a title in the 100 breast, where junior Elizabeth Nawrocki posted a 1:00.98. A Georgia class of 2025 recruit, Nawrocki swam her career best of 1:00.89 in prelims of the meet.

One of Illinois’ star girls swimmers currently, Deerfield senior Annika Parkhe, was excellent at the meet as well. Parkhe, a Stanford 2024 recruit, took the girls 100 free in 48.47, dominating the event and touching as the only girl in the field under 50 seconds. The swim represents a new personal best for Parkhe, who is an all-around terrific sprinter.

She also competed in the 100 back, which she won in a time of 54.40. While that time was fairly so-so for Parkhe, she clocked her new personal best f 52.94 in prelims the day before. She was out with a ton of speed in prelims, splitting 25.59 on the opening lap.

While Parkhe wasn’t a member of any winning relays, she was huge for the Deerfield effort, putting up a pair of excellent splits. In the 200 medley relay, Parkhe providing a blistering 23.02 fly split. She then went on to anchor the 200 free relay in 22.18.

Fremd senior Katie Kuehn took the 50 free in 22.79, winning the race by nearly half a second. The Mizzou 2024 recruit has been as fast as 22.75 in her career. Kuehn also clocked a new personal best of 50.11 en route to a 2nd place finish in the 100 free.

Oswego senior Katie Gresik, yet another Mizzou 2024 recruit, took the 500 free in 4:52.19. The time marks a new career best for Gresik.

New Trier won the 200 medley relay in 1:42.04. Junior Marin Shimkus (26.04), senior Madelyn Ohr (29.04), junior Zara Bolton (23.68), and senior Megan Marquardt (23.28) combined to make it happen.