On October 29th, the girl’s swim team competed in the 2022 IHSA Girls Sectionals at Metea Valley High School. They came in 7th place, with a total score of 88 points. However, out of all the girls there, 3 of Benet’s best were able to swim fast enough to make state. “When I hit the wall and looked at my time all I could feel was shock and excitement, and then I looked over at my team and everyone was screaming and jumping up and down. Those couple minutes were definitely ones I’ll always remember,” said 100-yard breaststroke state qualifier Paige Malinowski. She managed to come in 7th overall, with a final time of 1:05.65. How did she do it? Paige stated that “My season has been great and I attribute most of that to my coach and trusting her throughout this year. Having teammates and friends up in the stands and on deck supporting all of us and making signs was so heartwarming, it really showed how close our swim family is and added another level of excitement to being part of the team”. As for Imogen, “The season had already been so amazing with many great swims from everyone on the team, but the realization after my 200 IM and 100 breaststroke that I was going to state was unreal. Ecstatic was an understatement. Knowing that I was going to state again was truly such a validating feeling after all the hard work I put in throughout the season. Having so many supporters by my side made the moment even more memorable”. She broke school records, both in the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke, coming in 4th for the 200 IM, and 6th for the 100 breaststroke overall. Finally, our senior swimmer, Lainey Devine, won both the 200 Free and the 100 Free, qualifying for state in the process. The lady redwings advance to state, looking to capture the state title.