Genevieve Curry wasn’t alive the last time the Oak Park and River Forest High School girls swimming team captured the West Suburban Conference Silver Division championship.
But Curry and her teammates have their sights set on winning that title for the first time since 1989 when they travel to Downers Grove North for the WSC Silver meet on October 31.
The Huskies remained unbeaten in league dual meets with a narrow 97-89 victory over visiting Lyons Township last week.
That meet was a mini-preview of the conference meet because OPRF and LTHS are likely to be the top contenders for the title. The conference meet and regular season duals each count 50 percent toward the final standings.
OPRF won the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay, where the Huskies have the top times in the state this year.
The Huskies’ medley squad of Blankemeier, Alexandra Gill, Samantha Neilson and Katherine Girardot won in 1:51.02, while the 200 free quartet of Girardot, Curry, Neilson and Ungaretti prevailed in 1:39.92, four seconds faster than LTHS.
Blankemeier, a returning state medalist in the 50 free and 100 free, cruised to victory in the 200 free and 500 free, while Ungaretti captured the 50 free and 100 free and Neilson took the 100 backstroke.
“We’re doing really well,” said Curry, a senior who is Ungaretti’s cousin. “It’s really fun.
“We knew we were going to make some noise with my little cousin coming in, so we were pretty excited for the season. We thought we could do some damage but after winning a few meets we’ve realized that we can do well and be very successful.”
The Huskies already had one potential state champion in Blankemeier, a junior who currently has the second-fastest time in the state in the 100 free (51.72) and is ranked third in the 100 back (57.86), fourth in the 50 free (23.93) and fifth in the 200 free (1:52.95).
Now they have another in Ungaretti, a freshman who is ranked third in the 50 free (23.7) and fourth in the 100 free (52.94). She is undefeated in the 50 free and broke the OPRF and Riverside-Brookfield pool records last week.
Blankemeier shattered the OPRF school record and RBHS pool record in the 200 I.M. last week, while Curry set a school record in the 100 breaststroke.
Little wonder, then, why some opposing coaches are picking the Huskies to finish in the top five at next month’s state meet. But first, they are focused on winning the Silver.
“That would show me that as a team we’ve come so far,” Curry said. “All the hard work we put in, we’ve been able to use it in the water and have success.
“I’m proud of this team. I’d like to be remembered for that, that the 2015 Oak Park swimming team was successful.”
