Senior Hailey Boland understandably was a little emotional about her final girls swimming race for Oak Park and River Forest High School. There also was a lot of jubilation.
Boland had just competed at her first state swimming finals Saturday. She finished 15th in the 100-yard breast stroke (1:06.56) at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont after being the last of the event’s 16 qualifiers based on Friday’s preliminary results.
“If I was swimming this (event) last year, I could not imagine swimming at finals. I was so excited to make it,” said Boland, who will swim club in college. “It’s not my last (competitive) swim but it’s kind of sad that it’s my last high school swim. It was super-exciting that was my last one was at state.”
Fenwick junior Maggie Raniere also made finals for the third straight year and was 15th in the 50 freestyle (24.04). This was the first time she was an individual finalist after being part of the 400 free relay (7th) and 200 medley relay (11th) in 2024 and 200 medley relay (12th) as a freshman.
“Last year I had the 50 free (at state) but I wasn’t even close to finals (30th in 24.23),” Raniere said. “I feel like I was a lot more confident and excited this year. Being an underclassman (to qualify), it was great. I’m super excited for next year.”
In prelims, Boland (1:05.67) and Raniere (23.72) both swam lifetimes bests. Last year, Boland was 29th at state (1:07.43). On Friday, Boland was .19 ahead of 17th place so her previous best of 1:05.79 that set a pool record in winning the Leyden Sectional also would have advanced.
With the 100 breast being the last competed individual event, she gained confidence from her earlier 200 individual medley – a 20th-place 2:6.92 with a huge time drop from 2:08.89 at sectionals. After another best in the third of five breast stroke heats, Boland waited out the finals cut as OPRF coach Clyde Lundgren counted down the qualifiers by hand. To advance, Boland’s time needed to beat at least five of nine entries from the last heat.
“When we saw it was only four people that got the cut, we were jumping and everything. It was so fun,” Boland said.
Raniere’s 50 free final was somewhat bittersweet. She was part of the 400 free relay with sophomore Audrey Munley, junior Maeve Ryan and senior Claire Wood that swam the 12th fastest time Friday (3:32.83) but was disqualified from finals regarding the wall touch during a swimmers’ exchange. Fenwick coach Michael Burke appealed the ruling but after consultation the decision was not overturned.
“I would have loved to see everyone competing here (Saturday), especially Claire,” Raniere said. “I felt super bad but I’m excited that they all came out to support me. We’ll get it next year for sure.”
Raniere also was in 19th the 100 free Friday (52.30) and part of the 200 free relay with Ryan, sophomore Sam Stowe and Wood (19th, 1:36.82).
Boland also swam the breast Friday as part of the 200 medley relay (31st, 1:49.97) with seniors Avaa Ruffer (backstroke) and Evelyn Hasenbalg (butterfly) and junior Kylie Miller (free).
“I think that was the highlight of my weekend, being able to be here with them on Friday,” Boland said. “It made the experience so much better, having my favorite people around.”
Also on Friday, Munley (1:54.49) and Wood (1:54.72) were respectively 26th and 29th in the 200 free and Munley was 27th in the 500 free (5:09.46). OPRF senior diver Jillian Louie was 43rd (179.90 points for 5 dives).