Warriors Send Pair to State Finals

Daily Gazette Article

SHS will have two competitors in three events at the IHSA Girls’ State Swimming and Diving Finals next week.  Freshman Shannon Long and junior Charli Wike earned spots at state competing at Saturday’s Rock Island Sectional.  Long will compete in diving, while Wike will compete in both the 200 individual medley and 100 breastroke.

Long’s 11 dive total of 234.40 was just good enough to edge out Rock Island’s Alicia Freiburg.  Long becomes Sterling’s first-ever state qualifier in diving.  Saturday’s event was her first official competitive event after spending the entire season perfecting her craft.

Wike won the 200 IM by nearly three seconds with a time 2:12.62, earning the automatic state qualifying spot.  She advanced to state in the 100 breast on time after a third place finish.  Her time of 1:08.16 was .06 under the state qualifying time.  Its her second trip to state in in the event in three years.

Long and Wike will begin competition at the state finals Friday at Evanston High School.