Gojakovic Claims Two More CSL South Titles

Evanston swim coach Kevin Auger's idea of a Halloween trick was to move senior standout Vanya Gojakovic into the 400-yard freestyle relay race against favorites New Trier and Maine South.

But Gojakovic delivered a couple of treats even before that race.

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Gojakovic scored repeat titles in both the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke Saturday, sparking the Wildkits to a second place team finish at the Central Suburban League South division championship meet held at Glenbrook South.

She scored a 6-second drop in the IM, re-establishing herself as one of the challengers for a state championship in that race with a winning time of 2 minutes, 2.77 seconds that was just off her own school record set last year at 2:02.65.

Gojakovic wiped out the GBS pool record that had existed since 2017, a 2:03.62 clocking by Maine South's Annika Wagner. She came back to rule the backstroke in 55.8, just off the conference record of 55.49 by Glenbrook South's Olivia Smoliga.

And, for good measure, the lanky senior helped the second place medley relay team (1:45.66) and third place 400 free relay team (3:36.27) race under the existing Illinois High School Association state qualifying standards.

It all added up to 310 team points for ETHS, behind only New Trier's 463 total. Next best, in order, were Maine South (258), Glenbrook North (161), Glenbrook South (76) and Niles West (34).

Gojakovic's best in-season time of 2:08.24 this fall wasn't fast enough to crack the top 10 statewide and might have caused a few doubts in a swimmer who hasn't learned to trust in her training --- and her taper --- like Gojakovic.

Still, it was a relief to score such a significant time drop with the sectional showdown just a week away.

"I wasn't thinking of getting a 2:02, so that was really great. It set the tone for the rest of the meet for me," Gojakovic said. "After seeing that swim, now I feel like I've got this (again).

"As the years go on I have more trust in my self, more trust in my ability. I've gotten better at figuring out what works for me, and I trust myself knowing all the work I've put in. This year is about having fun and enjoying myself, and now everything is falling into place."

Auger switched his star swimmer from the 200 freestyle relay to the 400 --- she'll probably switch back at the sectional --- and ETHS actually led the longer race after Gojakovic's sizzling leadoff split of 51.5 and Maddie Baxter's 54.63 leg, before both New Trier (3:32.82) and Maine South (3:34.42) forced the Kits to settle for 3rd place in 3:36.27, a season best effort.

Earlier, Gojakovic teamed up with Nina Gatchell, Maggie Brennan and Talia Wexler to take 2nd in the 200 medley relay in 1:45.66.

"I had no concerns about Vanya (in the IM), because I watch her every day in practice and she's been swimming lights out," Auger said. "In fact, I told her before she got up on the blocks today that she was going to go 2:02. It was just evident to me from her workouts that she'd swim fast.

"She got out a little slower in the IM today because she's not rested yet. She just had the strength at the end of the race because of her weeks and months of training. To be honest, I think she can go a lot faster."

Even without Gojakovic in the lineup, the 200 freestyle relay unit of Gatchell, Wexler, Maddie Baxter and Susannah Keller had enough juice to get under the IHSA cut with a time of 1:38.69. Both Baxter (24.29) and Wexler (24.28) were under 25 seconds for the Kits on their respective legs.

Gatchell fell short in her bid to repeat as CSL South champion in the 100 breaststroke, losing to New Trier's Riley McNeal. Gatchell finished with the exact same time (1:05.86) she won with last year, but McNeal sped to a winning effort of 1:04.51.

Also scoring top four individual finishes --- and earning all-conference recognition at the same time --- were Keller, 3rd in the 500 freestyle in 5:14.13; Gatchell, 4th in the IM in 2:11.07; and Brennan, 4th in the 100 butterfly in 59.98.