Galesburg High School senior Lily Furrow hugs a teammate during the Pekin Sectional on Nov. 8. She helped the Silver Streaks qualify for four events at the IHSA state meet. (Photo courtesy of Galesburg Swimming and Diving)

Galesburg High School swimmers qualified for four events at the Illinois High School Association state meet, and head coach Ray VanHootegem was honored at the Pekin Sectional on Nov. 8.

Galesburg finished second in the meet with 226 points, behind Metamora with 243.

Lily Furrow qualified in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events, placing second in both. She was also part of the 400-yard freestyle relay team, which won its event. Teammates on the freestyle relay were Macie Nelson, Faith Warren and Hayden Johnson. Johnson also qualified individually by placing second in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Galesburg High School senior Hayden Johnson is headed to the IHSA state meet in the 100-yard breaststroke and 400-yard freestyle relay. (Photo courtesy of Hayden Johnson)

Nelson, a junior, placed second in the 500-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke but did not qualify for the state championships in the individual events.

“Our girls held a great focus throughout the whole meet, finishing strong in the last (400-freestyle) relay, beating our team record by almost six seconds,” VanHootegem said.

Galesburg High School head coach Ray VanHootegem pauses for a photo during the Pekin Sectional on Nov. 8. VanHootegem, who is retiring after 33 years with the program, was named sectional coach of the year. (Photo courtesy of Galesburg Swimming and Diving)

VanHootegem, who is retiring after this season after 33 years as a GHS swimming coach, was named sectional coach of the year. He passed much of the credit for the team’s success this season to assistant coach Jake Miller, who will take over the program next season.

“Jake and I worked together all season to put together an incredible season,” VanHootegem said. “We were really like co-head coaches. He will do a great job next season.”

The IHSA championships will be Nov. 14–15 at the FMC Natatorium in Westmont.

Team results – 2025 IHSA Girls Swim-Dive Sectional

  1. Metamora HS, 243
  2. Galesburg HS, 226
  3. Dunlap HS, 161
  4. Moline HS, 159
  5. Peoria Notre Dame, 134
  6. Pekin Community HS, 107
  7. Rock Island HS, 91
  8. Richwoods HS, 87
  9. United Township HS, 56
  10. Biggsville (West Central), 28
  11. Macomb HS, 19

Event results for GHS swimmers

Girls 1-meter diving varsity
• Lucia Crawford (Jr.), 214.25 (5th place)
• Isabelle Kennedy (So.), 189.90 (8th place)

200-yard medley relay varsity
• GHS (A), 1:49.94 (2nd place)
 o Camdyn Miller (Fr.), 29.00
 o Hayden Johnson (Sr.), 30.89
 o Lily Furrow (Sr.), 25.19
 o Macie Nelson (Jr.), 24.86

200-yard freestyle varsity
• Faith Warren (So.), 1:59.82 (4th place)
• Nora Phelps (Jr.), 2:09.00 (6th place)

200-yard individual medley varsity
• Hayden Johnson (Sr.), 2:12.33 (3rd place)
• Izzy Feehan (Fr.), 2:41.29 (10th place)

50-yard freestyle varsity
• Lily Furrow (Sr.), 24.02 (2nd place)
• Camdyn Miller (Fr.), 25.99 (10th place)

100-yard butterfly varsity
• Hayden Johnson (Sr.), 2:12.33 (3rd place)
• Nora Phelps (Jr.), 1:19.00 (8th place)
• Izzy Feehan (Fr.), 2:41.29 (10th place)

100-yard freestyle varsity
• Lily Furrow (Sr.), 52.11 (2nd place)
• Camdyn Miller (Fr.), 56.07 (7th place)

500-yard freestyle varsity
• Macie Nelson (Jr.), 5:20.48 (2nd place)
• Faith Warren (So.), 5:22.63 (3rd place)

200-yard freestyle relay varsity
• GHS (A), 1:46.83 (4th place)
 o Nora Phelps (Jr.), 27.87
 o Camdyn Miller (Fr.), 26.08
 o Izzy Feehan (Fr.), 27.45
 o Faith Warren (So.), 25.43

100-yard backstroke varsity
• Macie Nelson (Jr.), 1:00.65 (2nd place)
• Camdyn Miller (Fr.), 1:01.57 (4th place)

100-yard breaststroke varsity
• Hayden Johnson (Sr.), 1:07.12 (2nd place)
• Nora Phelps (Jr.), 1:19.00 (8th place)

400-yard freestyle relay varsity
• GHS (A), 3:36.65 (1st place)
 o Macie Nelson (Jr.), 55.09
 o Faith Warren (So.), 55.00
 o Hayden Johnson (Sr.), 54.96
 o Lily Furrow (Sr.), 51.60