Bradley-Bourbonnais Claims First Conference Title in 24 Years

Bradley-Bourbonnais girls swimming entered the SouthWest Suburban Conference championship meet on Oct. 24 as the smallest team in the league, and they left as champions. The Boilermakers defeated the other eight schools to claim their first conference title since 2002, a program milestone that capping a season of steady improvement.

The victory was fueled by breakthrough performances in relay events and individual strokes. The 200-yard freestyle relay team, consisting of Mia Ecker, Abby Bonilla, Isabelle Trudeau, and Aly Swafford, secured the first conference title for a Boilermakers relay squad in program history. They were joined by the 400 freestyle relay team, featuring Bonilla, Madeline Folk, Trudeau, and Swafford, who also captured a conference first.

Madeline Folk made history by winning the 200 individual medley. Her victory marked the first time a Boilermaker has won an individual event at the conference meet since 2018. Folk attributed the result to a focused mindset and a gut feeling that she could win the race despite not being the favorite.

The team’s success was broad, with five swimmers earning All-SWSC honors in four separate events. Annie Schneider and Bria McCrary also received All-SWSC recognition. Across varsity and junior varsity meets, Boilermaker swimmers posted a combined 38 personal bests, reflecting a season of intense physical preparation.

Coach Ashley Porter noted that the team’s current depth is the result of four years of increased training intensity. The program has consistently pushed the workload, resulting in a group that trains daily and maintains a high level of dedication. This sustained effort allowed the team to overcome the challenge of competing against schools with significantly larger rosters.

Bradley-Bourbonnais is the southernmost and smallest school in the conference, with an enrollment of 1,687 students. The other eight schools participating in the conference meet have an average enrollment of just over 2,500. This size disparity has fostered an underdog identity that the team has embraced throughout the season.

The Boilermakers finished the dual meet season with a 9-1 record. Their only loss came against Sandburg, a team they defeated by 45 points at the conference championship. The win over Sandburg in the postseason highlighted the team's ability to perform under pressure against a familiar opponent.

Seven seniors are preparing for the final stretch of their high school careers, including All-SWSC selections Bonilla, Trudeau, Folk, McCrary, and Ecker. The group builds on a previous season where four swimmers advanced to the state tournament in the 200 freestyle relay. Ecker, who served as an alternate last year, expressed pride in the program’s trajectory over the last four years.

The team is now focused on the IHSA Lockport Sectional, scheduled for Saturday. Last season, the Boilermakers finished as sectional runners-up, the best finish in program history. With the confidence gained from the conference title and the experience of returning state qualifiers, the team aims to replicate or improve upon that postseason performance.