For eight years in a row, St. Ignatius has won its own sectional with ease, only having to hold off challenges from Latin.

This year, the IHSA threw in a new wrinkle by adding Public League power and champion Lane into the sectional. But that didn’t stop the Wolfpack from winning its ninth consecutive title Saturday 336-258 at UIC.

“I don’t think it’s a lot of pressure we feel by winning so much,’’ said sophomore Natalie Tapia. “We don’t really look at it that way, we just have to go in practice like we always do and everything will take care of itself after that.’’

The meet was one that featured 10 of the 12 meet’s records broken, six by Wolfpack swimmers.  St. Ignatius started things off with a 1:48.06 finish in the 200-yard Medley relay, nearly five seconds faster than runner-up Lane. Latin’s Charlotte Rosenberg broke her own meet record she set two years ago in the 200-yard freestyle, finishing the race in 1:51.34.

Meghan Lavelle continued her run to a hopeful state title by winning the 200-yard IM (2:07.02) and 100-yard backstroke (56.73). Both times qualified her for the IHSA meet next weekend. St. Ignatius’s Rebecca Martinez (2:07.62) and Lane’s Natalie O’Connell (2:10.53) also qualified for the 200-yard IM race next weekend.

Then it was Tapia’s time to shine. The sophomore started the day with a meet record 24.12 in the 50-yard freestyle, 52.5 meet record in the 100-yard freestyle and was a part of the Wolfpack’s 200-yard freestyle relay (1:37.7) and 400-yard freestyle relay (3:32.84). All the times qualified Tapia for the IHSA meet.

“It’s actually pretty cool to do it, a real honor,’’ said Tapia. “All my hardwork pays off and I try not to pay attention to all that stuff. Knowing I do what I have to do helps me relax a bit though.’’

Other winners included St. Ignatius’s Rebecca Martinez (57.72) in the 100-yard butterfly, Rosenberg’s 5:01.08 in the 500-yard freestyle and St. Ignatius’s Jamie Doherty in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:07.57).  Every winner qualified for the state meet next weekend.

Additional state qualifiers were St. Ignatius’ Nikol Laogdzinska in the 200-yard freestyle, Lane’s Abigail Moore in the 50-yard freestyle, Laogdzinska and Moore in the 100-yard freestyle, St. Ignatius’s Marysol Arce and Clare MacNamara in the 500-yard freestyle, Lane in the 200-yard freestyle relay, St. Ignatius’s Nina Mantich in the 100-yard backstroke, O’Connell in the 100-yard breastroke and the Lane  in the 400-yard freestyle relay.

St. Ignatius dominance continues