The bulk of area swimming and diving teams are slated for the Normal Community pool for sectional competition this season. The rest have been assigned to the Rock Island Sectional. The sectional meets are set for Saturday, Feb. 17.
Notre Dame, ranked fifth in the state, heads the field at Normal Community. The Irish currently lead eight of the 12 events on the Journal Star swimming and diving honor roll.
Also entered there are Metamora Co-op, Pekin Co-op, Peoria High, Manual, Richwoods, Olympia and Washington Co-op. Canton, Farmington, Deer Creek-Mackinaw and Peoria Christian also will have individual entries at the meet.
Normal U-High won last year's Pekin Sectional over the Irish, while Richwoods took third. But at the state meet, ND finished sixth, while U-High placed 14th.
The Dunlap Co-op will be trying to win its sixth straight sectional title in Rock Island. The Eagles won five events last year at East Moline and edged Moline for the team title.
Joining Dunlap at Rock Island will be Galesburg, LaSalle-Peru Co-op and Macomb. The meet also will include individual entries from Brimfield, Illini West, ROWVA and St. Bede.