ONONDAGA COUNTY – Things are now underway for both the Skaneateles and West Genesee girls swim teams as the level of competition continues to rise.
In the case of the Lakers, it got into the win column Wednesday night against the combined Mexico/Oswego side, though it required the entire meet to pull out a 94-91 decision.
Nothing was settled until the closing 400-yard freestyle relay. There, the Lakers’ quartet of Emma Murphy, Ana Nichols, Caity Vernak and Olivia Springer went four minutes, 17.23 seconds to beat Mexico/Oswego’s 4:24.12 to earn the clinching points.
Prior to that, Ariana Matthews had led Skaneateles with a pair of individual titles, taking the 200 individual medley in a quick 2:29.72 and going 5:47.20 in the 500 freestyle.
Not only that, but Matthews helped in the relay sweep, pairing with Nichols, Maya Drotar and Sophia Soprano to take the 200 medley relay in 2:09.17 before having Springer join Matthews, Drotar and Soprano to go 1:50.84 in the 200 freestyle relay.
Individually, Soprano claimed the 50 freestyle in 27.97 seconds to the 28.22 from Mexico/Oswego’s Alle Margo, with Springer taking the 100 freestyle in 1:01.22. In the 100 backstroke, Nichols’ 1:12.76 edged Payge Tubolino’s 1:13.62 as Drotar (1:24.14) held off Soprano (1:24.54) in the 100 breastroke.
A night earlier, at Baldwinsville, West Genesee got a trio of wins from Maddie Owczarzak, yet still took a 51-44 defeat to the Bees.
Owczarzak swept the individual sprints, going 27.19 seconds to edge B’ville’s Mia Rinko (27.43) in the 50-yard freestyle before she won the 100 freestyle in 59.33 to Rinko’s 1:01.85.
Later, in the 200 freestyle relay, WG’s quartet of Owczarzak, Allison Shortslef, Lena Kent and Rachel Hann finished in 1:56.92, holding off the Bees’ 1:57.94 to prevail.
The Wildcats’ other individual title came from Camille Bohli, who won the 200 IM in 2:38.37 as she also finished second in the 100 butterfly.
Kiersten Lee took second in the 500 freestyle, with Kelly McManus second in the 100 backstroke. Mackenzie Dunham and Majda Milijkovic were second and third, respectively, in the 100 breaststroke.
B’ville’s star senior, Eva Smith, led her side by helping in the 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays and, on her own, breaking two minutes in the 200 freestyle (1:59.95) and going 1:03.52 in the 100 butterfly. WG swims again Wednesday at Jamesville-DeWitt.
