As the 2009 season began, the Fayetteville-Manlius girls swim team possessed a 16-meet win streak, with talent enough to keep it going for a long time.
Again having its home meets at Nottingham High School, the Hornets toyed with Liverpool in Wednesday night’s opener, toppling the Warriors 110-76 for its 17th win in a row.
Two ninth-graders set the tone, as Melissa James and Katie Pecacheck each had a part in four wins, including a sweep of the relays.
James, with her winning time of 1:10.11 in the 100 breaststroke, qualified for the state meet two months down the road, this after winning the 200 individual medley in 2:22.49. Pecacheck, on her own, took the 500 freestyle in 5:42.69.
In those relays, Pecacheck, James, Alex Murphy and Hadley Cameron-Carter swam the 200 freestyle relay in 1:47.34, with Pecacheck returning to help Sarah Wells, Julie Barger and Delaney Pfohl in the 400 freestyle relay (4:08 flat). James, Murphy, Cameron-Carter and Wells kicked off the meet by winning the 200 medley relay in a clocking of 1:58.49.
Cameron-Carter lost a narrow 100 freestyle race to Liverpool’s Becky Evangelista, 56.82 seconds to 56.87, but returned later to win the 100 backstroke in 1:05.11. Amy Bright earned 196.89 points on the diving board.