A new season has started for the West Genesee girls swim team, with a new twist that will give even more incentive to do well.
Due to continuing structural problems at Nottingham High School’s Max Newman Pool, the Section III championships have been moved to different venues – including West Genesee, which will host the Class A sectional meet on Nov. 2.
With that as a goal, WG started out quite well in last Wednesday night’s meet at New Hartford, utilizing its depth and versatility to pull away and beat the Spartans 108-77.
Beaten by New Hartford in the 200 medley relay (2:02.41, to the Spartans’ 2:01.86), the Wildcats responded by winning the next five races, two of them from Shannon Cahalan, who claimed the 200 individual medley in 2:24.11 and added a victory in the 100 butterfly in 1:03.21.
Olivia Castro stepped in to win the 200 freestyle in 2:00.91, with Sinead Guy beating teammate Brianna Smith, 26.86 seconds to 27.14, in the 50 freestyle. Abby Uczen, with 213.25 points, led a 1-2-3 Wildcat diving sweep as Michelle Cassidy and Chloe Feuer were second and third, respectively.
Later in the meet, Castro won a second time, in the 500 freestyle (5:33.91), where Gabby Shuron was third. Then Castro teamed with Smith, Guy and Kaitlin Dunning to claim victory in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:44.97.
Smith got an individual victory when she swam the 100 backstroke in 1:05.47, edging out Becca Kanoza (1:05.61) at the wall. Then Kanoza, Castro, Guy and Dunning closed things out by winning the 400 freestyle relay in a swift time of 3:49.74.
Dunning was second (58.42 seconds) to New Hartford’s Maya Smith (57.67 seconds) in the 100 freestyle, with Kanoza (58.75 seconds) in third. Erin Dowler (1:16.18) and Jordan Donegan (1:19.91) were second and third, respectively, in the 100 breaststroke.
WG has its first four meets on the road, and that includes next Tuesday night’s visit to Jamesville-DeWitt before meets in the following week against CBA and Nottingham.
