ONONDAGA COUNTY – In the early days of 2023, the Liverpool boys swim team would put its perfect mark on the line in advance of key contests in the next two weeks against Fayetteville-Manlius and Fulton.
The Warriors hosted West Genesee Wednesday night and showcased its depth throughout a 104-76 victory over the Wildcats.
Jack Cavallerano led the way, going 51.19 seconds to top Sean O’Neil (53.66) in the 100 freestyle and then finishing first in the 100 backstroke in 1:00.84 as Gavin Selig (1:08.47) edged O’Neil (1:08.78) for the runner-up spot.
A close 50 freestyle had Trevor Selig, in 23.19 seconds, edge Joe Lisi’s 23.24, but Lisi would win the 100 butterfly in 56.97 as James Hayden was second in 59.30.
Nathan Alexander went 1:56.30 to pull away and win the 200 freestyle as Ryan Gublo, in 2:23.83, went 1-2-3 with Tristan Vang (2:31.39) and Solomon Panayil (2:35.60) in the 200 individual medley.
A close 500 freestyle had Hayden, in 5:55.69, fight off John Morawski (5:56.89) before Gublo claimed the 100 breaststroke in 1:12.57 to Trevor Selig’s 1:13.53 and Vang’s 1:14.25.
Only one of the three relays went in Liverpool’s favor – the 200 freestyle, where Hayden, Lisi, Trevor Selig and Jared Keyes won in 1:39.20 to the 1:39.60 from Cavallerano, Alexander, Panayil and Collin White.
Friday’s meet at Auburn was postponed, so the Warriors would next compete against F-M on Tuesday at Cazenovia College, a home pool the Hornets will have to leave after this season due to the college’s eminent closure.
Before all this, Cicero-North Syracuse opened its 2023 slate at Baldwinsville and, falling to 1-3 on the season, took a 51-43 defeat to the Bees.
It began well for the Northstars as Jacob Griffin, Caden Griffin, Anthony Gabrielli and Donavan Medina went 1:47.99 in the 200 medley relay to pull away from B’ville’s 1:56.79.
But Jacob Griffin won just once on his own, edging the Bees’ Ben Webster, 23.50 seconds to 23.85, in the 50 freestyle as he was second (51.63) to Matt Lange (51.12) in the 100 freestyle.
Joey Swenton had C-NS’s only other race win, going 2:15.15 to pull away in the 200 IM as Caden Griffin got second in the 200 freestyle (2:02.19) and 100 butterfly (58.32 seconds).
Close in the 100 breaststroke, Swenton, in 1:08.33, was second to Lucas Clay’s 1:07.21, while Gabrielli went 1:01.48 in the 100 backstroke to Lange’s winning 59.58.
Connor Burke joined Swenton and the Griffins to post 1:36.62 in the 200 freestyle relay to B’ville’s 1:34.61. Gabrielli, Burke, Swenton and Medina’s 3:51.19 in the 400 freestyle relay was exactly one second behind the Bees’ 3:50.19.
