CENTRAL NEW YORK – Few high school boys swimming programs in Central New York, or anywhere in New York State, carry the tradition that Liverpool does in terms of consistent, year-in and year-out performance.
Again with big expectations in 2023-24, the Warriors began a new season last Wednesday night against Auburn, where, led by Jack Cavallerano and Joe Lisi, it put away the Maroons 104-72.
In the 50-yard freestyle, Cavallerano was victorious in 22.37 seconds as teammate Sean O’Neil was second in 24.20. Then, in the 100 butterfly, Cavallerano’s 55.70 led a 1-2-3 sweep that included James Hayden (1:01.47) and Leo Encarnacion (1:06.46).
Lisi would work his way to the top in the 200 individual medley in 2:07.69, again part of a top-three sweep with Bryce Shutts (2:20.53) and Ryan Vann (2:25.67).
Later, in the 100 backstroke, Lisi tore to victory in 55.62 seconds, less than a second from the state qualifying standard of 54.82, as Hayden was again second in 1:02.94 and Shutts third in 1:05.16.
Colin Gridley, unopposed in diving, finished with 206.50 points, while O’Neil, in 52.80 seconds, was a close second to Auburn’s Riley Fitzgerald (52.25) in the 100 freestyle, but helped Cavallerano, Vann and Nate Alexander take the 200 freestyle relay in 1:38.14.
Closing out the meet, Alexander would win the 100 breaststroke in 1:11.52, with Jake Knapp third in 1:20.24, right before a 400 freestyle relay where Alexander, Lisi, Cavallerano and Tristan Vang took it in 3:39.02.
All of this followed Cicero-North Syracuse meeting Fulton the previous night and moving to 2-0 on the season, the Northstars topping the Red Dragons 97-86 by winning eight of the 12 events on the card.
Jake Griffin, in 22.52 seconds, got away from Fulton’s Chris Mandart (23.01) in the 50 freestyle, and won a close 100 backstroke in 56.52 to Mandart’s 57.06.
Caden Griffin pulled away to win the 200 freestyle in 1:57.34 as Bryson Duncan (2:11.42) was second, with Griffin also first in the 100 butterfly in 58.03 seconds. Ryan Lasher needed 5:52.68 to prevail in the 500 freestyle.
In a pivotal 200 freestyle relay, Caden Griffin joined Brandon Keil, Lukyn Burak and Leo Alexander to go 1:40.67 and edge Fulton’s 1:40.95. Then Lasher and Sean Loughlin paired with the Griffins to win the 400 freestyle relay in 3:47.46
Nate Ornoski earned 258.40 points on the diving board, with Carter Canastra second (208.75) and Chris Koegel third with 195.75. Keil took second in the 100 freestyle in 52.40 seconds and Alexander was second in the 100 breaststroke in 1:13.19, ahead of Reece Balduzzi’s 1:14.90.
C-NS aims for three in a row next Tuesday at Pulaski as Liverpool hosts Fulton that same night.
