Locals shine at Swim Conference All-Star meet

Annabel Smith of Mount Kisco leaps from the blocks on her way to a new All-Star meet record. Annette Gatto swims breaststroke for Bedford Hills. Nico Lahre of Mount Kisco set a new meet record in the butterfly. Abby Hehman of Katonah was a double-winner at the All-Star meet. Savannah Shazier of Pound Ridge won All-Star title in backstroke.Annabel Smith of Mount Kisco leaps from the blocks on her way to a new All-Star meet record. (Greg Kaplowitz Photos)

By JIM MACLEAN

You had to earn the chance to compete in the meet as the best swimmers from all five divisions gathered for the Northern Westchester Swim Conference All-Star meet on Sunday, Aug. 3.

A day earlier, all five divisions held their championship meets, and the winners and top qualifiers advanced to the All-Star meet to finish up the summer swim season.

It was another showcase for Mount Kisco coach and swimmer Annabel Smith as she set two All-Star meet records on her way to winning the breaststroke and freestyle races for her age group as the New York state champion tunes up to compete in college at Georgia Institute of Technology in a few weeks.

Nico Lahre of Mount Kisco also celebrated a record-setting day as he set a new meet record in the butterfly.

There were several highlights on the day as local teams took first in a total of 22 events in swimming and diving to claim their titles as All-Star meet champions.

Mount Kisco also put on an impressive performance at the All-Star diving championships winning three of the four events. Sophia Gonzalez was a champion in 13-and-under girls diving, Julian Chowdhury was a champion in 13-and-under boys diving, and Jasper Pons-Baltsyk was a champion in 18-and-under boys diving.

At the swim finals on Sunday at the Briarcliff Town Pool, Smith broke her own record in the 18-and-under 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:07.45, and then she set a new record in the 18-and-under freestyle with a time of 53.15. She capped off her day by leading Mount Kisco to victory in the 18-and-under girls freestyle relay as she teamed up with Kelsey Grayson, Maddie Oh, and Isabel Valenzuela to win the title.

Lahre was a double-winner for Mount Kisco as he was a champion in the 10-and-under boys backstroke, and he then set a new meet record to win the 10-and-under butterfly with a time of 13.27.

Abigail Hehman led the way for Katonah at the All-Star meet as a double champion, winning the 14-and-under girls backstroke and freestyle events. She also teamed up with Aubrey Hickerson, Annalise Braddock and her sister Isabelle Hehman to win the 18-and-under girls medley relay for Katonah.

In addition to her relay win, Kelsey Grayson of Mount Kisco was a champion in the 18-and-under girls butterfly. Devin Pellow was a champion for Mount Kisco in the 12-and-under girls backstroke, and she also teamed up for a relay victory with Sofia Valenzuela, Olivia Oh, and Chloe Lovig in the 12-and-under girls freestyle relay.

Other All-Star meet champions for Mount Kisco were Sophia Oh in 14-and-under girls breaststroke, and Bobby Stanton in 10-and-under boys freestyle.

Pound Ridge had a pair of All-Star champions as Savannah Shazier won the eight-and-under girls backstroke event, and Logan Zizil won the 10-and-under boys breaststroke.

Lewisboro had a pair of champions as Annabel Wolfe won the 14-and-under girls butterfly and Henry Dauterman won the 18-and-under boys breaststroke title.

Maddie Racanelli was a champion for Bedford Hills as she won the eight-and-under girls freestyle race.

At the Division 1 championship meet, it was a close meet with the six top teams in the conference competing against each other. Pound Ridge led the local teams with a third-place finish with a score of 230. Mount Kisco was right behind in fourth with a score of 217, and Katonah was sixth at 188.

Double winners for the girls were Lillian Siders of Pound Ridge in breaststroke and freestyle, Isabelle Hehman of Katonah in backstroke and freestyle, Devin Pellow of Mount Kisco in backstroke and butterfly, and Annabel Smith of Mount Kisco in breaststroke and freestyle.

Individual winners in backstroke were Savannah Shazier of Pound Ridge, and Katie O’Donnell of Katonah. Sophia Oh of Mount Kisco was a winner in breaststroke. Eva Orscher of Pound Ridge and Kelsey Grayson of Mount Kisco were winners in butterfly, and Fiona Foster of Katonah and Abby Hehman of Katonah both won in freestyle.

Relay winners were Katonah in 14-and-under medley relay, Pound Ridge in eight-and-under freestyle relay, and Mount Kisco won both the 12-and-under and 18-and-under girls freestyle relays.

For the boys, Nico Lahre of Mount Kisco was a double winner in backstroke and butterfly.

Other winners in backstroke were Henry Kepple of Katonah and Kevin O’Donnell of Katonah. Winners in breaststroke were Jesse Scott-Croxford of Pound Ridge, Logan Zizil of Pound Ridge, and Vincent D’Eramo of Mount Kisco.

In diving, Mount Kisco won three events once again with Sophia Gonzalez, Julian Chowdhury and Jasper Pons-Baltsyk all winning a title.

At the Division III championships, Lewisboro finished third with 215 points. Double winners included Jack Tsai in backstroke and butterfly, Henry Dauterman in breaststroke and freestyle, Annabel Wolfe in breaststroke and butterfly, and Lily Wagner in butterfly and freestyle. Other individual winners were Mikey Foglio in breaststroke, Amelia Zhai in backstroke, Mia Haimelin in backstroke, and Isla Wolfe in butterfly.

At the Division IV championships, Bedford Hills (BH) was second with 180 points, Bedford Golf and Tennis (BGT) was third right behind at 178, and Waccabuc was fourth at 112.

Individual winners for the girls in backstroke were Halsey Rice of Waccabuc, Whitney Salisbury and Emilia Vallano of BGT.

Breaststroke winners were Bennett Stovell of Waccabuc, Olivia Wege of BH and Chloe Slocum of Waccabuc.

Butterfly winners were Violet Gilath and Viv St. Germain of BH, and Vallano of BGT.

In freestyle, winners were Cece Haller of Waccabuc, and Maddie Racanelli and Avery Belanger of BH.

Bedford Hills also won a pair of girls relays, finishing first in the 10-and-under medley relay and the eight-and-under freestyle relay events.