By JIM MACLEAN //
The Mount Kisco Memorial Pool Swim and Dive Team capped off a perfect season with a dominating performance at the Northern Westchester Swim Conference Division 1 championships, finishing 40 points ahead of the second-place team to win the crown.
After going undefeated with a 5-0 record in dual meets, Mount Kisco entered the championship meet at Yorktown on Aug. 3, as the favorites and the team lived up to its top billing, scoring 303 total points to win the crown, 40 points ahead of second-place finisher Willowbrook. Pound Ridge finished fourth with 196 points, and Katonah was sixth with 134 points.
Mount Kisco followed up the championship victory on Saturday the next day with an impressive performance at the All-Star Meet on Aug. 4, at Briarcliff, coming home with 13 first-place finishes.
Leading the way at both meets was Annabel Smith as she had another record-setting day in the pool at the All-Star Meet. Smith was a New York state high school champion last winter for her Fox Lane swim team in the breaststroke, and she set a new all-star meet record to win the 100- yard, 18-and-under breaststroke race with a time of 1:08.13.
Smith followed that up with a first-place finish in the 18-and-under girls freestyle with a time of 56.34 to be a double-winner in individual races. She also anchored the Mount Kisco 18-and- under girls 200-yard freestyle relay team to victory as she teamed up with Molly Cosgrove, Madeline Oh, and Isabel Valenzuela for the win.
Mount Kisco had another record-setting performance in the girls 14-and-under 200-yard medley relay as Cosgrove, Sophia Oh, Kelsey Grayson and Devin Pellow combined for the win with a time of 2:01.19 to tie the meet record.
Jack Tsai of Lewisboro was also a double-winner in individual events as he won the boys 14- and-under butterfly race with a time of 25.82 and followed that up with a victory in the 14-and- under freestyle with a time of 51.22.
In the diving competition, Samantha Mishier of Lewisboro was a champion in 13-and-under girls diving with a final score of 114.80.
Clara Blackburn was an All-Star champion for Pound Ridge as she won the girls 10-and-under backstroke. Andi Staton of Mount Kisco won the girls’ eight-and-under backstroke race.
Mount Kisco had four champions in the breaststroke races. In addition to Smith, Sailor Briar won the boys eight-and-under breaststroke, Sophia Oh won the girls 14-and-under breaststroke, and Vincent D’Eramo won the boys 14-and-under breaststroke.
In the butterfly, Mount Kisco had three champions as Nico Lahre won the boys 10-and-under butterfly, Devin Pellow won the 12-and-under girls butterfly, and Kelsey Grayson won the girls 14-and-under butterfly race.
Mount Kisco had three other relay teams take first at the All-Star Meet. In the boys 10-and-under 200-yard medley relay, Bobby Stauton, Isaiah Olk, Lahre and Beckett White teamed up for the win. In 12-and-under girls freestyle relay, Madelyn Sotherden, Olivia Oh, Sofia Valenzuela and Ali Pfluger swam for the victory. In the boys, 14-and-under medley relay, Hayden Justiniano, D’Eramo, Andrew Acocella and Colin Zissu combined for the win.
Photo credit: Gregory Kaplowitz
Pictured clockwise from top left, Patrick Regan, Waccabuc Country Club Lakers coach, readies his team at the Northern Westchester Swim Conference All Star Meet. Kelsey Grayson, 14, finishes after competing in the 50-yard butterfly for Mount Kisco Memorial Pool; Logan Zizic, 9, competes for Pound Ridge Swim and Dive team in the 50-yard breaststroke at the Briarcliff Law Park Pool; Clara Blackburn, 10, gives the thumbs up to her Pound Ridge Swim and Dive teammate.
Divisional Swim Meet
Analise Braddock competes for Katonah Swim and Dive Team in the 14 and under 50-meter breaststroke at Divisionals. Photo credit: Gregory Kaplowitz
Kevin O’Donnell, 14, launches off the blocks for Katonah Swim and Dive Team at Divisionals. Photo credit: Gregory Kaplowitz