Three Section 9 swimmers advance to Saturday's state A finals, seven to B, 10 to C
Swimmers and divers from eight Section 9 schools are participating in the New York State Federation girls swimming championships on Friday and Saturday at the Webster Aquatic Center, near Rochester.
The Federation championship brings together the top individuals from the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, New York City’s Public Schools Athletic League, the Catholic High School Athletic Association and Association of Independent Schools.
Saturday swimming finals begins at 10 a.m.
The entire diving competition was conducted on Friday. Molly Crowley of Monroe-Woodbury maintained her No. 5 seed. Teammate Molly Connolly was eighth.
Following prelims, swimmers were placed into Saturday’s events: the top 10 in the A final, places 11-20 in the B final and places 21-30 in the C final. Federation points are awarded to the top 20 finishers.
Three Section 9 competitors qualified for A finals: the Pine Bush 200 medley relay; Newburgh Free Academy junior Elle Gerbes in the 50 freestyle; and, Onteora junior Grace Young in the 100 free.
At the recent Section 9 championships, the Pine Bush girls continue to show their dominance, rolling to a 127-point win over Our Lady of Lourdes and 131 over Monroe-Woodbury. The Bushmen captured the 200-yard medley relay (they are a No. 9 seed at states), 200 IM (Sadie DeGeorge), 100 butterfly (Mackenzie Gula), 200 free relay, 100 breaststroke (Gula again) and 400 free relay.
Other sectional wins came from Rondout Valley’s Clara Samko (200 free), Newburgh’s Elle Gerbes (50 free – she is a No. 10 seed at states), Monroe-Woodbury’s Molly Crowley (diving), Onteora’s Grace Young (100 free, 100 backstroke – she is a top-10 state seed in both), New Paltz’s Maya Pizzarello (500 free).
A year ago, top-10 finishers from Section 9 included Minisink Valley senior Michaela Hujus (8th in 50 free) and Pine Bush’s 200 free and 400 free relays of Mackenzie Gula, Samantha McKee, Sadie DeGeorge and Katie Webster (both squads placed 10th).
X / Twitter: @KenMillanTHR
State meet prelim results for Section 9
200-yard medley relay (32 qualifiers): 7. Pine Bush (Maya Oakes, Ella Humphrey, Ashley Martin, Katie Webster) 1:50.04; 23. Our Lady of Lourdes (Julia Napoli, Rosemary Horgan, Alaina Kozak, Katie Skerritt) 1:54.36; DQ. New Paltz (Josephine Laurie, Alaura Sheeley, Brooke Vos, Kate Suchowiecki) disqualified
200 freestyle (30): 16. Clara Samko (Rondout Valley, Jr.) 1:57.03; Prelims scratch: Maya Pizzarello (New Paltz, Soph.)
200 individual medley (47): 33. Brooke Vos (New Paltz, Sr.) 2:12.82; 36. Sadie DeGeorge (Pine Bush, Jr.) 2:13.19
50 freestyle (34): 6. Elle Gerbes (Newburgh, Jr.) 24.11; 13. Clara Samko (Rondout Valley, Jr.) 24.56;16. Katie Webster (Pine Bush, Sr.) 24.68; 27. Julia Young (Onteora, Fr.) 25.25;28. Katie Skerritt (Our Lady of Lourdes, Soph.) 25.27; 32. Kate Suchowiecki (New Paltz, Jr.) 25.51
100 butterfly (48): 18. Mackenzie Gula (Pine Bush, Sr.) 59.07; 19. Brianna Foote (Minisink Valley, Jr.) 59.43; 31. Ashley Martin (Pine Bush, Sr.) 59.93
1-meter diving FINALS (34): 5. Molly Crowley (Monroe-Woodbury, Sr.) 480.35; 8. Molly Connolly (MW, Soph.) 452.05; 17. Kaylee Croughan (Goshen, 8th) 416.80
100 freestyle (36): 7. Grace Young (Onteora, Jr.) 52.70; 14. Elle Gerbes (Newburgh, Jr.) 53.55; 17. Katie Webster (Pine Bush, Sr.) 53.78
500 freestyle (27): Prelims scratch. Maya Pizzarello (New Paltz, Soph.)
200 freestyle relay (26): 12. Our Lady of Lourdes (Julia Napoli, Alaina Kozak, Rosemary Horgan, Katie Sherritt) 1:41.40; 19. Pine Bush (Sadie DeGeorge, Ashley Martin, Ella Humphrey, Mackenzie Gula) 1:43.90
100 backstroke (48): 24. Grace Young (Onteora, Jr.) 59.64; 33. Brooke Vos (New Paltz, Sr.) 60.33; 46. Brianna Foote (Minisink Valley, Jr.) 63.54
100 breaststroke (37): 19. Ella Humphrey (Pine Bush, Soph.) 68.80; 25. Mackenzie Gula (Pine Bush, Sr.) 69.55; 32. Rosemary Horgan (Lourdes, Sr.) 69.81
400 freestyle relay (24): 15. Pine Bush (Katie Webster, Ashley Martin, Sadie DeGeorge, Mackenzie Gula) 3:43.98
This article originally appeared on Times Herald-Record: Twenty Section 9 girls swimmers advance to Saturday's final rounds
