Swimmers dive into last race of season; Athletes finish with best times, breaking school records

     The swim team competed for the last time on February 26th at the University of Maryland. The swimmers that qualified for states went to practice the week leading up to prepare. 

    The Women’s 200 yard freestyle relay which included sophomore Val Angulo, senior Riley O’Hare, sophomore Anna O’Leary, and senior Grace Feldbush swam a time of 1:54.05. The 400 yard freestyle relay which included sophomore Jordyn Bell, O’Hare, A. O’Leary, and Feldbush swam a time of 4:11.48 dropping 4.15seconds from their original time of 4:15.63. 

     The Men’s 200 yard freestyle relay which included sophomore Kyle Difilippo, freshman James Cassidy, senior Evan Kuzemchak, and sophomore Michael O’Leary swam a time of 1:43.91 dropping .78 seconds from their original time of 1:44.69. The 400 yard freestyle relay which included senior Nick Spigler, Cassidy, Kuzemchak, and M. O’Leary swam a time of 3:51.60. 

     The Men’s 200 yard medley relay including athletes senior Griffin Hevesy, Difilippo, Spigler, and Cassidy swam a time of 2:01.05 dropping 2.40 seconds from their entry time of 2:03.45. 

     Head Coach Hilary Canale states her main goal for swimmers was to drop time. “As far as getting best times, almost all of the swimmers did. Riley O’Hare, Michael O’Leary, Anna O’Leary, and Grace Feldbush all swam individual events, and they dropped time in every race they swam at States,” Canale states. 

     Canale explains the day before states somebody on the team became sick and needed a replacement for states. “James Cassidy was told the day before the meet that he had to swim in two more relays on top of the relay he already qualified in. James did such an amazing job and was such a strong replacement for the relay,” Canale states. 

     O’Hare explains along with the relays she swam in two individual events which were the 500 yard freestyle and the 200 yard freestyle. “My goal was to go under five minutes for my 500 free which I did since I  swam a time of 5:52 and also dropped a second in my 200 yard freestyle,” O’Hare says. 

     “Everyone in my heat had really close times so there was a lot of pressure to keep my place,” O’Hare says. “After not having blocks all season it felt so nice to use blocks for states, University of Maryland’s pool is really nice and made me feel so fast,” she says. 

     M.O’Leary swam in the events 100 yard butterfly and 100 yard breaststroke in addition to the relays. He says his main goal for states was to have fun and drop time in his events. “I beat the school record in the 100 yard breaststroke, the time before me was a 1:04.60 and I went a 1:04.30,” he says. 

     To prepare for states, M. O’Leary explains he went to his other teams practice after regular practice and also worked out every day. 

59. O’Leary swam in the 100 yard freestyle and 100 yard breaststroke along with the relays she was a part of. She explains her main goal for states was to break a minute in her 100 yard freestyle event which she accomplished by swimming a time of 59.32. “My biggest competition there was probably Grace Feldbush on our team because we swim close to the same times,” A. O’Leary states. 

     Canale explains she is looking forward to next season to keep working with the team.