The Rye-Blind Brook-Rye Neck boys’ swim team has started down a promising path this season, thanks to an early 3-0 record powered by a strong group of seniors and talented underclassmen.
It began in early December with an 85-81 squeaker over Tappan Zee High School and a dominating, 91-66 victory against Mount Vernon/Tuckahoe. It continued in the new year with a promising Jan. 5 win, 94-68 against Pearl River-Albertus Magnus.
The team’s five seniors have already been through a lot together. Captain Jon Capaldi’s strongest events are the 200-meter individual medley and 100-meter breaststroke, while captain Tripp Redd shines in the 50- and 100-meter freestyle. Senior Bryan Laverty is best at the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, Finn Palermo excels in the 50 and 100 freestyle, and Will Soviero’s strongest events are the 200 and 500 freestyle.
At the Mount Vernon/Tuckahoe meet, Rye freshman Kieran Moran qualified for the NYPHSAA Section 1 Boys Conference 3 Championship, which takes place Jan. 25-27 in St. Louis, by finishing second in the 200 individual medley.
“It was exciting,” Moran said. “I will now get to compare myself to others, given the opportunity to swim against older kids.”
In the season starter against Tappan Zee, Rye’s first-place athletes were Nicholas Field in the diving competition and Redd in the 50 and 100 freestyle. Winning swimmers at the Mount Vernon/Tuckahoe meet included Laverty in both the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, Tripp Redd in the 100 freestyle and Filip Glitterstam in the 100 breaststroke. Most recently, against Pearl River-Albertus Magnus, Finn Hansen won the diving competition, Laverty won the 200-meter freestyle and Redd won the 50-meter freestyle.
Coach Katie Konopka said the swimmers have been working on building their stamina as the season progresses.
“The coaching staff encourages the swimmers to work hard during tough sets at practice in order to prepare for the rest of the season,” she said. “The coaches are also using the positive energy and the momentum from our previous meets to motivate the swimmers to continue the success for the remainder of the season.”
The 14-member team – twelve swimmers and two divers – practice at Hommocks Middle School pool.