Rye Golf Club’s Julia Cabrera sporting her gold medal.
Lake Isle Rises to Top at Counties; Laverty Leads RGC Divers to Gold
By Melanie Cane
Midsummer, for many, is synonymous with the Annual County Swim Meet, where the competition sparkles year after year. At the 94th “Counties”, Lake Isle, a perennial contender, won the overall competition, but Rye Golf Club brought home the gold in Diving, took third place in the Girls Relays, and fourth place out of 32 teams overall. Shenorock Shore Club placed second in Diving.
Tops among the Rye winners was diver Katie Laverty, who not only placed first in the 14-17 age group for the second year in a row but broke the County record (236.55) set by Chloe Best in 2006 with a score of 241.20.
This was Laverty’s eighth and last time competing in the diving event, as she will age out before next summer. But the rising Rye High School senior will captain the school team. Laverty said, “While it’s sad to end my summer diving career, but I’ve had a lot of fun with this sport and I’m excited to see where it takes me next!”
In the Girls 10-13 Diving, Rye Golf Club’s Julia Cabrera came in first and Shenorock’s Emma Beatty placed third. In the Boys 10-13 Diving, Coveleigh Club’s Ty Ramachandran was the winner.
Shenorock Shore Club’s winning Boys 10 U yd Medley Relay team, from top left: Evan Ripp, Andrew Ripp, James Ross, Kieran Moran
Many Rye swimmers placed in the top three in relays and individual events. Shenorock’s James Ross, Evan Ripp, Andrew Ripp, and Kieran Moran won the Boys 10U 200 yd medley relay. The team of Ross, Ripp, Ripp, and Kieran Austin placed second in the Boys 10U 200 yd freestyle relay.
Apawamis’ Atlee Teilon, Eleanor English, Cameron Forbes, and Katherine Foley took third in the Girls 10U 200 yd Medley, as did RGC’s Girls 10U 200 yd Freestyle Relay team comprised of Katie Weidinger, Sarah Steeves, Julia Steeves, and Cecilia Neise. RGC’s 13U 200 yd Medley team of Megan Tiedeman, Lieve Geelen, Sophia Lord, Kayla Lombardo also placed third.
Individual swimmers who placed second in their events included: Storey Shefferman from Manursing Island Club in the Girls 12U 50 yd Backstroke; SSC’s Evan Ripp in the Boys 10U 50 yd Breaststroke; RGC’s Zachary Pestrikov in the Boys 13U 200 yd IM; and RGC’s Megan Tiedeman in the Girls 12U 50 yd Butterfly. Evan Ripp had the third highest score overall for the Boys teams.
As if the excitement of the competition itself wasn’t enough, on the third day of Counties, the skies erupted a few minutes before warm-ups. All the swimmers, staff, and volunteers had to evacuate the pool area forcing Day 3 to be held the same day as Day 4.
Shenorock Shore Club’s winning Boys 10 U yd Medley Relay team, from top left: Evan Ripp, Andrew Ripp, James Ross, Kieran Moran
