A team composed of 17 swimmers from Rye High, five from Rye Neck, and junior freestyler Jack Vecsey from Blind Brook stepped up a division this year to compete against Section 1’s top teams. While the dual meet results weren’t stellar, Head Swim Coach Stephanie Schilling and Coach Brinn McGuire saw nine of their boys qualify to compete in Sectionals at Clarkstown’s Felix Festa School earlier this week.
While the team came in 14th and didn’t qualify for States, several swimmers set personal bests. Garnet senior Greg Schoeman placed 9th in both the 50 free and 100 free, winning each of his heats. His classmate, co-captain Brendan Egan, placed 14th in the 100 fly.
The 200 free relay team, consisting of Schoeman, Egan, and two freshmen — Rye’s Geoffrey Lien and Rye Neck’s Dylan Spencer — came in eighth in a time of 1:32.63. The 400 free relay, with Rye senior co-captain and butterfly standout Ethan Fuchs and junior Will O’Connor joining Lien and Egan, came in 14thin 3:34.79, eight-hundredths of a second behind Pelham. Personal records were set in both races.
The one athlete moving on to States is Rye’s senior diver and co-captain Michael Ackert, who finished third with 338.25 points, behind Clarkstown’s Daniel Alaimo and Peekskill’s Ioannis Schattman. He’ll compete with the rest of the Section 1 team at Eisenhower Aquatic Center in East Meadow, Long Island, March 2 and 3.
Coach Stephanie Schilling joins her swimmers, back row, from left: Brendan Egan, Will O’Connor, David Syphers, and Jack Cicchiello; front row: Ethan Fuchs, Michael Ackert, Gregory Schoeman, Geoffrey Lien, and Dylan Spencer. Not pictured: Jack Vecsey.By Mitch Silver