Short-handed SHEDI looks to perform in postseason meets

“The girls that were swimming did an excellent job trying to drop times and make points out of magic,” coach Tobey Saracino said. “I was very proud of them. When we asked them to put in a really great effort when it was a possible win, they really did absolutely everything they could.”

SHEDI looks forward to being competitive in divisionals later this month and sectionals next month.

“Divisionals is a great opportunity to see where we really fall in the division because of the fact that we’re going to be full strength,” coach Tobey Saracino said. “We’re going to have everybody back and it will definitely help with scoring because we were missing some big scorers. I think at this point we’re going to see some great swimming moving forward. I really don’t think at divisionals we’re going to be as low as our record showed this year.”

Edgemont’s lineup has been much improved this fall, led by senior captain Kate Anderson, who has five New York State cut times already in the 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and 500 freestyle. She’s also a half second from the 100 breaststroke cut.

“Kate has been on fire,” Saracino said. “She’s undefeated, has not lost an event all season.”

Sophomore Ashley Barlow has stepped up as a distance swimmer and junior Grace Barron has dropped time in the sprints. Freshman newcomer Tamsin Coulthard has been strong in the stroke events, the 100 breaststroke, 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley. “She did an excellent job and I’m really excited to see her swim at divisionals,” Saracino said. “We’re looking to see if she can drop two seconds in her races to make sectionals cuts.”

Sophomore Manon Jadot has a section cut in the 100 butterfly and has “done excellent this season, even in events that may not have been her best in her mind, like the 100 backstroke, but she was pretty much a kingpin in that event for us,” according to Saracino.

Lindsay Jaffe joined the team to dive, but the coaches weren’t aware and not prepared for that, so the sophomore contributed as a swimmer. Saracino said Jaffe was “very instrumental in our sprinting events.”

Freshman Serena Ke is “a little powerhouse,” who specializes in distance events. Senior Janice Lin “came out of nowhere this year” and dropped time in the 50 and 100 freestyle, becoming a “go-to” sprinter.

Senior captain Arielle Novominski dropped time in her main event, the 100 butterfly, and also improved her 50 and 100 to get into the A and B relays.

Saracino’s “little Rays,” senior captain Naina Ray and sophomore Nidhi Ray, both stepped up. Naina dropped times in the 50 free and the butterfly to make her mark in the 200 medley relay, while Nidhi has been dropping time in the 100 butterfly.

Sophomore Jonna Schwarz started the season “very strong” and improved in the sprints. Freshman Melissa Wang is also “one to watch” as she is strong in distance and can also compete in the stroke events, which Saracino said is “unusual.” Freshman Sophie Xie, who “always has a smile on her face” and is “always ready for feedback on how she can get faster,” has been very consistent in earning the team points in events like the 100 butterfly, 100 backstroke and 500 freestyle.

SHEDI is looking forward to divisionals the last weekend in October in part to help decide which relay to focus on for sectionals. “I think it will be telling what they do in fast suits and throwing down fast times to see what exactly we are up against moving forward,” Saracino said.

SHEDI roundup

Against Fox Lane on Oct. 12, Abigail Bartolacci, Coulthard, Jadot and Lin took second in the 200 medley relay in 1:59.24, Alyssum Wong, Wang, Ray and Novominski fourth in 2:13.52, Olivia Seidenberg, Ray, Julia Ryan and Barlow sixth in 2:25.80. Bartolacci won the 200 freestyle in 2:06.14, with Wang taking third, Paloma Dominguez sixth in 2:43.78.

Anderson won the 200 individual medley in 2:21.21, with Coulthard taking third, Xie sixth. Caitlin Sims took first in the 50 freestyle in 26.21, with Lin third in 27.58, Wong sixth in 29.81. This tied the score at 31-31.

SHEDI took its first lead of the meet with a one-four-five finish in the 100 butterfly: Jadot first in 1:03.09, following by Novominski in 1:16.34 and Nidhi Ray in 1:20.45. Fox Lane grabbed the lead back for good in the 100 freestyle with a one-two finish. Sims placed third in 1:01.41, Lin fifth in 1:05.27, Naina Ray sixth in 1:11.77.

Anderson won the 500 freestyle in 5:02.49. Wang was fourth in 6:08.40, Barlow sixth in 6:41.98. Sims, Lin, Coulthard and Anderson were the 200 freestyle relay runners-up in 1:49.50, while Wong, Ray, Novominski and Wang took fourth in 1:58.34, Ryan, Ray, Barlow and Cynthia Pintado sixth in 2:29.09.

Bartolacci won the 100 backstroke in 1:04.47. Jadot was fourth in 1:10.71, Wong sixth in 1:21.17. Coulthard was the 100 breaststroke runner-up in 1:15.04, Nidhi Ray fifth in 1:29.73, Seidenberg sixth in 1:41.01. With Fox Lane leading 87-69, Sims, Jadot, Bartolacci and Anderson won the 400 freestyle relay in 3:53.07. Novominski, Barlow, Xie and Ray placed fifth in 4:46.99, Ryan, Paloma Dominguez, Maya Batheja and Lillian McCarthy sixth in 5:08.68.

SHEDI led Ursuline 81-75 after the 100 breaststroke on Oct. 13, but Ursuline went one-two in the 400 freestyle relay to win the event points 12-2 and secure the win.

Bartolacci, Coulthard, Jadot and Anderson won the 200 medley relay in 1:55.90, with Wong, Wang, Ray and Ryan fourth in 2:13.21, Seidenberg, Ray, Xie and Novominski fifth in 2:23.77. Anderson won the 200 freestyle in 1:54.89, with Wong fifth in 2:49.13, Barlow sixth in 2:50.87.

Bartolacci won the 200 individual medley in 2:18.25. Coulthard placed fourth in 2:26.92, Wang sixth in 2:44.72. Sims was second in the 50 freestyle in 26.74, Lin third in 27.23, Novominski fourth in 28.64.

Jadot won the 100 butterfly in 1:04.71. Novominski was fifth in 1:15.89, Nidhi Ray sixth in 1:20.07.

In the 100 freestyle, Sims placed third in 1:01.13, Lin fourth in 1:03.77, Naina Ray sixth in 1:09.58. Anderson won the 500 freestyle in 5:08.74, Wang was fifth in 6:12.26, Pintado sixth in 7:48.77.

Sims, Bartolacci, Coulthard and Anderson took first in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:45.66. Wong, Lin, Ryan and Wang were third in 1:55.28, Ray, Xie, Dominguez and Batheja sixth in 2:08.41. Bartolacci won the 100 backstroke in 1:03.93. Wong was fourth in 1:16.02, Barlow fifth in 1:16.75.

Coulthard and Jadot went back to back in first and second in the 100 breaststroke in 1:14.37 and 1:18.05, respectively. Nidhi Ray was fifth in 1:27.88 to pick up 11 points.

By going one-two in the 400 freestyle relay, Ursuline clinched the meet. Novominski, Lin, Sims and Jadot took third in 4:09.35, Barlow, Xie, Ray and Ryan fourth in 4:43.30, Dominguez, Pintado, McCarthy and Ray sixth in 5:03.27.

In the final meet against Suffern on Oct. 17, Bartolacci, Coulthard, Jadot and Anderson won the 200 medley relay in 1:57.83, Wong, Wang, Ryan and Novominski third in 2:15.90 and the other SHEDI team was disqualified. Wang placed third in the 200 freestyle in 2:18.69, Barlow fifth in 2:27.37, Dominguez sixth in 2:48.98.

Anderson won the 200 individual medley in 2:11.65. Coulthard was fourth in 2:25.84, Batheja fifth in 3:17.93. In the 50 freestyle, Sims was the runner-up in 27.01, Lin fourth in 27.55, Novominski fifth in 30.23.

Suffern took all 13 points in diving, making a 32-30 lead into 45-30. SHEDI gained ground in the next two events, the 100 butterfly and the 100 freestyle. In the 100 fly, Bartolacci won in 1:03.08, Jadot was second in 1:06.05, Novominski sixth in 1:18.06. Anderson won the 100 free in 53.19. Sims was fourth in 1:01.48, Lin fifth in 1:04.03. SHEDI trailed 58-49, but dominant finishes by Suffern in the next three events blew the score wide open.

Suffern swept the 50 freestyle. Wang was fourth in 6:17.89, Barlow fifth in 6:43.73, Emma Silverman sixth in 9:03.37. Sims, Lin, Coulthard and Wang were second in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:52.89, Wong, Barlow, Ryan and Novominski fourth in 2:04.41, Pintado, Ray, Dominguez and Ray fifth in 2:10.23. Bartolacci was second in the 100 backstroke in 1:04.31, Naina Ray fifth in 1:19.26, Wong sixth in 1:20.14.

Coulthard won the 100 breaststroke in 1:14.85, with Jadot third in 1:19.79, Nidhi Ray fourth in 1:28.89. Sims, Bartolacci, Jadot and Anderson were second in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:56.82. Gordon, Barlow, Ryan and Lin were fourth in 4:38.71, Pintado, Dominguez, Ray and Ray sixth in 5:06.54.