Local Swimmers Help YMCA Team To Championship Win

The Western Connecticut YMCA Mako Swim Team, which includes several Newtown and Sandy Hook residents, won its fourth consecutive Yankee Cluster YMCA Swim Championship February 23–24. The meet was held at Middletown High School and 13 Connecticut-based YMCA teams participated. The Mako Swim Team’s home pool is in Brookfield at the Regional YMCA of Western Connecticut. “This fourth win is a great testament to how hard the kids have worked since the fall,” Head Coach Roger Simmons said. “It’s just amazing.”

The following are team members (including ages) from Newtown:

Katie Adams, 15

Kiley Banks, 9

Marcella Daily, 5             

Tara Dawley, 13              

Aless Delia, 13

Cami Delia, 8   

Colby Delia, 6  

George Delia, 14              

Hannah Delia, 10            

Clare Donnelly, 13          

Conor Donnelly, 14         

Evelyn Fahey, 14             

Sean Fahey, 13

Anthony Fiore, 17           

Luke Fiore, 15  

Chris Fragoso, 17            

Katie Fragoso, 15            

Tony Fragoso, 16             

Allen Hubbard Jr, 18     

Matt Iassogna, 15           

Zack Moliver, 19              

James O’Connor II, 17  

Daniel O’Connor Jr, 15  

Dawson N. Stout, 8         

Amanda Walsh, 10

Timmy Walsh, 10

            

 The following are team members from Sandy Hook:

Zach Carfi, 12  

Timmy Cervera, 8           

Tommy Horan IV, 8        

Richard Huffman, 11     

Abben Hung, 14               

Lizanne Kroon, 16           

Marlene Kroon, 15          

Chris Lafky, 9  

Nick Lafky, 12 

Hannah Makris, 9           

Here are results for each age group, including names, place, event and time for the point-getters:

8-And-Under

The boys had a dominant performance and won their division by more than 200 points. The boys, who took first in the Medley Relay and third in the Free Relay, were led by:

Michael Li (first in the 100 IM, 1:25.83; 25 Backstroke, 18.60; and 25 Breaststroke, 20.76)

Luke Wang (first in the 25 Butterfly, 18.00; third in the 100 IM, 1:36.28; and sixth in the 25 Backstroke, 20.55)

Billy Regan (first in the 50 Freestyle, 35.58; second in the 25 Free, 16.03; and 25 Breaststroke, 21.37)

Tommy Horan (second in the 50 Free, 35.67; and 25 Backstroke, 19.58; and fourth in the 25 Breaststroke, 19.77)

Packy Joyce (second in the 25 Breaststroke, 18.04; and fifth in the 100 IM, 1:51.89)

Chris Joyce (third in the 25 Free, 16.32; and 25 Backstroke, 19.61)

Nick Merkle (fourth in the 25 Free, 16.97; fifth in the 25 Breast, 23.16)

Mikey Poplardo (sixth in the 25 Breast, 24.55).

Other strong supporting swims were turned in by Jack Bednar, Timmy Cervera, Colby Delia, Daniel Islam, Timmy Joyce, Raj Kandhari and Greg Oakes.

The girls, who took third in their Free Relay, placed fourth overall with strong swims from:

Amelia Wootton (fifth in the 25 Breast, 25.42; sixth in the 100 IM, 1:44.64)

Daniel Canfield (sixth in the 25 Free, 17.21)

Claire Matlak (fifth in the 50 Free, 41.28)

Emily Mendelson (fourth in the 25 Breast, 23.25).

The following swimmers also contributed to the girls’ success:

Delaney Adams, Emma Beers, Sophie Bjornson, Maria Carter, Kayleigh Crane, Samantha D’Aquila, Cami Delia, Purvi Dudhedia, Julia Fernandez, Cate Herrick, Grace Herrick, Sara Hunt, Emily Kirshner, Rebecca Marques, Adrienne Miller, Rebecca Moen, Diana Oakes, Madelyn O’Leary, Becca Pendergast, Bibi Phadnis, Geneva Robles, Sophia Salerno, Victoria Salerno and Mia Steadman.

9- And 10-Year-Olds

The girls who won both of their relays and tied for first place, and the boys finished in fourth.

The girls were led by:

Amelia Bullock (first in the 50 Breast, 40.90; second in the 100 Breast, 1:28.33; fifth in the 100 IM, 1:23.41)

Megan Contarino (second in the 100 Back, 1:21.00; third in the 50 Back, 38.09; and 50 Fly, 36.66),

Melissa Jakubowski (fourth in the 50 Back, 38.70 and sixth in the 100 Back, 1:26.11)

Hannah Makris (sixth in the 50 Free, 33.55)

Gracie Regan (fifth in the 100 Free, 1:17.97)

Olivia Wootton (sixth in the 50 Back, 40.22).

Other great swims were provided by Kiley Banks, Ali Bowers, Rachel Brown, Abby Burke, Hannah Delia, Pooja Dudhedia, Carly Palicz, Elizabeth Schiesser, and Amanda Walsh.

The boys were led by:

Shai Wallman (second in the 50 Fly, 33.97; fourth in the 50 Free, 32.48)

Christian Ferrarie (third in the 100 Breast, 1:35.17; fourth in the 100 Free, 1:12.32)

Greg Krentsa (fourth in the 50 Fly, 39.28; sixth in the 50 Breast 47.63).

Ben Arne, Slater Bjornson, Jack Coyne, Alex Duffield, Josh Pendergast, Jeff Ragatz, Walter Robles, Chris Simmons, Timmy Walsh and Jack Whalen also did a great job to help the boys’ team.

11- And 12-Year-Olds

The boys took first place with a commanding performance, winning the Free and Medley Relays. The girls had an excellent effort with a second-place finish and two fifth-place showings in the relays.

The boys were led by:

Matt Moen (first in the 200 IM, 2:22.27; 50 Breast, 32.78; and 100 Breast, 1:11.91)

Nicholas Carlsen (first in the 50 Free, 26.77; second in the 50 Fly, 30.51; fourth in the 100 Back, 1:15.85)

Zach Carfi (second in the 200 IM, 2:30.89; and 100 Breast, 1:15.03; third in the 50 Breast, 34.13)

Scott Martin (second in the 100 Fly, 1:07.31; and 200 Free, 2:12.91; and third in the 50 Fly, 30.55)

Nick Miller (third in the 50 Back, 35.05; second in the 100 Back, 1:13.66; third in the 200 Free, 2:14.62)

Richard Huffman (second in the 50 Back, 33.26; third in the 100 Back, 1:15.15; fifth in the 50 Free, 29.50)

Dan Greenwood (fifth in the 50 Breast, 39.66)

Dan Krentsa (sixth in the 50 Free, 29.66).

Other key swimmers for the boys were Nick Arne, Tucker Bjornson, Zak Boston, James Canfield, Seamus Deakin, Jeffrey Janofsky, and Stephen Pendergast.

The girls were led by:

Maddy Smart (first in the 50 Breast, 36.75; second in the 200 IM, 2:35.30; and 100 Breast, 1:19.27)

Sam Palicz (third in the 50 Back, 34.39; sixth in the 100 Back, 1:15.10)

Eden Robles (third in the 100 Fly, 1:21.68)

Courtney Regan (sixth in the 100 Breast, 1:27.91).

Jessica Bieber, Anna Brown, Emily Carter, Anna Fernandez, Stephanie Ferrarie, Andrea Jelaska, Katie Kline, Lauren Matlak and Sarah Whalen provided excellent supporting swims.

13- And 14-Year-Olds

The boys won their Medley Relay and took second in the Free Relay.

The boys were led by:

Jeff Magin (third in the 100 Fly, 1:07.41; third in the 100 Free, 59.85; and 100 Back, 1:07.16)

Joe Buderwitz (fourth in the 100 Fly, 1:10.02; sixth in the 100 Breast, 1:19.29; fourth in the 200 IM, 2:30.56).

Zach Crane, Jack Dunn, and Drew Krentsa also had impressive swims for the boys.

The girls took third in the Medley Relay and fourth in the Free Relay.

The girls were led by:

Maggie Heaton (second in the 100 Fly, 1:05.17; sixth in the 50 Free, 27.58)

Kalli Melville (fourth in the 200 Free, 2:13.61)

Megan Melville (fifth in the 200 Free, 2:15.08).

Rebecca Almeida, Tara Dawley, Aless Delia, Erica Dembowski, Payal Dudhedia, Evelyn Fahey, Alexandra Kaeslin, Allie Leavey, and Shea Westlake also swam well for the girls.

15-And-Older

The girls had a strong showing, taking third in the Medley Relay and fourth in the Free Relay.

The girls were led by:

Kate O’Leary (first in the 100 Breast, 1:10.52; second in the 100 Free, 57.26; and sixth in the 50 Free, 26.53)

Carly Strelez (fourth in the 100 Breast, 1:14.35; fifth in the 200 IM, 2:28.55)

Heather Librizzi (second in the 100 Fly, 1:03.11)

Kathleen Marrese (fourth in the 100 Fly, 1:05.06).

Katie Adams, Amanda Bedini, Hannah Egbert, Katie Fragoso, Brittany Kearns, Kelsey Linstrum and Sam Martin also turned in good times.

As in past years, a handful of boys from the 11 & 12 and 13 & 14 age groups stepped up to swim with the 15-and-older swimmers, and turned in solid results. This year’s group included:

Kyle Winters, age 12 (second in the 200 IM, 2:35.39; third in the 100 Back, 1:12.29; fifth in the 100 Breast, 1:25.03)

Brendan Nabozny, age 14 (third in the 200 IM, 2:40.10; fourth in the 100 Back, 1:16.05; sixth in the 100 Free, 1:02.98),

Sean Fahey, age 13 (fourth in the 100 Fly, 1:41.26)

Ryan Kearns, age 13.