Early in the season, the Niskayuna girls swim team had its sights set on winning a Section II championship.
The Silver Warriors achieved that goal Saturday at the Shenendehowa Aquatic Center as it claimed the Division I title with 470 points. Shen was second with 450 points, and Saratoga Springs placed third with 303 points.
`This is what we were trying to go for all season, and everything fell into place today,” said Niskayuna coach Steve Hall. `The kids were awesome. It was a total team effort, and I couldn’t be happier for them.`
Along the way, 12 Niskayuna swimmers qualified for the New York State Meet, including three of its relay teams. Senior Kina Zhou led the way by winning two individual titles and swimming on two championship relay teams. Her winning time of 50.18 seconds in the 100-yard freestyle qualifies her for All-American consideration, and she turned in an All-American consideration time of 2:04.10 in the 200 individual medley.
Zhou said her biggest thrill came when she was tabbed as the Division I scholar-athlete award winner.
`It’s the most amazing thing ever. Every year, I looked at who got it and knew I wanted it too,` said an emotional Zhou, who has a 4.0 grade point average and is headed to Yale. `I will miss Niskayuna. It was the best four years of my life.`
Zhou swam the first leg on Niskayuna’s winning 200 freestyle relay team, which turned in an All-American consideration time of 1:37.51. Zhou said she was disappointed with her split time of 24.72 seconds, though.
`I set high goals for myself,` Zhou said. `And I did not get off to a good start. I was upset with myself, but then I though I can let it get to me or I can use it as a motivator.`
Zhou chose the latter, as she helped the Niskayuna 400 freestyle relay team take first place with an All-American consideration time of 3:33.74.
Tacia Angelopoulos also had a big day for Niskayuna. The junior turned in a winning time of 58.90 seconds in the 100 butterfly, and her second place finish in the 200 freestyle met the state meet qualifying standard.
Niskayuna’s Maggie Wyngowski’s (100 butterfly), Mikayla Frodey (500 freestyle), Rachel Wurth (100 backstroke), Catherine Kaucic (100 backstroke), Grace Matuszyk (100 breaststroke) and Anna Vitolins (200 IM, 100 breaststroke) also earned berths in the state meet.
Guilderville’s Kelly Gao staged a major upset in the 50 freestyle. Entering Sectionals ranked 15th out of 16 swimmers, the sophomore won the finals with a time of 24.38 seconds.
`This is the best moment of my life,` said Gao, who also qualified for the state meet in the 100 freestyle. `Off the turn, it was a dead heat. I put my head down and gave it everything I got.`
Shen’s Emma Rupert, Tarah Killane and Julia Samson earned individual titles. Rupert won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:55.11, Killane claimed the 500 freestyle title with a time of 5:12.95 and Samson finished first in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.28 seconds. Saratoga’s Caroline Conboy won the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:05.89.
Samson also qualified in the 200 IM as did Bethlehem’s Grace Ayer, who set a personal record with a time of 2:05.60.
`I couldn’t believe when I saw my time,` said Ayer, who dropped four seconds of her personal best time. `I felt it in me. I went out fast and just dug in and went for it. I finished strong.`
Ayer also qualified for states in the 100 breaststroke, as did Rupert.
Other individual qualifiers include Bethlehem’s Lauren Zemering (50 and 100 freestyle), Shen’s Bridget Geary (50 freestyle, 100 breaststroke), Ballston Spa’s Paris Walkowiak (100 butterfly) and Shen’s Jennifer Lucius (100 backstroke).
The state meet is be November 15-17 in Ithaca.
