The Bonac girls swimmers are looking ahead to the postseason. “The volume of their race pace training will start to decrease, though the level [and] quality of the intensity will stay consistent, as the girls continue to focus on their preparedness to race effectively,” wrote Craig Brierley, the head coach, in his weekly email update.
But first, the swimmers endured an intense week of competition last week, with a win over Sayville and a loss to Connetquot. East Hampton hadn’t beaten Sayville in “many years,” Brierley said, and the final score was a nailbiter — 92-91 in Bonac’s favor over a perennial rival.
“Their pool is a meter-distance pool, so it is a bit longer than what we are accustomed to,” the coach wrote. “They have three divers, so they would be earning 13 points from that that we would have to overcome. All that said, the girls were excited to get there and race, and that is what they can control.”
East Hampton took first and second place in the first event last Thursday against Sayville, the medley relay, jumping off to a 12-2 lead. Where Sayville landed in first multiple times, Bonac responded by scoring second, third, and fourth, earning valuable points for the team, Brierley said.
The 400 freestyle relay squads ultimately solidified East Hampton’s win in the last race of the meet, with Avienne O’Shea, Lylah Metz, Heidi Rizzo, and Vanessa Rizzo scooping up second place and Molly Grande, Lucy Knight, Mia Milazzo, and Ginger Griffin finishing third.
The prior Tuesday, Oct. 14, the meet against Connetquot was challenging, and Connetquot won, 94-86. “Our girls battled in every event, though, and gave Connetquot quality races throughout,” Brierley reported.
Lizzy Daniels, a senior captain, swam a personal-best and county-qualifying time of 57.23 seconds in the 100 free — an event in which she placed second — and earned first place in the 100 breast. Sydney Powers, a freshman, posted best times in the 50 free and 100 free, good enough for the county meet, too. Heidi Rizzo, an eighth grader, won the 500 free with a personal best as well, and her older sister, Vanessa, won the 100 back race.
Powers and Sabina Piecyk, a Bridgehampton High School sophomore who swims for East Hampton, were named swimmers of the meet against Connetquot. And at Sayville, the captains named three: Kimi Atiencia, a junior, Brynn Cunningham, a sophomore, and Mia Milazzo, a freshman.
The team was to have had its final matchup, against Central Islip, at home on Tuesday, also its senior night meet. The postseason is full of possibility, Brierely reported.
