OCEAN CITY – The Red Raiders girls swim team started pretty much as expected Thursday, losing a close meet to a strong Egg Harbor Township team at the Ocean City Aquatic and Fitness Center.
“It was as good of a start as we could have had for the season,” head coach Ian Keyser said. “EHT is the defending division champs from last year so they’re always one of the toughest opponents in the (Cape-Atlantic League). The scored 108 points on us last year so a 93-77 score shows we’re moving in the right direction.
“They’re always kind of that benchmark for the CAL so to stick with them and have a tight meet is a great start to the season,” he said.
Overall, Keyser is excited about his 2022-23 swim teaming spite of its young age and graduating a pretty solid senior class last year.
“Olivia Scherbin was the most valuable swimmer at the CAL championships last year; filling her shoes is going to be tough this year,” Keyser said. “The bulk of our team are sophomores and juniors who have some big shoes to fill, but I think we’re in a great spot. I think we can only get better every meet.
“It’s a great start,” he said right after last week’s meet, “but we have a lot of work to do still.
This year’s team captains are seniors Vanna Kelly, Nina DiPilato and Liz Abbott. “They have been on our varsity team for four years now and we’re looking forward to them in leadership roles,” Keyser said.
Among those leading the way in the pool this year are what Keyser calls “some of our returning all-stars.” He named junior Kelsea Cooke, sophomore Rachel Stauffer and sophomore Abby Hays, who was a double winner against EHT, taking the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke. “She is going to be very solid. She was hurt half of last year. Getting her back for a full season is huge,” he said, nothing other scorers include Mia Buonadonna and Sofia Petrov.
“We have a good foundation for the next couple of years,” Keyser said.
Mark Jamieson, the head coach of the boys and girls teams at EHT, is well known in Ocean City as the operations chief of the Ocean City Beach Patrol.
He said his team was missing some key players due to injury and illness and some of his swimmers “got shifted around to some unnatural events, but they didn’t complain. It was a team effort all the way through tonight.
“We’re excited to see where we can capitalize and build upon last year’s performances and with the realigning of the conferences the girls have a lot stiff competition this year and we’re really excited to see how they handle that adversity and the times that results from that challenge,” he said.
Jamieson said Katie Carlos and Julia Latham both had great meets against Ocean City. “The relays were very strong with Denise Yushan, Rachel Yushan, and Summer DeWitt had a great performance today. So many things to build on. It’s exciting to be back.
“It’s a quick season so we have to hold on tight and pray for the best and go fast.”
EHT 93, OCHS 77
200 medley relay – EHT’s Katie Carlos, Denise Yushan, Kayla Nguyen and Summer DeWitt (2:05.79) were first. Raiders Mia Buonadonna, Abby Hays, Rachel Stauffer and Kelsea Cooke were second and Ryan Cooke, Julianna Duff, Sofia Petrov and Mia Gallagher were third.
200 freestyle – EHT’s Julia Latham (2:16.50), Sydney Moore and Jasmine Chen were first, second and fifth. Raiders Callie Bellwoar and Kalyn Baron were third and fourth.
200 individual medley – Ocean City’s Hays (2:33.73) was first and teammate Petrov fifth. EHT’s Denise Yushan, Rachel Yushan and Meredith Elko were second, third and fourth.
50 freestyle – EHT’s Nguyen (29.18) and Jewel Mallari were first and fifth. Raiders Ryan Cooke, Kelsea Cooke and Mia Gallagher were second, third and fourth.
100 butterfly: Nguyen (1:06.55) and DeWitt were first and third. Raiders Stauffer, Baron and Vanna Kelly were second, fourth and fifth.
100 freestyle – EHT’s Katie Carlos (1:02.67) and Chen were first and fifth. Raiders Buonadonna, Kelsea Cooke and Nina DiPilato were second, third and fourth.
400 freestyle – Latham (4:46.52), Moore and Natalie Yankovitch were first, second and fourth. Raiders Bellwoar and Marina Zappone were third and fifth.
200 freestyle relay – Denise Yushan, Rachel Yushan, Nguyen and Latham (1:58.71) were first. Raiders Hays, Petrov, Baron and Kelsea Cooke were second and Gallagher, Morgan Lancaster, Breanna Fabi and DiPilato were third.
100 backstroke – Carlos (1:06.63), DeWitt and Elko were first, fourth and fifth. Raiders Stauffer and Buonadonna were second and third.
100 breaststroke – Ocean City’s Hays (1:19.10) was first and teammates Petrov and Duff were third and fifth. EHT’s Denise Yushan and Rachel Yushan were second and fourth.
400 freestyle relay – EHT’s Latham, Carlos, Sydney Moore and DeWitt (4:23.12) were first. Raiders Baron, Bellwoar, Stauffer and Buonadonna were second and teammates DiPilato, Gallagher, Fabi and Ryan Cooke were third.
By DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
