Of East Hampton High’s dozen fall sports teams only one, girls swimming, led its league as of Monday. Craig Brierley’s crew was 2-0 in League III competition and 3-3 over all as of that day.
In an emailed report, the coach said his swimmers had bested West Islip 57-42 in an away meet on Oct. 1, jumping out to a 16-2 lead, having finished one-two in the first two events, the 200-yard medley relay, and the 200 freestyle, which Lylah Metz won, with Lucy Knight second. The winning relay team comprised Vanessa Rizzo, Lizzy Daniels, Ava Castillo, and Maya Dias. Placing behind them were Ashley Leon, Lily Caplin, Valeria Gutierrez, and Ani Bedini.
“The girls took first in all but one event — two counting diving — and went one-two in six events,” said Brierley, who added that his captains afterward designated Kimi Atiencia, an East Hampton sophomore, and Sabina Piecyk, a Bridgehampton sophomore, as swimmers of the meet. “For both girls this is their first year on the team, and both are new to the sport of swimming. . . . Kimi and Sabina swam in the 400 free relay. The captains were impressed with their results, and wanted to recognize them because of their hard work, consistency, and dedication to the team. They’ve improved so quickly from the beginning of the season.”
The list of those setting records that day comprised Rizzo, with her 26.53-second leg in the 200 free relay; Sydney Powers, with her 28.16 leg in that relay and with her 1:03.43 leg in the 400 free relay, and Evann Castillo (1:10.72), Gutierrez (1:05.72), and Piecyk (1:12.17), all of whom swam season-best legs in the 400 freestyle relay. Rizzo’s 50 leg qualified her for the county meet.
West Islip’s pool presented problems, said Brierley, inasmuch as “it only has four lanes, and its liner at the walls was damaged, which made the turns challenging. But the girls responded wonderfully.”
Daniels won the third event, the 200 individual medley, in 2:22.68. Griffin won the 50 free in 27.59 and won the 100 free. Early won the 500 free. Rizzo, Cybelle Curry, Daniels, and Griffin won the 200 free relay. Ashley Leon won the 100 back-stroke. Daniels won the 100 breaststroke, and Dias, Evann Castillo, Powers, and Allison Farez won the 400 free relay. West Islip’s Keira Singer won the 100 butterfly, edging Ava Castillo by 1.19.
The swimmers, said Brierley, are wearing pink caps in October competitions for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Moreover, he said, Caplin, a Pierson junior, “has crafted pink ribbons that will be given out to the teams we go up against, showing our support for breast cancer survivors, patients, and for all who are affected by this disease. We also want to remember those who lost their lives to breast cancer.”
On the same subject, Cara Nelson, who coaches East Hampton’s girls soccer team, has asked that male and female soccer alums sign up with her and with the boys coach, Don McGovern, to play in a Kick Out Cancer fund-raising soccer game to be held at the high school on Saturday, Nov. 9, from noon to 2 p.m.
