Blue Devil Girls' Swimming Starts Fast
Chris Helmke said this would be a much better season than last year and the Huntington High School girls' swimming coach has already been proven correct. The Blue Devils won their first two meets this fall and boast a talented and deep roster.
Huntington has won a pair of non-league contests, besting Brentwood (92-88) and Deer Park (96-83). Along the way, the Blue Devils' 200 medley relay of Erica Flor, Samantha Mohr, Diana Harvey and Taylor Palmer "stepped up in a big way" with a county meet qualifying time in the event of 2:08.76, according to Helmke.
Under the tutelage of assistant coach Meg McConnell, Molly Arceri, who advanced to the state championships last year, continues to lead Huntington's contingent of divers. She captured first place in both meets and set the tone for fellow divers Rachel Feltmann and newcomer Emily DeGennaro. The group finished 1-2-3 against Brentwood.
The 200 freestyle relay has also sparked excitement as Diana Harvey, Phoebe Curran, Ginny Doherty and Caroline McCartney recorded a county qualifying time of 1:59.00 in the event.
Not to be outdone, the 400 freestyle relay turned in a county qualifying time as Diana Harvey, Taylor Palmer, Emily Maggio, and Erica Flor swam a swift 4:17.68.
Veterans Jessica Baik, Page Bond, Kaitlin Millner, Alana Alongi, Alexandra Durante and new comers Jessica Straub and Kayla Eidle are also expected to be among the top Blue Devil performers and add substantial depth to the team.
Huntington has turned the corner after finishing last season with a 1-9 mark. The returning swimmers are stronger and more experienced and an increasingly competitive unit.
"We look forward to a productive season," Helmke said.