Blue Devil Girls’ Swimming
Continues Building
The Huntington High School girls’ swimming and diving team’s season was marked by many fine individual performances and continued efforts to build the team’s roster depth.
The 17-member strong roster was captained by Rachel Feltman, Jane Donovan and Emily Maggio. Head coach Christopher Helmke was assisted by Meg McConnell, who also worked with the Blue Devil divers.
The team’s top performers included Feltman, Patricia Arceri, Caroline McCartney, Sigrid Cassell, Noelle Harvey, Jessica Straub, Hailey Bengston and Nina Cartwright.
Huntington qualified swimmers or divers in10-of-12 events in the Suffolk championships/state qualifying meet, the greatest number in the past five years. “Individual best times continued to improve throughout the season, resulting in eight of our athletes advancing to the Suffolk County/state qualifier championship meet, where we improved our time in each event entered,” Helmke said.
Arceri emerged as one of Suffolk’s best 1-meter divers in only her second year of varsity competition. The eighth grader won the Sachem Diving Invitational and the Suffolk League III championship en route to a fourth place finish in the county finals.
Cassell, another talented eighth grader “is making a name for herself as she continues to add to our team’s success,” Helmke said. “This year her times qualified her to compete in seven different events at the county championships, but she could choose only four. It’s a great position to be in.”
The Blue Devils compiled a 2-3 record in league dual meets and went 2-5 overall, finishing fourth among six teams in the league standings and 13th in a field of 26 at the county championships. Feltman, Arceri, McCartney, Harvey, Cassell and Bengston earned All-League honors.
Huntington turned back Northport (60-41) and West Babylon (91-83). The Blue Devils dropped meets to Smithtown (95-83), Harborfields (101-68), Hauppauge (56-36), Sayville/Bayport-Blue Point (94-80) and East Hampton/Bridgehampton/Pierson (98-72).
“We are continuing to rebuild and recruit new swimmers and will graduate three athletes this year,” Helmke said. “We expect our remaining athletes to return as we continue to advance and improve upon our speed and team depth. I’m looking forward to next year!”