John Jay-North Salem Takes Swim Meet over Somers-Yorktown

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On Wednesday October 15, John Jay-North Salem traveled to the Mildred E. Strang Middle School in Yorktown Heights and faced the combined Somers Yorktown team in a cross town swim meet. So by the time clocks stopped ticking on the scoreboard, the visiting team was far from being all wet.

John Jay North Salem won the day by a score of 54 to 40.

Katie O’Donnell helped lead the way for her team with three first place finishes on the day. Starting out with the 200 Meter Medley Relay, first place (2:01.57) was shared with Taylor Belloni, Isabelle Hehman and Abbey Hehman. “We all swim on different club teams, and this was a nice opportunity to all swim together in the same swiming pool,” she said. “We are all supportive of each other because it’s an individual sport but it is definitely a team sport.”

The 400 meter free relay had some pretty good synergy too. It was first place (4:03.90) for O’Donnell and Lily Wagner, Cassidy Horel and Abbey Hehman.

Individually, O’Donnell didn’t back out either. In the 100 Meter Backstroke, first place (1:04.82) had her knowing exactly where she was in the blue water. Practicing hard six days a week, she said, “I’m very familiar with my strokes. So it’s normally four or five strokes before I hit the flag.”

Facing forward in the water, Taylor Belloni had two first place finishes and a pair of shinny silver medal finishes. First in the 100 Meter Breaststroke (1:14.77), the choice was an easy one when she started to take up swimming as a sport. “I kept doing it, because that is the one I was naturally good at,” said Belloni.

Of course, there’s no blind spot on the tricky turn, but that doesn’t make it any easier for a good swimmer to learn. “It’s a lot of trial and error,” she assured.

Water going up the nose is never a good thing but the remedy is pretty simple. “You’re supposed to breath out, but sometimes you still get water going up there,” said Belloni with a smile

She also offered insight on why the starting dive doesn’t skim off the top of the water. “When you go down deep you can have more time underwater, and that’s a lot faster than swimming through,” she revealed.

First place in the 200 Meter Medley relay followed and so did second place finishes in the 200 meter individual medley and the 200 Meter Free stlye Relay.

All together, Cassidy Horel finished first in the 100 Meter Free style and second in the 200 Meter Free style, Lily Wagner was second in the 500 meter and Abbey Hehman took first in the 50 Meter Free style and second in the 100 meter Free style. Her sister Isabelle won silver in the 50 meter free style and third in the 100 Meter Fly, while Ella Finerty took first place in the 500 meter marathon race.

If you are looking for a photo for any sport at any level, I can be reached at 914 318 0997 or email me at [email protected].

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