Katonah wins final swim and dive meet of regular season

In a rare match-up with another Town of Bedford swim team, Katonah Swim and Dive Team concluded the regular season with a 287-259 win over Bedford Village on Monday, July 27th. That put Katonah’s Division II record at 3-1-1 and ensures they remain in that division next year.

“It has been awhile since we have went up against one of our fellow town teams in a dual meet so it was great seeing many familiar faces,” said Katonah head swim coach Jessica Frank. “Finishing out the summer swimming and diving with a fellow town team definitely highlights the community aspect of the summer swim and dive season. “

Several Katonah swimmers were aiming for an undefeated season in individual events plus one team record was broken to add even more excitement to this competition. Scott Esposito and Kaz Sampson stayed undefeated for the season in two events. Scott won all of his 10 and under butterfly and freestyle events, and Kaz took first in each of his 18 and under breast and freestyle swims. Elizabeth Gaza was undefeated in all her 8U freestyle events and Brian Crane took all the 14U fly swims this summer, one of which was a record breaker. The 15U boys relay of Jack Buckley, Brian Crane, Zach Boies and Sam Sweeney took 2 seconds off the old team record to secure a first-place finish and their names in the Katonah record books. Actually, Jack, Zach and Sam were already in the record books, as they were part of the previous record-holding relay.

The meet began with diving and yet another threat of a storm. Katonah’s 13 and under girls swept their event with Maddie Geary, Mariel Lovejoy and Gabriella DeCicco taking the first, second and third spots. Jay Kramer stepped to the diving board for the first time this season and secured a second place finish for the 13U boys. The same girl divers also competed in the 18U category, with Maddie taking second, Gabriella third and Mariel fourth.

Katonah and Bedford Village split the backstroke wins and no team appeared to take the advantage. First-place finishers for Katonah were Daniela Dziedzic, Scott Esposito, Johanna Ryder, Erin Wolter and Brian Crane. Other swimmers placing for Katonah were Katherine O’Donnell 3rd, Dakota Cameron 4th, and Thomas Brown 2nd in 8U; Jay Kramer 2nd in 10U; Maya Luongo 2nd, Kate Buckley 3rd, Claire Gaza 4th, Michael O’Donnell 2nd, Luke Spieler 3rd, Brendan Willingham 4th in 12U; Maddie McLoughlin 4th, Jack Buckley 3rd, Brian Crane 4th in 14U; Lauren Wolter 2nd, Mary Helen Baudinet 3rd, Sam Sweeney 2nd, Thomas Gaza 4th in 18U.

No team pulled away in the breaststroke event either, with yet another split of the wins and only one 1-2 finish by Katonah, that in the girls 14U by Lily Buckley and Linn Carbaugh. 8U Daniela Dziedzic grabbed her second win of the meet as she took first place to kick off breaststroke. Also taking first place were Caitlin Shepherd and Jay Kramer in 10U and Kaz Sampson in 18U. That win for Kaz secured his undefeated status for the season, and he came close to breaking his own record! Swimmers securing those much-needed points for Katonah were Elizabeth Gaza 3rd, Thomas Brown 3rd, Quinn Washburn 4th in 8U; Lucy Durkin 3rd and Luke Spieler 3rd in 10U; Kate Buckley 2nd, Kieran Brown 2nd, Cody Siegel 3rd, Brendan Willingham 4th in 12U; Zach Boies 2nd and Jack Buckley 3rd in 14U; Mary Helen Baudinet 3rd, Lucy Siegel 4th, Kevin Crane 4th in 18U.

Momentum shifted to the Katonah team during butterfly, the team winning 6 of the 10 first places with both the girls and boys 14U swimmers sweeping their events. Lily Buckley, Erin Wolter and Linn Carbaugh swept for the 14U girls, with Lily getting her second first-place finish for the meet. Brian Crane, Zach Boies and Jack Buckley went 1-2-3 for the boys. Katonah powered ahead with first place wins from Scott Esposito and Kaz Sampson, plus 1-2 finishes by Elizabeth Gaza and Katherine O’Donnell in 8U, and Maya Luongo and Claire Gaza for 12U. With their wins in fly, Scott Esposito and Brian Crane finished the season undefeated in that stroke. Also contributing for Katonah were Thomas Brown 2nd and Josh Tovar 3rd in 8U, Lucy Durkin 3rd and Owen Morabito 3rd for 10U, Kieran Brown 2nd for 12U, Mary Helen Baudinet 2nd, Lauren Wolter 3rd and Sam Sweeney 4th in 18U.

Katonah added to their lead in the freestyle event, taking 7 first places and sweeping two of the heats. Elizabeth Gaza, Sarah Swiderski and Molly Buckley went 1-2-3 for 8U and Lily Buckley, Erin Wolter and Linn Carbaugh did the same for 14U. Elizabeth’s win secured her undefeated status for the season in freestyle, and Lily’s win gave her three first-places for the meet! Scott Esposito and Kaz Sampson not only became triple winners with their first-place finishes in 10U and 18U, but they also finished the season undefeated in that stroke. Katherine O’Donnell, Maya Luongo and Zach Boies were Katonah’s other first-place winners. Adding to Katonah’s total were Aoife Canning 2nd and Isabella Dziedzic 4th in 6U; Josh Tovar 2nd in 8U; Johanna Ryder 2nd and Michael O’Donnell 2nd in 10U; Claire Gaza 3rd, Kieran Brown 2nd and Cody Siegel 4th in 12U; Brian Crane 2nd 14U; Lauren Wolter 3rd and Sam Sweeney 4th in 18U.

The meet ended with Katonah taking 3 of the 4 relays, highlighted by a recording-breaking swim for the 15U boys. Jack Buckley, Brian Crane, Zach Boies and Sam Sweeney won the event by smashing the previous time by 2 seconds. The other winning relays were 11U Jay Kramer, Michael O’Donnell, Scott Esposito and Kieran Brown and 15U Lucy Siegel, Linn Carbaugh, Erin Wolter and Lily Buckley.

Triple Winners

Lily Buckley – 14U breast, fly, free

Scott Esposito – 10U back, fly, free

Kaz Sampson – 18U breast, fly, free

Double Winners

Brian Crane – 14U back, fly

Daniela Dziedzic – 8U back, breast

Elizabeth Gaza – 8U fly, free

Maya Luongo – 12U fly, free

Single Winners

Zach Boies – 14U free

Jay Kramer - 10U breast

Katherine O’Donnell – 6U free

Johanna Ryder – 10U back

Caitlin Shepherd – 10U breast

Erin Wolter – 14U back

Relay Winners

11U Jay Kramer, Michael O’Donnell, Scott Esposito, Kieran Brown

15U Girls Lucy Siegel, Linn Carbaugh, Erin Wolter, Lily Buckley

15U Boys Jack Buckley, Brian Crane, Zach Boies, Sam Sweeney

Undefeated Season

Zach Boies – 14U Free

Elizabeth Gaza – 8U free

Scott Esposito – 10U fly, free

Brian Crane – 14U fly

Kaz Sampson – 18U breast, free

Photos courtesy of Ke