Swimming: Dobbs Ferry, Nyack and Eastchester win state championships
Dobbs Ferry's Lucy Walker of the combined Ardsley/Dobbs Ferry team came into the season knowing what her goal was: She wanted to be a state champion.
Saturday at the NYSPHSAA championships, her wish came true.
The UNC-Chapel Hill bound senior won the state championship in the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:49.20 at the Webster Aquatic Center. With the federation meet running at the same time, Sacred Heart's Cavan Gormsen won the federation time.
"(Winning the title) sounds like a dream come true," Walker said. "For the 200 free, I knew I had to go out fast and for it. I knew I had some tough competition but I had a shot to win."
The win for Walker, the reigning Section 1 champion in the event, is a first for the Ardsley/Dobbs Ferry program and she is excited for the future.
"When I was a freshman, on the newly combined Ardsley-Dobbs Ferry, I was just glad to be on the high school team. So it's been super exciting to help grow the team. I loved encouraging the younger swimmers and I'm wishing them and Coach Jackie (Cordero) the best next year."
In her second event, the 100 breaststroke, Walker was fifth.
Diving: Greeley's Kasulka and Somers' Wilkinson finish top 10 at NYSPHSAA championships
Girls swimming: Eastchester wins first ever Section 1 team championship
Nyack junior brings home first title since the 40s
The last time a Nyack swimmer won a NYSPHSAA and Federation title, it was 1940 and Gloria Gallen won in the 100 backstroke.
The Red Hawks can add another to that list and that's junior Cornelia Fox.
"It's really exciting to be here and win," Fox told NYSPHSAA after her race. "It was a great experience. It's really exciting and I'm happy to be here."
Fox, the reigning Section 1 champion in the event, won the title in the 100 free in a time of 51.33 seconds, just edging out Niagara-Wheatfield's Mira Keller who finished a little over two-tenths of a second behind for second place.
"I came here and wanted to beat my best time," Fox said. "I'm just happy to be here and race everybody."
In her second event, the 50 free, Fox tied for third with White Plains sophomore Saskia Aikman.
Eastchester wins relay title
The Eagles capped off a stellar season adding another first for the program.
They won the state championship in the 200-free relay. The quartet of Lucianna Gutierrez, Sofia Torres, Kait Sweeney and Lauren Miele won it in a time of 1:37.39.
Sacred Heart edged them out for the federation title.
Other Top 10 finishers
Section 1 had a lot of point scorers who finished in the top 10 in not only their individual events, but also in the relays.
Swimmers who finished in the top 10 in both of their individual events include:
Clarkstown's Isabella Budnik (fourth 200 free, fourth 100 free)
Pearl River's Mary Grace Guzzino (fourth 200 individual medley, third 100 breaststroke)
Edgemont's Kate Anderson of the combined Sleepy Hollow/Hastings/Edgemont/Irvington (seventh 200 free, fourth 500 free)
White Plains Sasika Aikman (tied for third 50 free, eighth 100 free)
In the relays, Section 1 had teams in all three relays finish in the top 10:
The combined Briarcliff/Pleasantville/Westlake/Valhalla and Clarkstown went second and sixth respectively in the 200 medley relay
John Jay finished sixth (seventh in the federation) in the 200 free relay
Eastchester was second (third in the federation) and Clarkstown was seventh (eighth in the federation) in the 400 free relay.
This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Swimming: Dobbs Ferry, Nyack, Eastchester win NY state titles
