Sweet Home returns state qualifier
by PATRICK J. NAGY Reporter

Sweet Home sophomore Paige Gutowski advanced to last year's New York State Championships in the 200-yard individual medley. She missed the state cut time in the 100 breaststroke by a hundredth of a point. Gutowski has already been part of four school records. File photo

Sweet Home graduated one of its swimmers who qualified for the New York State Championships and returns another.

Lady Panthers coach Dan Mc- Carthy graduated Bethany Fried, a state qualifier in the 500-yard freestyle, but returns sophomore Paige Gutowski, who qualified for states as a freshman in the 200-yard individual medley and missed the state cut time in the 100 breaststroke by a hundredth of a point.

Gutowski holds the school record in the 200 IM (2:12.13) and 100 breast (1:08.51). The 200 IM is also a Sweet Home pool record. Gutowski was also a member of the school's record-setting 200 (1:44.67) and 400 (3:49.17) free relays, respectively. At last year's ECICs, the 200 free relay took third; the 400 free relay finished second. At sectionals, the 200 free relay was fourth; the 400 free relay came in sixth.

At this past summer's Empire State Games, Gutowski won gold in the scholastic women's 200 IM and 200 breast, silver in the 100 breast and bronze in the 400 medley relay.

Also returning are senior Sarah Mazuchowski and juniors Caitlin Schwinge and Kaitlin Mergler.

Mazuchowski was on the team's 200 and 400 free relays last year and was a sectional finalist in the 200 and 500 free. Mazuchowski also swam for Western at the ESGs. Mazuchowski and senior Leeanne Retzer are the team captains.

Schwinge has participated at ECICs for the last two years. McCarthy said she will swim wherever she is needed and will take over Fried's spot on the 200 and 400 free relay. Schwinge swims year round with the Tonawanda Titans.

Mergler swam with Mazuchowski and Gutowski on the 200 and 400 free relays and was a finalist at ECICs and sectionals last year in the 50 and 100 free. Mergler also swims with Sweet Home Aquatics, a year-round swim program.

Junior Jamie Levin and sophomore Erica Reeb are the Lady Panther divers. Both competed on the school's girls gymnastics team last year.

McCarthy also has 15 freshmen that swam modified last year under coach Dick Brewer.

"They all will contribute in someway, even if just filling in the holes left by Bethany," said Mc- Carthy.

Sweet Home finished 4-4 last year. McCarthy said his team is looking forward to meets against Hamburg and West Seneca West.

"Both meets last year were tough and we will need to be at our best," said McCarthy.

Sweet Home opened its season with a road meet at Lancaster on Tuesday. They host Hamburg on Friday.
Sweet Home 2007 Schedule
9-21 Hamburg............... 4:45 p.m.

9-25 at Clarence........... 4:30 p.m.
9-28 Frontier................. 4:30 p.m.
10-2 at North ..................... 5 p.m.
10-5 Orchard Park....... 4:45 p.m.
10-12 at W.S. West ....... 4:30 p.m.
10-16 Jamestown .............. 5 p.m.
10-25 ECIC swim prelims (Sweet
Home).................................... TBA
10-26 ECIC diving (Sweet
Home)...................................... TBA
10-27 ECIC swim finals (Sweet
Home).................................... TBA
11-8 Section VI Championships
swim prelims (ECC-City) .... TBA
11-9 Section VI Championships
diving (Fredonia State College)
.................................................. TBA
11-10 Section VI Championships
swim finals (ECC-City) ....... TBA
e-mail: pnagy@beenews.com