Amherst wins final two meets

BREATHE - Sweet Home's Paige Gutowski finishes a couple hundredths of a second short in the 100-yard butterfly to place second in the event against Jamestown last Tuesday at Sweet Home. Sweet Home lost, 97-83. Photo by Joe Eberle Purchase color photos at www.BeeNews.com

The Amherst varsity girls swimming team won its final two meets to end the regular season with an overall record of 6-3.

"We are very excited to have another winning season," said coach Kim Skomra.

"Our girls have worked very hard and have really performed above our expectations so far," added coach Deb Sullivan.

Amherst began last week with a hard-fought 51-47 road win last Tuesday against cross-town rival Williamsville South.

The 200 medley and 200 free relay teams of Eva Lankes, Kaelyn Sullivan, Ellie Poleon and Michelle Niblock were victorious, as well as single event winners Lankes (60 free), Niblock (100 fly), Poleon (500 free), Sullivan (100 breast) and Sarah Masters (1-meter diving).

Personal-best times were recorded all over the pool for Amherst, including Emily Call (200 free), Sullivan (100 free, 100 breast), Poleon and Kristin Scaringi (500 free), Larissa Kumm (100 back), Hannah Bleichfeld (100 breast) and Charlotte Drozda (100 free).

"This was an important win for us," said Skomra. "We beat them last year by three points, so we knew it would be close."

For South, Alaina Laszewski set a school and pool record in the 100 back with a 102.51. The sophomore also beat her own school record set the week before in the 200 IM with a time of 149.94.

Other first-place finishes came from Jenny Rogers in the 100 and 200 free. Strong contributors were Jackie Jordan, Erin Rogers, Bridget Dix, Jessica Gordon and Kate Mikoley.

The Lady Billies finished the regular season 5-5.

Amherst's final dual meet of the season was a decisive 114-64 home win last Friday over West Seneca East.

Amherst had several double event winners, including Poleon (200, 500 free), Lankes (50 free, 100 back), and the 200 medley and free relay teams of Lankes, Sullivan, Poleon and Niblock. Niblock won the 100 fly, Sullivan won the 100 breast and Masters won diving.

Drozda recorded personal-best times in the 200 IM and the 100 fly, as did Sullivan in the 50 free and Niblock in the 100 free. Joanna Bardak and Kinsey Kolega swam best times in the 100 free while Allison Scaringi swam well in the 100 breast and Julia Buscaglia hit best times in the 50 free and 100 back.

Amherst qualified 16 girls for the upcoming ECIC meet for swimming and diving being held at Sweet Home this weekend.