The Yonkers Combined Girls Varsity Swim Team recently finished their season with a 7-3 record, and an 18th place finish at Section I Championships.
The team had 19 members on the roster from 6 different Yonkers Public Schools. The swim meets were virtual, with each competing team swimming at their own pool on the same day. Two officials certified the meet, and the times were entered into a database, which later showed the results of the competition.
“It was a really enjoyable season” Coach Schoenlank said. “It was difficult not having another team present during the meets, but we were able to motivate one another to the best of our abilities, and we were able to break several team records.”
Two of the records were broken by Saunders Freshman, Maichina Gennerelli. Gennerelli broke the 200 and 500 freestyle records, then broke her own record again at Championships. The previous record in the 500 stood for nearly 20 years.
Gennerelli enjoyed her first year on the team, but it was a unique season for the freshman, “The most challenging thing about this season was trying to go fast without having anyone to race, “ Gennerelli said, “but I’m lucky to have great friends on the team and amazing coaches to push me even when I think I can’t go any faster.”
Girls swimming is usually a fall sport, but was postponed to the spring due to COVID. Senior Co-Captains, Joscelyn Galindo and Justine Espino competed in their final season for Yonkers. “This team means so much to me, and I was very glad I had the chance to come back for one final year to be with everyone”, said Galindo. “At first, it wasn’t guaranteed that we would even have a season-the start kept getting pushed back.”
Espino added, “It was so great to get back in the pool again after almost a year and a half. We missed not having more people in the pool and in the stands to cheer us on, but we were able to have a winning season nonetheless.”
The team will hopefully reunite in a few months to start the fall 2021 season. “Overall, we are a young team, and were really successful during this abbreviated season,” Coach Schoenlank said. “We have high expectations for next year, hopefully with teams competing in-person again. I’m excited to see what we can do.”
Section I Championship Results:
Maichina Gennerelli, finished 12th in the 200 free, and 6th in the 500 free:
In the 400 freestyle relay, finishing in 13th were the team of Elina DelCastillo, 8th grade, PEARLS, Gianna Gennerelli, SO, Yonkers HS Emily Salazar, FR, Gorton HS Maichina Gennerelli, FR, Saunders.
