The Yonkers combined girls’ swim team won its first meet of the season Sept. 6 at Peekskill, with a score of 89-69. The girls won all 11 events and never trailed from the start. The team has a roster of 30 girls from seven Yonkers public schools.
This is the third year the team has participated as a girls’ varsity program for Yonkers. Captains for the 2019 season are seniors Ofelia Valadez and Allison Velazquez of YHS, and senior Diana Martinez of SHS.
Individual event winners include: Arianna May of YHS in the 200-freestyle and 100-freestyle, Gianna Gennarelli of YHS in the 200-IM and 100-breaststroke, Emily Salazar of PEARLS in the 50-freestyle, Elina Del Castillo of PEARLS in the 100-butterfly and 100-backstroke, and Elena Pruthi of YMA in the 500-free.
Relay winners include: Del Castillo, Gennarelli, May and Martinez in the 200-medley; Valadez, Martinez, Justine Espino and Sneha Sarajevo in the 200-freestyle relay; and May, Sarkar, Del Castillo and Gennarelli in the 400-freestyle relay.
“We have a lot of leadership on this team with seven seniors and we also have a lot of new talent,” said Coach Julie Schoenlank. “Yonkers moved up a division from last year, and the competition will certainly be tougher. But we have been working hard in practice and the girls are ready to take on this challenge. I’m positive some of the pool records will fall and we will prove again we are a strong team.”
