School Swimming: Zhou, Bickel lead strong state meet contingent

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jim Schiltz

Defending champions Kina Zhou of Niskayuna and Jenna Bickel of Guilderland/Voorheesville will lead a strong Section II cast competing for state swimming and diving honors Friday and Saturday at Erie Community College in Buffalo.

Zhou won the 100-yard freestyle, and Bickel won the 100 backstroke last year, and are seeded No. 1 in those events. Section II athletes are seeded No. 1 in six of the 12 events.

“We’re in a good place going into states. Right now, Section II is probably at the greatest point it’s ever been at in swimming. There’s so many talented girls from so many different schools that the level of swimming is so high right now,” said Niskayuna coach Steven Hall. “We’ve just got to capitalize on that and bring it to states to see if we can take that team title there.”

Section II placed second to Section I in the team race at the 2010 state meet. Zhou not only won the 100 free that day, but also set a Section II record with a second place in the 200 free (1:50.24), and helped Niskayuna take second in the 400 free relay and third in the 200 free relay.

“She’s worked twice as hard as last year,” Hall said of Zhou, a junior. “She has big goals, and by that commitment, she has a good chance to reach those goals.”

Zhou won both the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly at the Section II championships two weeks ago. She’s the No. 1 100 free seed with a 51.39, and is No. 2 in the 200 free (1:51.59) behind Olivia Samson of Shenendehowa (1:51.40).

Zhou will also swim on Niskayuna’s No. 1-seeded 200 medley relay (1:47.71) that set a Section II record at the sectionals, and on its 400 free relay (3:29.80) that zipped to a state record at the sectionals. Catherine Kaucic, Grace Matuszyk and Maggie Jordan were members of that 200 medley relay. Mikayla Frodey, Emma Terwilliger and Jordan were part of that automatic All-American 400 free relay.

Shenendehowa is seeded No. 3 in the 200 free relay, with Bridget Geary, Julia Samson, Katherine Orr and Olivia Samson setting a Section II record (1:37.96) in the event two weeks ago. With that performance, The Lady Plainsmen took down the area record that Niskayuna had set at last year’s state meet (1:38.21).

Shenendehowa is also seeded

No. 2 in the 200 medley relay (1:48.50) with Geary, the Samson sisters and Susie Schwarz.

Olivia Samson is No. 3 in the 500 free (4:58.41) after setting a Section II record in the event at the sectional championships.

Bickel broke her own Section II 100 back record at the sectionals in earning her No. 1 seed, going 55.54 to top her previous-best of 56.24. She clocked a winning 56.30 at the state championships last year as a junior.

“I was hoping to get that at states. I didn’t think I would get it at sectionals,” Bickel said at the Section II meet, after posting her automatic All-American time of 55.54. “I’m so excited about that.”

Ballston Spa sophomore Addison Walkowiak is the No. 1 diving seed after winning the sectional title for the fourth year in a row with 548.30 points. The No. 2 seed is Shannon McNamara of Warwick (513.55).

“That’s a real credit to swimming and diving in this area and where it’s gotten to,” Shenendehowa coach Chuck Dunham said of the six No. 1 seeds. “A lot of the high school coaches and club coaches and the athletes in the area have really raised the bar. Section II is very healthy.”

Swimming preliminaries begin Friday at noon, and diving preliminaries and semifinals start at 4. Saturday’s finals are set for 10:15.

STATE MEET SEEDS

(Listed are top three in each event, and all Section II qualifiers)

200 medley relay — 1. Niskayuna, 1:47.71; 2. Shenendehowa, 1:48.50; 3. St. Anthonys, 1:48.54; 5. Bethlehem, 1:48.61.

200 freestyle — 1. Olivia Samson (Shenendehowa), 1:51.4; 2. Kina Zhou (Niskayuna), 1:51.59; 3. Molly Treble (Massapequa), 1:51.82; 6. Emma Terwilliger (Niskayuna), 1:52.85; 7. Katherine Orr (Shenendehowa), 1:52.89; 11. Leanne Archer (Niskayuna), 1:54.65; 29. Mikayla Frodey (Niskayuna), 1:56.88; 39. Sara Swett (Burnt Hills), 1:57.61; 40. Kaitlin Cahill (Troy), 1:57.73.

200 individual medley — 1. Annie Zhu (Brooklyn Tech), 1:59.43; 2. Olivia Chan (Sewanhaka), 2:04.16; 3. Morgan Fairclough (Monroe-Woodbry), 2:07.02; 5. Julia Samson (Shenendehowa), 2:07.58; 14. Grace Ayer (Bethlehem), 2:10.25; 21. Bethany Powhida (Bethlehem), 2:11.79.

50 freestyle — 1. Cari Stankaitis (Highland Falls), 23.57; 2. Lindsey Sagasta (Kenmore-West), 23.67; 3. Dina Rommel (Clarence), 23.74; 7. Maggie Jordan (Niskayuna), 24.13; 11. Lauren Zemering (Bethlehem), 24.30; 21. Jenna Bickel (Guilderland/Voorheesville), 24.63; 40. Grace Matuszyk (Niskayuna), 24.93.

Diving — 1. Addison Walkowiak (Ballston Spa), 548.30; 2. Shannon McNamara (Warwick), 513.55; 3. Molly Arceri (Huntington), 499.25; 5. Meghan Bartlett (Fonda/Johnstown), 465.15; 8. Lauren Katz (Burnt Hills), 462.00; 18. Frances Yanover (Albany Academy), 425.05.

100 butterfly — 1. Joyce Kwok (Francis Lewis), 55.47; 2. Summer Schmitt (Christian Brothers Academy-Syr), 55.94; 3. Rachel Kim (Clarkstown), 56.65; 14. Maggie Jordan (Niskayuna), 58.55.

100 freestyle — 1. Kina Zhou (Niskayuna), 51.39; 2. Sarah Baxter (Canandaigua), 51.60; 3. Lindsey Sagasta (Kenmore-West), 51.77; 6. Tara O’Donnell (Bethlehem), 52.64; 9. Lauren Zemering (Bethlehem), 52.78; 16. Emma Terwilliger (Niskayuna), 53.43.

500 freestyle — 1. Sydney Modeas (Clarence), 4:56.45; 2. Brittany Friese (Newburgh), 4:57.76; 3. Olivia Samson (Shenendehowa), 4:58.41; 11. Leanne Archer (Niskayuna), 5:09.01; 24. Katherine Orr (Shenendehowa), 5:12.79; 25. Sara Swett (Burnt Hills), 5:13.19; 33. Karly Haraden (Ballston Spa), 5:14.95.

200 freestyle relay — 1. Rush-Henrietta, 1:37.73; 2. Clarence, 1:37.82 (AAC); 3. Shenendehowa, 1:37.96; 6. Niskayuna, 1:39.11; 27. Guilderland/Voorheesville, 1:41.82.

100 backstroke — 1. Jenna Bickel (Guilderland/Voorheesville), 55.44; 2. Morgan Fairclough (Monroe-Woodbury), 55.79; 3. Dani Sims (Byram Hills), 55.95; 10. Tara O’Donnell (Bethlehem), 58.21; 21. Rachel Wurth (Niskayuna), 59.59; 27. Catherine Kaucic (Niskayuna), 1:00.00; 48. Bethany Powhida (Bethlehem), 1:00.78.

100 breaststroke — 1. Annie Zhu (Brooklyn Tech), 1:01.10; 2. Olivia Chan (Sewanhaka), 1:03.52; 3. Kathryn Coughlin (Christian Brothers Academy-Syr), 1:04.78; 7. Julia Samson (Shenendehowa), 1:06.40; 10. Grace Ayer (Bethlehem), 1:06.93; 15. Emma Rupert (Shenendehowa), 1:07.46; 23. Caroline Conboy (Saratoga Springs), 1:08.20; 29. Bridget Geary (Shenendehowa), 1:08.46.

400 freestyle relay — 1. Niskayuna, 3:29.80; 2. Clarence, 3:34.40; 3. Rush-Henrietta, 3:35.20; 4. Bethlehem, 3:36.43; 18. Shenendehowa, 3:40.93.