Bellmore-Merrick Swimmers Top Wantagh

Finishing first place in four different races is certainly a good way to help your team.

Led by Austin Kowalsky, the Bellmore-Merrick swim team defeated Wantagh on Monday at SUNY-Farmingdale by a margin of 93 to 86. Kowalsky, a Mepham senior, claimed victory in all four of the races he competed in. It was a head-to-head dual meet; just the way Kowalsky likes it.

"I get more pumped up for dual meets...as opposed to the big meets that aren't as individually challenging," Kowalsky said. 

Kowalsky competed in the 200-medley relay, the 200-freestyle, the 100-freestyle, and the 200-freestyle relay. Kowalsky won two of the races individually, while the other two victories were were shared with his teammates. Even with the success, he knows that he could do better.

"Today I did good," Kowalsky said. "Not my best times, but pretty good for this pool."

Calhoun senior Oscar Arana also had a solid day in the pool. Arana was Kowalsky's teammate for the two relay races he competed in, and also took first place in the 100-backstroke, and second place in the 200-freestyle.

Like, Kowalsky, Arana downplayed his heroics on the day.

"It was an average day for me," Arana said. "The team performed great and we did what had to do to win."

While the squad competed at its highest level en route to victory, it mostly used the meet as a test to see which swimmers were capable of performing in different events, according to coach Robert Kaefer.

"Today was more about mixing it up." Kaefer said." We put guys in events that they wouldn't normally swim in."

It appeared to have worked, as the team also featured four other first-place winners. Dan Elliot, of Calhoun, took first place in the 200-individual medley, which was the third race of the day. In the sixth race, Ricky Calia, of Grand Avenue Middle School, claimed the top spot in the 100-fly. Other first-place finishers were Michael Giovanniello, of Mepham, winning the 500-freestyle, and Carlos Ballon, also from Mepham, who claimed first in the 100-backstroke.

Last week coach Kaefer said he was satisfied with his team's effort, but he still believes his swimmers can push a little harder. 

"There's always a lot to improve on," Kaefer said. "But the biggest thing is flip turns and stronger finishes."

Bellmore-Merrick also dominated the diving potion of the meet, claiming both first and second place. 

Being a dual-meet, the two schools each had three swimmers represented for every race. The six swimmers competed against each other, with points awarded for the top three spots. It differs from the bigger meets, which consist of multiple schools facing off against each other. While Kowalsky gets more pumped up for the dual meets, other swimmers are more energized by the bigger meets, such as Arana.

"In dual meets you just want to beat the guy swimming next to you," Arana said. "But in big meets you want to beat everyone. It's what you've been waiting all year for."

The swimmers now head into a two-week hiatus during the holidays before hitting the pool again on Tuesday, January 5, when they face Syosset.