Bellmore-Merrick Washes Away Hewlett

First place was a common theme for the Bellmore-Merrick swim team on Wednesday, as it defeated Hewlett High School, 58-43.

Of the 11 events held at Hewlett High School, Bellmore-Merrick swimmers finished in first place in eight of them. The team also featured five second-place finishes and five third-place finishes, which all attributed to the team's 58 points. Coach Robert Kaefer was pleased with his team's effort.

"We did fairly well," Kaefer said. "We had a couple of really good times. We knew pretty much what to expect coming into the meet. This is one of the meets that we're using to build up toward the end of the season where we've got some really tough competition."

The Bellmore-Merrick swim team is made up of the best swimmers from three high schools: Calhoun, Bellmore JFK, and Mepham. The team also carries some middle-school swimmers from both Grand Avenue and Merrick Avenue.

Each race consists of four swimmers (or teams if it's a relay-race), with two represented from each school. A first-place finish results in four points (six points in a relay), while three points is rewarded for second place and one point for third place. Bellmore-Merrick accumulated points at a rapid pace, with high finishes in nearly every race.

The first race of the day was the 200-meter medley relay, which was won by Bellmore-Merrick. The team featured swimmers Steven Gassert and Max Krackow from Bellmore JFK, Oscar Arana from Calhoun, and Austin Kowalsky from Mepham.  

Kowalsky also won first place in two other races. He won the 200-meter freestyle and the 500-meter freestyle, respectively. Krackow and Arana were also multiple-winners on the day; Krackow took first place in both the 50-meter freestyle and the 100-meter freestyle, while Arana won the 100-meter breaststroke.

In the 200-meter freestyle relay, Bellmore-Merrick finished in first and third place. The first place team featured all members from Calhoun, with swimmers Anthony Arana, his brother Oscar Arana, Dan Elliot and Luke Roberti. While content with the victory and his individual performance, Roberti maintained a modest outlook after the race.

"I swam well today," Roberti said. "I did my best. We're all working hard and trying to improve as a team."

The diving portion of the meet was equally as successful for Bellmore-Merrick, as it finished in both first and third place. The team fell short on just three races, with second place finishes in the 200-meter individual medley and the 100-meter backstroke. Only in one race did the squad fail to claim either first or second, and that was the 100-meter fly.

Even with the convincing victory, the team still felt there was room for improvement.

"We got guys that could work on their form more," Kaefer said. "Flip turns need to be fixed, and for some of them it's just a matter of wanting it a little more."