The Sleepy Hollow/Edgemont/Irvington girls swimming squad will open its season with high expectations today, 4:30 p.m., when it host Scarsdale at the EF School, formerly Marymount College.
After taking second in the divisionals last year, SHEDI is looking to win the divisional championship this fall.
"We came really close last year and we didn't have any diving," said SHEDI assistant coach Lara Vivolo, who's from Sleepy Hollow. "We did really well considering we had no diving and almost every other team had divers. This year we have one diver, Edgemont seventh-grader Niamh Klein, so we are hoping to score more points at the championship meet because we have a diver."
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Co-head coaches are Edgemont's Tobey Saracino and Irvington's Jen McArdle.
"We have 35 swimmers," Vivolo said. "Just because Edgemont has eight and I have 11 and Irvington has the most with 16, we all coach everybody. We are in charge of everybody. We really feel it's like one team."
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Vivolo said the process of three schools becoming one was a gradual one that happened over time. The swimmers at practice are grouped by their talent, not what school they are from.
"We have lanes that are faster for the kids that have more experience and more competition," Vivolo said. "It's not like Sleepy Hollow is in the first two lanes, then Edgemont, then Irvington, they are all mixed in at practices. As they are training and swimming and doing their workouts they are getting to know each other and their personalities, it really helps. When you are in the water training with somebody for two hours a day you definitely are going to get to know them."
The top swimmers from Sleepy Hollow are junior co-captain Alexia Boumis (sprinter and freestyle), senior Kerry Oliveira (breaststroke), sophomore Daniella Carissimo (backstroke) and eighth grader Taylor McLung (distance/freestyle).
"These are the four girls who will be swimming in the bigger meets and have a good chance of qualifying for sectionals," Vivolo said.
One of Edgemont's top two swimmers is sophomore Eilis Klein (back stroke and freestyle).
"Her time last year in the sectionals was very close to making it to the state meet," Vivolo said. "We are hoping that she is going to qualify this season."
Junior Kristi Wong (freestyle and individual medley) is also a top swimmer from Edgemont.
Having a good preseason for Edgemont was junior Jessica Jackemczyk (freestyle and backstroke).
The best swimmer on the squad is Irvington senior Cara Morris (butterfly and freestyle).
"She is by far our strongest swimmer," Vivolo said. "She went to the states last year for butterfly. She is a highly accomplished swimmer and an amazing worker."
Two other solid swimmers from Irvington are junior Molly Gallagher (individual medley and freestyle) and freshman Megan Gallagher (freestyle and individual medley).
