The Rye – Blind Brook Swim and Dive team picked up their first victory of the season on Friday, December 5, crushing Yorktown-Somers 101-67. Seven different Garnet Trojans placed top two in multiple events, as well as two divers placing top three and three team events winning. Overall, it was a banner day to open league play for Head Coach Katie Konopka.
2025 team MVP Finn Hansen and Jackson Rinadhl came in first and third in the 1M diving event to kick off the action. Rye – Blind Brook then won three team events (200 medley, 200 freestyle, and 400 free relays) to build a lead, which they extended with several standout individuals.
A septet of swimmers came top two in two events: Nick Stocks (1st 200 free and 2nd 200 backstroke); George Papaioannou (1st 200 IM and 1st 100 butterfly); Wilson Redd (1st 50 free and 2nd 100 fly); Owen Picker (1st 500 free and 2nd 200 free behind Stocks); Charlie Thigpen (1st 100 free and 100 back); Filip Glitterstam (1st 100 breaststroke and 2nd 200 IM behind Papaioannou); and Liam O’Byrne (2nd in the 50 free behind Redd and the 100 free behind Thigpen).
Besides proverbial medalists, a couple swimmers posted personal best times in their events. Austin Frankel did so in both the 200 free and 50 free. Henri Von Homeyer went a best time in the 100 breaststroke. Last but not least, Sami Jazbeh earned two new PRs – the 100 free and 100 breaststroke.
Rye – Blind Brook (1-1) starts league play on the right foot with the big 34-point win. Their next meet next week will be the Garnet Trojans’ next opportunity to get above .500 on the young season.
