Clarence swimmers ahead of their time
Youth movement draws comparisons to OP
The comparisons were inevitable. Any team that boasts as much young talent as the Clarence girls swimming team is sure to be labeled the next Orchard Park.
The Quakers were a powerhouse winning 13 state titles from 1998 to 2006, breaking state relay records along the way. They did it with a magical group of athletes including Andrea and Robin Lehner, Martha Whistler, Maria Wolbert, Alaina Thiel and Beth Galloway.
Whether Clarence reaches those heights will be decided in a few years by a talented pool of promising underclassmen.
Meet Russ Sampson. He may be the fourth coach Clarence has had in four years, but what separates him from his predecessors is he's also coach of the Clarence Swim Club, his own feeder program. He not only knows what he has today, he also knows what he'll have tomorrow.
"I love the youth on this team, and I can't hope for anything better to come out of our situation than to be compared to a team like Orchard Park," said Sampson. "We're pretty good, but I don't want to inflate anyone's expectations. I like our future and what the kids we have bring to the table, but we have a long way to go to get there."
Right now his focus isn't so much on training as it is on creating a sense of team. At Clarence, Sampson wants to eliminate the cliques and create bonds among teammates that last a lifetime. Once he's established that atmosphere, he said, championships and records will take care of themselves.
Clarence has nine varsity swimmers in eighth through 10th grades. They've already qualified all three relays for the next month's New York State Championships at V-Webster-Schroeder. The same five swimmers make up all three: senior Victoria Jacumski, freshman Allison Voll, eighth-grader Dina Rommel, freshman Claire Willis and eighth-grader Rebecca Anthone.
Two more swimmers who contribute equally are eighth-graders Syndey Modeas (200 and 500 yards) and Victoria Butler (individual medley, butterfly).
Jacumski has made the state cut in the 100 individual medley, 100 breaststroke and 100 butterfly while Rommel is going in the 50 freestyle.
Besides winning most of her races, Jacumski will also contribute some much-needed senior leadership. She is the defending Section VI champion in the 200 IM and the breaststroke. She has qualified for states in both events for the last four years. If she swims both at states, she's looking for a top-three finish.
Clarence (7-0) will visit Williamsville North on Oct. 20 in a meet that is likely to decide the ECIC I title.
Kenmore West's Dressel a winner
One of the best swimmers in Section VI history has reached her senior year. Marissa Dressel of Kenmore West is admired throughout the Section for her humility and how hard she trains and swims every set.
She's competed in five state meets. Last year she won the 100 and 200 freestyles. In doing so she broke her Section VI records in the 100 at 50.99 and the 200 at 1:48.47.
Dressel has visited Ohio State, Alabama and Indiana and is scheduled to visit Duke on Oct. 16-18.
"I'm looking for a school I fit into and could see myself at someday," said Dressel, who plans to study nursing.
Dressel's season goals go beyond her races. She has high hopes for the Blue Devils' 200 and 400 free relays that include senior Leah Villari, sophomore Lindsey Sagasta and sophomore Haley Rice.
Jamestown's dynamic duo
What a partnership senior Jennifer Bentley and junior Lauren Caldwell have in Jamestown. Luckily for the Red Raiders, each excels in a different event.
Bentley holds all the school records in the freestyle events: 50, 100, 200, 500 and the 100 backstroke.
Caldwell is the two-time defending Section VI champion in the 100 butterfly. Her school records are in the fly, breast and IM.
"I see her every day of my life," Caldwell said of Bentley. "She keeps me going in practice. It's fun to have someone next to you who is your speed that you can try and keep up with. We're like sisters pretty much."
• Paige Gutkowski would like to add to her string of Section VI titles that include the breast in 2007 and the back in 2008.
The Sweet Home senior has verbally committed to St. Bonaventure where she will swim for first-year coach Seth Johnson, a 2001 Frewsburg graduate. Gutkowski said she stays in shape by cross training on dry land with weights and she plays lacrosse to stay in running shape.
• Senior Maddy Shults of Southwestern is the defending Section VI champ in the 50 free. At last year's states she reached the finals. She said she has "slow arms," but is working to improve that. She said she uses 12-13 strokes to cover one length of the pool, but she's like to get that to 19-20.
• Senior Rachel Bantelman helped Olean win the Section VI title in the 200 medley relay for the second year in a row. In the first meet of the season she went 1:01.3 to qualify for states in the back.
As gifted as she is in swimming, she's verbally committed to the University at Buffalo for basketball next year.
"I really like swimming, not quiet as much as basketball, but there was a time when I didn't know if I wanted to swim in college or play basketball.
"I like how in swimming you don't have to rely on anyone but yourself. If I'm having a bad day in basketball it might not be so obvious, but in swimming, everybody knows."
Bantelman, Grace Williamson, Summer Sawiya and Emily Simon have qualified for states in the 200 medley relay.
• Williamsville North returns four of its swimmers who competed at states last year: senior Cami Farkas (200 free, 200 relay) and other relay swimmers: Clare Battaglia, Maddie Schmidt and Kaitlin Walsh. ... Olean's Samantha Huselstein will be among the favorites to win the diving at Sectionals. ... Junior Courtney Otto of West Seneca West, the current Section VI record holder in the 100 butterfly, chose not to swim high school this year. ... East Aurora (4-0) is going for its fourth straight ECIC III title. ... Williamsville East has been undefeated in ECIC II for the past seven years, a run of approximately 72 meets. Sophomore Tori Frustaci holds the pool record in the 500 at 5:35.88. ... ECC will host this year's Section VI meet Nov. 13-14.
Nardin goes for 10th title
Nardin (6-0) has won nine straight All-Catholic titles. Senior Lauren Marchese has qualified for states in the 200 and 500 free. Senior Alli Gielowski joins her in the 100 free, 100 fly and two relays.
Alex Doody of Sacred Heart (5-1) excels in the breast and freestyle events. The All-Catholics will be Nov. 4 at Erie Community College at 6 p.m.
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