By chris kelly
Staff Writer
CHRIS KELLY Seashore’s Emily Greenspan, 12, of Ocean Township, swims to a first-place finish in the girls’ 11/12 25-meter butterfly race during a meet against the Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavilion on Monday.
Six days after lightning halted Seashore and Monmouth Beach Bathing Pavilion’s swim meet, a winner was finally declared.
Anchored by 17 first-place victories, Seashore quickly erased a three-point gap, eventually winning 278-239.
Initially it was believed that Seashore held a slim one-point lead over their guests when the meet was called for dangerous weather, but after a mistake was pointed out, the score was adjusted, and it was actually Monmouth Beach that led when the meet was halted.
When Seashore’s Emily Greenspan and Jess Himmelman went one/three in the girls’ 11/12 25-meter butterfly, and Monmouth’s Erika Genovese placed second, the score was quickly deadlocked at 144-144.
A total of 16 golden performances eventually led to the host team taking a firm grasp of the meet, as 10 individuals, and five relay teams earned the blue ribbon.
Recording the fastest times for Seashore were: boys — Jeff Kless (11/12 25-meter breaststroke), Sean Chambrovich (13/17 50-meter backstroke), Roberto Nieves (13/17 50-meter breaststroke), Andrew DiPetro (13/14 50-meter freestyle), Matt Stengel, Nieves, Sean Chambrovich and DiPetro (13/14 200-meter freestyle relay), Mike Very, Ed Marsh, John Gordon and Tim Chambrovich (15/17 200-meter freestyle relay); and girls — Lauren Ostrowsky (13/17 50-meter backstroke), Kaitie English (13/17 50-meter butterfly), Lauryn Stengel (13/17 50-meter breaststroke), Nicole Campitelli (11/12 50-meter freestyle), Brianna Soviero (13/14 50-meter freestyle), Margaret Brainard (15/17 50-meter freestyle), Raeann DeMott, Nicole Marcinkiewicz, Lauren Pitzalis and Teresa Esposito (9/10 100-meter freestyle relay), Himmelman, Jen Fischell, Campitelli and Greenspan (11/12 200-meter freestyle relay), Christina Urban, Elizabeth Uliano, English and Soviero (13/14 200-meter freestyle relay), and Ostrowsky, Lauryn Stengel, Amanda Goldfine and Brainard (15/17 200-meter freestyle relay).
Monmouth Beach was led by Scott Mahoney and Billy George for the second half of the meet.
Mahoney won the boys’ 13/17 50-meter butterfly and 15/17 50-meter freestyle races, while George captured the 11/12 50-meter freestyle race, and was a member of the winning 11/12 200-meter freestyle relay team.
Joining George in the winners’ circle for the relay were Max Spahn, Daniel Keating and Alec Walczak.
The Dolphins’ four other first-place performances were turned in by Nicole Keating (girls’ 11/12 25-meter breaststroke); Mark Steinback, Andrew Mahon, J.R. Shields and Killian Fister (boys’ 8/U 100-meter freestyle relay); Amanda Sachs, Maegan Cerruti, Claire Yerves and Alyssia Rodriguez (girls’ 8/U 100-meter freestyle relay); and David Stickle, Connor Stambaugh, P.J. Ermides and Patrick Chevalier (boys’ 9/10 100-meter freestyle relay).
In addition to the blue ribbons giving out to first place finishers, Seashore edged out their guests in the runner-up spots, 13-12. However, it was rounding out the top three that the visiting Dolphins claimed a slight edge, 11-10.
The error that led to the improper scoring of points came in the 18th race of the meet. Initially Monmouth Beach girls’ 13/17 200-meter medley relay team, comprising Cassie Yerves, Liz Widdis, Nicole Chevalier and Kristen Mahon, were listed as disqualified, but, in fact it was Seashore’s team that was DQ’d.
Seashore provided another interesting fact in the meet. With only a total of four 15/17 200-meter freestyle relay teams entered between both the boys’ and girls’ division, the judges decided to combine the final two races. In doing so, the team of Ostrowsky, Lauryn Stengel, Goldfine and Brainard became the first girls’ team to ever finish ahead of their male counterparts in the race.