Babylon's Koch sisters in 3 swim finals

BUFFALO -- Babylon's Carolyn and Julianne Koch have more in common than being sisters.

The pair also qualified for the finals in their respective events during Friday's preliminary round of the state swimming and diving championships. The Flickinger Aquatic Center in downtown was the site of the 36th annual event that featured 407 swimmers from across the state. The top eight qualified for Saturday's finals starting at 10:15 a.m.

Carolyn, a senior, will compete for state titles in the 100 freestyle after qualifying third in 52:01 and the 50 free, where she placed eighth in a season-best 24.27. Julianne, a sophomore, finds herself in the 200 freestyle final after a 1:53.86 earned her eighth.

"I feel like she has learned from a bunch of my mistakes," said Carolyn, who has signed a national letter of intent with Lehigh University. "I went through a phase where I was like, 'oh, I hate swimming,' but she never went through that phase. She saw that I was just starting to get good last year, and she's been getting really good for a while. So I feel like that had a big impact on her swimming career."

There are plenty of other Nassau-Suffolk swimmers who will be eyeing the top spot of awards podium Saturday.

Junior Olivia Chan of Sewanhaka is a No. 2 seed in the 200 individual medley and the 100 breaststroke. In both events she'll be in the lane right next to All-American Annie Zhu of Brooklyn Tech. Zhu broke the state meet record in prelims in the breast with a 1:02.37. She is also the defending Federation champion in the event while Chan won last year's public school title.

"I just tell myself no matter what's she's doing, I'll use it as like motivation. I kind of tell myself to swim better knowing she'll be there to push me," Chan said. "I focus more on what I'm doing, but she's still on my mind."

Like Chan, Nicole Papsco of Northport made the finals in two events. She's coming back as a fourth seed in the 200 free and 100 breast.

Sophomore Molly Treble of Massapequa advanced in the 200 and 500 freestyle. "I'm right where I want to be and I'm focusing on my walls. And I'm happy with my swims," she said. "I'm going to be quick on my turns and use my feet to kick."

It promises to be a busy day for Nicole Hetzer of Connetquot. She made the finals in the IM after a third-place swim, and she's on both of Connetquot's 200 medley relay and 200 free relay teams that both advanced.

St. Anthony's 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays made the finals with Kylie Danin and Shannon Lulley swimming on both. St. Anthony's is coming off its second straight CHSAA title in which it scored a league record 879.5 points.

For the second year in a row, Trudi Ann Patrick of Jericho made the final in the 100 butterfly. She swam a career-best 56.38, good for the fourth seed.

Lindsay Schlichte looks to bring a state title back to Garden City in the 500 free after she finished third in her preliminary heat in 4:57.85.