Chloe Stepanek has a record-setting day
Northport-Commack's Chloe Stepanek swims in a preliminary heat of the 200-yard freestyle during the 2017 NYSPHSAA girls swimming and diving championships at Ithaca College on Friday, Nov. 17, 2017, in Ithaca. Credit: Adrian Kraus
ITHACA, N.Y. — It doesn’t take long for Chloe Stepanek to know how she’s doing once she hits the water.
“When you’re swimming you can feel if you’re really on or off,” Stepanek said.
There haven’t been many times when the Northport sophomore has been off the last few weeks and that continued Friday at the state Federation swimming and diving championships at Ithaca College.
Stepanek, swimming for Northport/Commack, broke Suffolk records in the 200-yard freestyle (1:49.35) and the 100-yard freestyle (50.51) on the way to qualifying as the top seed in the finals of both races Saturday.
“My goal walking in this morning was to get the top seed in both of my events,” Stepanek said. “I felt really good in the water.”
And Stepanek isn’t done reaching for her goals.
“The 200-freestyle time isn’t the best time I’ve ever gone — I’ve gone about a second faster,” she said. “Hopefully I can hit a 1:47 in the 200 and go under 50 seconds in 100 in the finals.”
Sacred Heart’s Lauryn Johnson also had a record setting day. The junior broke her own two-week-old CHSAA record in the 100-butterfly (55.10) and lowered her own CHSAA record in the 500-freestyle (4:52.24). She is seeded second in Saturday’s 500-free and third in the 100-fly.
“I’ve definitely improved technique-wise with my butterfly,” Johnson said. “I worked a lot on it the last few months and it’s definitely paying off.”
Catherine Stanford of Oceanside, who is seeded third in the 50-freestye (23.76) and fourth in the 100-free (51.72) is also looking to capture multiple state titles.
“They’re both sprints but I have to work on going out faster in my 100-free,” Stanford said. “Swimming the 50 sometimes warms me up and helps me get out faster in the 100.”
The 400-freestyle relay will also be a battle of Long Island with St. Anthony’s and Sacred Heart as the top two seeds.
“It’s pretty rough and it’s never going to feel good on your third or fourth race,” Johnson, who will swim in the 200- and 400-freestyle relays said. “You just have keep a positive mentality and do my best every time I dive into the pool.”
Joan Cash, who qualified fifth in the 100-free (51.96) and in the 50-free (23.94), will also be swimming with Johnson on the two relay teams.
Huntington’s Patricia Arceri once again finished as the top Long Island diver, coming in ninth place with a score of 463.05 in the 1-meter diving for Huntington/Whitman.
“It feels pretty good but the place I got today wasn’t really where I wanted to be,” the two-time Suffolk champion said. “But now I’m moving on to college and I’m going to do bigger and better things.”
Hauppauge’s Emma Casey finished 16th with a score of 422.80.
Federation Swimming and Diving Championships
at Ithaca College
Top 20 Finishers/qualifiers
200-yard freestyle: 1. Chloe Stepanek, Northport/Commack, 1:49.35; 6. Kaley Skarren, Long Beach, 1:53.00; 7. Briana Gellineau, St. Anthony’s, 1:53.19; 10. Shannon Welcome, Freeport, 1:53.91; 11. Annabelle Corcoran, Port Washington, 1:54.25; 19. Sydney Boals, Ward Melville, 1:55.19; 200-IM: 7. Kyra Sommerstad, Port Jefferson, 2:07.20; 8. Elizabeth Walsh, LB, 2:07.28; 9. Claire McNeary, Manhasset, 2:07.66; 10. Emily Bardak, SA, 2:07.79; 16: Morgan Rinn, Oceanside, 2:08.92; 20. Jessica Whang, Great Neck South, 2:09.44. 50-Free: 3. Catherine Stanford, Oceanside, 23.76; 5. Joan Cash, Sacred Heart, 23.94; 8. Margaret Purcell, Southampton, 24.23; 100-Butterfly: 3. Lauryn Johnson, SH, 55.10; 8. Morgan Rinn, Oceanside, 57.38; 8. Sarah Gaudet, Lynbrook, 57.38; 10. Kiani Morisi, Massapequa, 57.50; 11. Gabriella Meringolo, Garden City, 57.53; 12. Hazel Wilkins, Bellmore-Merrick, 58.24; 14. Elizabeth Gallagher, Smithtown, 58.56; 100-free: 1. Chloe Stepanek, Northport/Commack, 50.51; 4. Catherine Stanford, Oceanside, 51.72; 5. Joan Cash, Sacred Heart, 51.96; 14. Camryn Kreuscher, Connetquot, 52.92; 15. Mia Bonvissuto, Garden City, 52.98; 20. Sydney Boals, Ward Melville, 53.13; 500-free: 2. Lauryn Johnson, Sacred Heart, 4:52.24; 9. Briana Gellineau, St. Anthony’s, 5:01.69; 10. Emily Bardak, St. Anthony’s, 5:02.71; Annabelle Corcoran, Port Washington, 5:02.84; 20. Francesca Raimondi, Manhasset, 5:06.51; 100-backstroke: 5. Elizabeth Walsh, Long Beach, 56.70; 6. Claire McNeary, Manhasset, 56.98; 10. Kyra Sommerstad, Port Jefferson, 57.07; 14. Katie Dennin, Northport/Commack, 58.52; 16. Michaela Rutigliano, St. Anthony’s, 58.71; 19. Emily Fung, Huntington/Whitman, 58.85; 100-breaststroke: 5. Jessica Whang, GNS, 1:04.06 6. Margaret Purcell, Southampton, 1:04.75; 8. Riley Gavigan, WM, 1:05.28; 17. Angelina Harris, Miller Place, 1:06.54; 200-Free Relay: 2. Sacred Heart, 1:37.69; 11. Port Washington, 1:39.83; 14. Garden City, 1:40.17; 15. St. Anthony’s, 1:40.36; 20. Bellmore-Merrick, 1:40.97; 200-IM Relay: 4. Ward Melville, 1:48.20; 6. Garden City, 1:49.49; 8. Northport/Commack, 1:49.66; 9. Bellmore-Merrick, 1:49.77; 13. Manhasset, 1:50.33; 400-Free Relay: 1. St. Anthony’s 3:35.00; 2. Sacred Heart, 3:35.29; 8. Garden City, 3:38.43; 16. Long Beach, 3:39.50; 19. Northport/Commack, 3:39.98; 20. Connetquot/East Islip, 3:40.09.
Gene Morris joined Newsday's sports department in September 2012 and covers high school sports. He earned a journalism degree from Stony Brook University in 2010.
