Cape swimming splits with Indian River

Vikings girls win; boys fall to Indians

Cape’s Julie Heffernan has a big smile after she swam the anchor leg of the winning 400 free relay with her goggles down. They came dislodged on her entry into the pool. DAN COOK PHOTOS

Dan Cook

January 30, 2020

The Cape girls’ swim team moved to 9-1 on the season with a commanding 132-42 victory over Indian River on the Indians’ senior night Jan. 27 at the Sussex Academy Aquatic Center.

The Lady Vikings took top honors in the 200 medley relay with the team of Lindsay Rambo, Amaya Daisey, Sophie Schoenfeld and Erin Morrissey swimming to a time of 2:12.98. Rambo followed up with a first-place finish in the individual medley with a time of 2:41.16. Amaya Daisey took a 26.89 finish in the 50 free.

Anna Stancofski scored a 1:18.13 first place in the 100 fly, while Julie Heffernan won the 100 freestyle with a time of 1:02.73. Rambo, Abby Kane, Heffernan and Morrissey won the 200 free relay with a time of 1:55.13. Aya Daisey took the top spot in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:06.63. Gianna Vayda followed with a time of 1:23.73 in the breaststroke. Cape finished off the meet taking the 400 free relay with the Daisey twins, Morrissey and Heffernan swimming to a 4:02.70.

“Everyone has been working hard during the practices, and I think we’re going to do really well looking ahead,” said Cape sophomore Heidi Simmons. “We have really improved since the beginning of the year and everyone is giving it their all, and it really shows when they’re competing.”

Indians junior Emma Barthelmess won the 200 free with a time of 2:14.72, while Isabella Scharp won the 500 free with a time of 6:43.60.

The Cape girls’ squad moved to 9-1 on the season, while the Indians dropped to 5-5.

The IR boys’ team squeaked out a 90-80 victory over the Cape squad in an intense meet featuring strong swimming lifeguards on both squads.

Cape’s Thomas Weeks, Liam Leishear, Marcus Gromofsky and Josh Reinhold drew first blood by winning the 200 medley relay, but a touchpad problem couldn’t give a time. Weeks won the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:17.55 and the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:00.63. Gromofsky took first in the 100 free with a time of 52.31 and the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:02.05. Thomas Taylor won the 500 free with a 6:18.97.

The Indians won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:56.36 by Declan Burke. William Douds took first in the 50 free with a time of 23.72. The Indians’ 200 free relay team of Burke, Ethan Forrey, Douds and Zach Lingenfelter finished first with a time of 1:36.38. Shane Hall took first in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:12.03.

The meet’s final result came down to the last event, the 400 free relay.

“All I could think about was if we still had the swimmers to pull this meet off,” said Gromofsky.

The Vikings could win with a first and third place. The Indians needed just to place first, which they did with the relay team of Burke, Douds, Lingenfelter and Hall in a time of 3:44.02.

Cape boys move to 7-3 while the Indians are 8-2.

“IR is always a challenging task for our team,” said Cape coach Bill Geppert. “They are well coached and are composed of beach kids just like our team. Many work on local beach patrols and are tough competitors.”

Cape was set to return to the Sussex Academy Aquatic Center to face the Seahawks Thursday, Jan. 30.

Cape’s Julie Heffernan has a big smile after she swam the anchor leg of the winning 400 free relay with her goggles down. They came dislodged on her entry into the pool. DAN COOK PHOTOS