Clockwise from upper left: Abbie Santos, Trent Suchowiecki, Ashley Benkert, Kate Suchowiecki, Brady Saunders, Andie Psilopoulos, Tate Wilson and Rowan Santos. (Photos by Rich Corozine)
The only thing “certain” to humankind seem to be two things: you are born and then at some point in time, you will die. Everything in between is a crap-shoot. Or maybe, hope. Well, you can add a third certainty to this human canon…that the New Paltz SeaHawks will win the DUSO championship. They’ve done it seven summers in a row — to go along with their unbelievable 54-straight dual-meet wins — and this summer (another undefeated one at 6-0) it seemed the season itself was just a warmup to the championship meet held this past Saturday at the brand-spanking-new Rosendale Pool Complex. Certainty or not, this is some accomplishment for a plain-old town team, coached and swum by locals (Glen and Melissa Gruver-LaPolt, Kaela Santos and Emily Benkert) and supported full-throat by the New Paltz faithful.
The SeaHawks took the title with their patented depth, winning the crown with 1,541.50 points over second-place Zena’s 1,258.50 and captured the 8-under boys, 11-12 girls and 15-18 girls titles.
Individually, it was a double for Andie Psilopoulos in the 12-under girls 50 backstroke (with teammates Delaney Pece second and Julia Napoli third) and 100 Individual Medley (with teammate Brooke Vos second); with Vos winning the 12-under girls 50 freestyle; Trent Suchowiecki the 8-under boys 25 breaststroke; Rowan Santos the 10-under boys 50 backstroke; Kate Suchowiecki the 10-under girls 50 breaststroke (with teammate Grace Lang second); Ashley Benkert the 18-under girls 50 butterfly (with teammate Abbie Santos second); and Santos the 18-under girls 100IM.
The SeaHawks also took home the gold in the 8-under mixed 100 relay with Jayda Schenker, Isla D’Angelo, Bennett Sheeley and Trent Suchowiecki; and the 10-under mixed 200 relay with Kate Suchowiecki, Renata Martinez, Omar Santos and Tate Wilson.
There was a plethora of second-place finishes (that depth), with Brady Saunders leading the way with three (14-under boys 50 freestyle, 50 backstroke and 50 breaststroke), Trent Suchowiecki (8-under boys 50 freestyle), Rowan Santos (10-under boys 25 freestyle), Kate Suchowiecki (10-under girls 50 freestyle and 100 IM), Tate Wilson (10-under boys 50 freestyle and 50 breaststroke), Psilopoulos (12-under girls 100 freestyle), Ava Demassio (14-under girls 100 freestyle and 100 IM), Abbie Santos (18-under girls 50 freestyle), Bennett Sheeley (8-under boys 25 backstroke and 25 butterfly), Delaney Pece (12-under girls 50 backstroke).
