Girls Swim Team

The Lady Lions Swim Team, led by senior captains Julie Ford and Sophie Portnoy, as well as junior captain Emily McCartney Leap, finished fifth in the conference meet this season with a dual meet record of six wins and two losses.

The Lady Lions finished in the middle of the pack in their conference championship meet,  with an outstanding record for a team hindered by the loss of six key seniors. The team did not crumble, and after starting off the season a little shaky, they recovered at the end. The team’s highlight for this season came in a dual meet when the team came from behind to beat Seacaucus. Captain Sophie Portnoy won her event in the 100 meter freestyle, as did co-captain Julie Ford in the 100 meter backstroke.  These big wins led the team to victory. “I was pretty sure we were going to come back after Sophie won her individual meet,” said Coach Bucceri. “But once Julie won her meet, I knew the win was secured.”

The Lady Lions will only lose three seniors for next year and hope to improve on their six win season. The Boys Swim Team went undefeated this season, and the Lady Lions hope that they will achieve this success in the coming seasons. Returning next year will be current captain Emily McCartney-Leap, along with freshman phenom Julia Hesterbrink from Bergen County Academies. Coach Bucceri noted that, “The team’s success will depend a great deal on these two swimmers and we hope to see improvements in both of them next season.”