Long Island girls swimmers pile up wins at state championships

WEBSTER — The Lucca twins are only freshmen, but with the number of medals hanging from their necks when they left the Webster Aquatic Center on Saturday afternoon, you’d think they’d be much older.

Sarah and Julia Lucca proved they’re the swimmers to beat these next three years after leading Hauppauge-Smithtown at the New York State girls swimming championships.

They started off strong. The combination of the Lucca twins, Mary Schroeder and Olivia Chiofolo helped Hauppauge-Smithtown take first in the 200-yard medley relay in one minute and 45.01 seconds, a relay that has become Hauppauge-Smithtown’s specialty. They’ve been crowned NYPHSAA champions for the last three years.

“We were so excited going into it,” Julia said. “Yesterday we were seeded second, so we switched the order a little bit for today, and everything went perfectly. We all work really well together.”

Three events later, the twins struck again, standing next to each other on the podium as first and second in the 50 freestyle. Sarah finished first (23.29) and Julia finished second (23.58).

“I was so happy standing up there next to her,” Sarah said. “It’s crazy because we race against each other, but we always root for one another.”

The success just kept on growing. Sarah won the 100 butterfly in 54.58, breaking the Webster Aquatic Center pool record, which was  55.07.

“From her first lap, we knew she was going to win it,” Hauppauge-Smithtown coach Sean Montalvo said. “We thought maybe she’d be tired after the freestyle, but it didn’t seem to faze her.”

Julia took third in the 100 backstroke in 55.84 and Hauppauge-Smithtown won the 200 freestyle relay for the first time, setting a county record at 1:35.79.

“We love relays, not a lot of teams stress relays,” Montalvo said. “We set the tone with that first relay, and the girls just kept feeding off of that. These girls are incredible. They’ve become leaders and they’re only 14 years old.”

Shoreham-Wading River senior Emily Herr has been dreaming of the moment she would become a state champion. After five years, that dream is a reality.

Herr finished first in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:03.60, earning her first championship in her fifth and final state championship appearance.

“This feels like a dream come true,” Herr said. “I was pretty confident coming into today, but I didn’t swim my best yesterday, so winning today feels amazing.”

But becoming a champion means even more to Herr, a senior who will continue swimming at Villanova. Herr has been so close for the last three years, finishing second in 2021 and third in 2022 and 2023.

“This is so special,” Herr said. “I’m so grateful and lucky. I can’t thank my coaches, family and friends enough for their support over the years, they made this possible.”

Herr also finished third in the 100 butterfly in 55.85.

From Nassau, it was Long Beach sophomore Vivienne Zangaro who walked away as a state champion in three events. She finished first in NYPHSAA in both the 200 freestyle (1:49.54) and the 500 freestyle (4:53.50), and was a member of Long Beach’s 400 freestyle relay championship team (3.29.89).

“I came into today really confident about the 200 free, but the 500 free was a little surprising to me,” Zangaro said. “I’m so happy and feel really proud.”

Sacred Heart senior Lily Gormsen wanted to take in every moment of her final state federation championship.

“I’ve been having so much fun with my teammates this weekend,” Gormsen said. “Even in the stressful moments, like switching hotels late last night, I’ve been loving every second, and I’m just trying to live in the moment.”

To no one’s surprise, Gormsen finished first in the federation in the 200 freestyle (1:48.64) and the 500 freestyle (4:48.78), two events that have been won by a Gormsen since 2021.

“I was nervous because my goal was to win both,” Gormsen said. “But what helped me was thinking about how it was my last-ever state championship and how I wanted to finish strong.”

Gormsen will continue her swimming career at the University of Virginia and will be reunited with her older sister, Cavan, once again.

“I’m so excited to get to college and compete at that level,” Gormsen said. “But what’s even more exciting is that my sister is there too.”