Hauppauge/Smithtown continues undefeated girls swim season
Hauppauge Smithtown’s Leah Treglia swims the 200 yard freestyle during the Suffolk High School girls swim meet between Connetquot and Smithtown/Hauppauge on Tuesday Oct 10 2022 at Connetquot High School. Credit: Bob Sorensen
Leah Treglia cut through the water in the 100-yard freestyle so fast that she qualified for the state championships in her fourth individual event this season. She finished a comfortable distance ahead.
In the end, her team did, too.
Hauppauge/Smithtown and Connetquot/East Islip jumped into Connetquot’s pool Tuesday as undefeated girls swimming and diving teams in Suffolk I meets. Hauppauge/Smithtown emerged with a 97-86 win despite reducing the number of events for some of its best as a way to rest.
“We’re very deep and very young,” coach Sean Montalvo said. “We switched some events around to make county [qualifying] cuts with different girls in different events. … We showed our depth.”
This is their third season as a combined team. They’re the defending county champions. Hauppauge hadn’t won it in 36 years. Smithtown had never won it.
This team (6-0, 4-0) isn’t planning on a long wait for another Suffolk crown.
“I definitely think we’re going to win counties again,” Treglia said. “… All of our work and determination is going to show off on that day.”
The Smithtown West senior and Miami commit is a two-time defending county champ in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. She was All-America in both last season. Those are the events she plans to swim at states. She’s craving her first state title.
On this day, she took satisfaction in swimming 54.27 in the 100 free.
“It definitely means a lot to still be making states later on this season even though that’s not my best event,” Treglia said.
Seventh-grade teammate Sarah Lucca won the 100 butterfly.
Connetquot/East Islip (4-2, 4-1) excelled in diving. Lara Booth Alam and Kelsey Kreuscher, both ranked among the top four in the state for 11 dives, finished 1-2 in this six-dive event, 310.86-300.21.
Connetquot High’s Lara Booth Alam won the diving competition Tuesday during Connetquot/East Islip’s loss to Hauppauge/Smithtown in a dual #swimming and #diving meet at Connetquot on Long Island. @NewsdayHSsports pic.twitter.com/WC9awN008i
— Brian Heyman (@bheyman99) October 12, 2022
“I’ve been trying to break 300 for a while, so it’s very gratifying to do so,” Booth Alam said. “I’m just pretty proud of myself about the way I dove. But I can only get better.”
Seventh-grader Amanda Tedesco won the 50 freestyle and the 100 breaststroke and Kylie Martinez swept the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle for Connetquot/East Islip.
“I’m very happy with the way the girls stepped up,” coach Alex Scichilone said. “A lot of best times today. A couple of more qualifying cuts. So I’m a very proud coach here.”
