Hewlett swimmers make a big splash

The Hewlett High School varsity swimming and diving team continued its very successful season with a record setting performance at the Division B championships at Nassau County Aquatic Center at Eisenhower Park on Oct. 27.

The 200 freestyle relay team of Jasmine Nakkab, Allyson Geiger, Sydney Elder and Melissa Usdan shaved two one-hundredths of a second off the Hewlett record and finished third with a time of 1:49.45 and earning All Division honors.

Those same swimmers comprise the 400 freestyle relay team and also claimed third place and received All-Division honors in that event.

In addition, a majority of the girls lowered their times in their individual events and “smashed” personal goals they set at the beginning of the season, according to head coach Cary Epstein.

Overall, the squad finished fifth out of 10 teams in their division losing out to Syosset for fourth place “by only a few points,” Epstein said.

At the county championships on Nov. 4-5 also at the aquatic center, what Epstein called “the Hewlett 10,” divers Jenna and Jessie Kurz, Michelle Wong, McKerrah Knopf, Ali Cohen, Rachel Geiger, Nakkab, Allyson Geiger, Usdan and Elder qualified and the 200 freestyle relay team again broke the school record lowering it to 1:49:05.

Usdan, Elder, Allyson Geiger, and Jessie Jurz earned All-Conference and All-Division honors. Jenna Kurz was named All-Conference and Chiara Ostrin was All-Division.