Giovanniello was not the only swimmer to qualify for states in individual events at the Garden City meet. Kaplan, a Kennedy High School junior, won the 100-yard butterfly and 100-yard breaststroke, making the state cut and setting new school records in both. She also set a new school record and qualified for states in the 200-yard individual medley against Manhasset one week before the Garden City meet, Coach Kaefer said.

Kaplan’s finishing times in various races dropped significantly, even though she was swimming at such a high level to begin with, Kaefer said. Kaplan explained that she has trained hard for the past two months, and that she and her teammates will continue to push themselves in preparation for the county championship.

“Hopefully, we can carry this win into counties,” she said. “We need to have a lot of good swims like we did against Garden City. We haven’t [won the championship] since I’ve been on the team, but I think we could do it this year.”

Kaefer said the Sharks’ chances at the championship come down to “what my third and fourth swimmers are going to do.”

The team looks strong, Kaefer said, but it’s hard to tell how they will fare in the two-day championship meet.

Arana had one guess about the championships, however. “Kaefer would probably cry if we won counties,” she said of the longtime coach.