By:TONY BELLISSIMO
"We didn't have the best dual meet season by our standards, but I was real pleased with how much we improved and placed second in the county," Coach Joe Hoffman said.
"I like our chances to be right there again. We have 39 girls on the roster and a lot of excellent young talent. We're going to be a deep team by the end of the year."
The addition of John Skudin and George Taylor to the Lady Marines' coaching staff will only speed the learning process, and the season started off with a bang with a strong showing at last week's Relay Carnival.
"I think we'll do very well in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays," Hoffman said. "There are so many girls close in ability to choose from."
Senior captains Allie Biegel, Megan Gallagher and Samara Wietz started the campaign well ahead of last year's paces. Each of them worked as lifeguards over the summer and built up their confidence and strength, according to Hoffman. "They all worked hard during the off-season and I'm expecting big things," he said.
Biegel earned All-County honors in 2003 and excels in freestyle sprints. She had a 59-second split (100-yard freestyle) in the Relay Carnival to basically match her personal-best time. Gallagher is concentrating on the freestyle and backstroke, while Weitz is a two-time, All-Conference diver. Zoe Casey (butterfly) and Jenna Romano (diving) are the only other seniors on the squad, but that shouldn't hold Long Beach back.
Sophomore Michaela Fraser is a returning All-County performer and is solid in all four strokes. She comes into the fall with a personal-best 2:26 in the 400 individual medley. Junior Shari Weiss will be a key in freestyle and breaststroke events, freshman Jackie Smith is the team's top distance swimmer, sophomore Jessica Lester just missed making All-County in the backstroke (1:09), sophomore Meghan Costello was part of LB's All-County 400 free relay, freshman Molly Torres is an All-Conference breaststroker and freshman Ellen Shouldis continues to make strides in freestyle and butterfly.
"Staying healthy is always important," Hoffman said. "I think with the coaching staff we have and with all the girls working hard we'll be able to reach our potential."
The biggest dual meet of the year takes place at home on Friday, Oct. 29 at 5:30 p.m. against Garden City. Circle the calendar.
