Senior captain Brittany Wood and Kate Gucciardi were each double winners to help the Cicero-North Syracuse girls swimming and diving team to a 100-84 win over host West Genesee on Thursday.
"Our progress has been steady," said C-NS coach Brad Ranieri. "We have only had three meets so far this season due to some schedule difficulties. The positive in that is we have had the best stretch of training in this first month of September compared to any of my previous 28 seasons as head coach at C-NS."The win was the first of the season for the Northstars, who have had just three meets so far this season.
Wood was a double winner in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke. She also anchored the 200 free relay in a dramatic come-from-behind win. Gucciardi was also a double winner in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly that were critical in the victory, according to Ranieri.
We asked Ranieri about the Northstars season.
Q. How have your swimmers progressed during the season? Who can you point out as a swimmer who has made great improvement?
A. Cassidy Svoboda a junior, has made great improvements over the last year. She has turned herself into an impact swimmer on our team. She has tremendous talent, an outstanding work ethic and a positive mindset. That's a real recipe for success.
Q. What does a win like this do for your team as you prepare for the league and class championships?
A. This was a really good win for us, especially against a program like West Genesee. Coach Marks is one of the best. To be able to win a meet like this, on the road, is a big accomplishment for our team.
A win like this certainly is a nice stepping stone towards bigger contests to come like leagues and sectionals. We lost a lot of talent last year, so this will give our young squad some confidence and a glimpse of what is possible if we continue to be persistent in our daily training.
Q. How has All-CNY diver Kaitlyn Carroll progressed with her diving?
A. I have been blessed with some fantastic kids over the years. Kaitlyn Carroll ranks as one of the strongest, physically and mentally, of all time. On Monday she did a two-hour gymnastics practice, then came to swim practice, not to dive, but to swim a 5,000-yard workout. I don't know of too many divers doing that. She's a wonderful teammate whose unrelenting persistence will keep propelling her progress.
