Basking Ridge Swim Team Sees Mixed Start To 2023

BASKING RIDGE, NJ - The first week of 2023 saw mixed results for the Basking Ridge Swim Team, with losses on both the girls’ and boys’ team to Bridgewater.

The Jan. 3 meet saw the girls’ team record their first loss of the season at 81-89; the boys saw a similar defeat to the Bridgewater lineup, losing at 67-103.

However, losses aside, some standout performances were recorded. Junior Emily Thompson set two national public high school short course meters records in the 200 IM and the 100 Fly during the start of the season, and was subsequently honored with Ridge girls’ MVP status. The girls’ team also secured victories in the 200 Medley relay with the team of Thompson, Kinga Kiss, Eszter Kiss and Guilia Beverini and in the 400 Free relay with Emily Wang, Sammie Oei, Eszter Kiss and Beverini.

During individual events, Beverini scored in the 50 free and Eszter Kiss in the 100 back.

As for the boys’ team, Garrett Gould emerged victorious in the 50 free and 100 free and led the 400 Free relay team of Mitch Ferraioli, Dean Cappizzi, Anson Chen and Gould to an exciting underdog win, earning himself the Ridge boys’ MVP honor. Ferraioli recorded the boys’ other victory in the 500 Free.

Thursday’s meet against North Hunterdon saw both Ridge teams dominate with a 115 - 39 girls’ win and a 107 - 47 win for the boys.

Ridge girls won first and second place in all three relays and 6 out of 7 individual events, with Individual victories won by Eszter Kiss in the 200 IM and 100 Fly, Emily Wang in the 50 Free and 100 Free, Giulia Beverini in the 200 Free and Charlie Geary in the 100 Breast.

Frst place went to Mia Capizzi, Kinga Kiss, Amelia Ellis and Maggie Luo in the 200 Medley Relay; second place to the team of Victoria Doucette, Arissa Xiang, Sammie Oei and Emma Wallach. The 200 Free Relay saw first place going to the team of Luo, Beverini, Eszter Kiss and Wang, while second place went to Elissa Profaca, Keerthana Gopinath, Ellis and Doucette. The 400 Free relay event was won by Wang, Eszter Kiss, Capizzi and Beverini and second place by the team of Hannah Flatley, Lily Mannino, Niamh O’Sullivan and Charlie Geary.

Ridge boys took first and second place in several individual events with Kevin Cao, winning In the 200 Free and Mitch Ferraioli taking second place. The 200 IM was won by Gabe Beverini, with Orion Wang taking second place.

The 50 Free was won by Garrett Gould with Captain Caden Lake securing second place; in the 100 Back, Ian D’Silva took victory with Jack Thompson taking second. Garrett Gould scored first place with the 100 Fly.

As for the boys relays, the 200 Medley relay was won by Gould, Cao, Ferraioli and Capizzi. Gould, Beverini, Lake and Capizzi were victorious in the 200 Free relay and Ferraioli, Beverini, Lake and Cao won the 400 Free relay. Gopinath and Lake were subsequently named Ridge MVPs.

Next up, Ridge will face Montgomery on Jan. 10 and will line up at the Skylands Conference Championships at Montgomery on Saturday.