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Bonackers, from left, Lizzie Daniels, Vanessa Rizzo, Ginger Griffin, Heidi Rizzo and Sydney Powers. COURTESY CRAIG BRIERLEY
The contingent of four girls who represented the East Hampton/Pierson/Bridgehampton girls swim team at the New York State Swimming and Diving Championships at the Webster Aquatic Center on Friday and Saturday improved their times in what was their final meet of the season.
The 200-yard medley relay team of East Hampton senior Elizabeth Daniels and junior Ginger Griffin and Pierson sophomore Vanessa Rizzo and eighth-grader Heidi Rizzo entered the state meet with a seed time of 1:51.73, but in the preliminary swim improved that to 1:50.72, securing a spot in the finals. There they delivered another strong race, finishing in 1:51.14 to place 13th overall in the state.
“The progression from seed to prelims highlighted the team’s ability to step up under pressure, and their finals performance capped off a competitive showing,” head coach Craig Brierley said.
Daniels also competed individually in the 100-yard breaststroke. Similar to her medley relay team, Daniels had a strong preliminary race in which she finished in 1:07.44, just one-tenth of a second off her previous best. In the finals, Daniels notched a personal best, dropping her time to 1:07.03 to finish 14th overall in the state.
“Her ability to sharpen her performance from prelims to finals shows both her determination and competitive edge,” Brierley said. “A fantastic effort on the state stage and a proud moment for the team.
“Both performances highlight the strength of our program and the dedication of our athletes,” he added. “Coach Thomas [Brierley] and I were extremely proud of the girls’ accomplishments, how they prepared themselves each day for their swims, and in the manner they conducted themselves the entire trip. They represented their team and schools with great pride. Onward and upward — we look forward to building on these successes.”
East Hampton freshman Sydney Powers also made the trip with the team as an alternate for the relay. Though ultimately not needed, Brierley said Powers earned that role “due to her ability to serve an essential safety net to fill in if called upon. She was also instrumental in supporting her teammates.”
There are over 7,000 girls varsity swimmers in New York State, and about 400 of those make it to the state championship, something Brierley said he and his program are extremely proud of.
“Looking back to three weeks ago, when our Bonac swimmers were lighting up the league championship meet as they were putting up season or lifetime bests that earned them a second place finish to Connetquot High School, then two weeks ago, the girls that qualified for the Section XI Championships, again put up many personal/season bests while finishing in seventh place in Suffolk County,” Brierley said. “Now, after three total weeks of championship training, the girls that qualified for states were motivated to challenge those best times while competing at the highest level of varsity swimming — the state championship meet.
“Their season of hard work, commitment and dedication to the team was evident as they competed along with the best in New York State.”
For the fourth consecutive year, the Webster Aquatic Center in Webster, in the Rochester area (Section V), was the site of the state championship. According to the New York State Public High School Athletic Association, Webster Aquatic Center is in the first year of a new three-year bid term through 2027. The girls swimming and diving state championships have been held at several venues across the state over the years including Erie Community College, Ithaca College and Nassau County Aquatic Center.
Webster’s pool is Olympic-length (50 meters) and has over 10,000 square feet of deck space. In addition to a full Colorado System timing model in place, the facility recently added a 32-foot-by-14-foot LED video board. It is one of the largest video boards at a natatorium in the state, along with numerous new cameras and a state-of-the-art sound system.
Suffolk County, and Long Island in general, fared well at the state level. Hauppauge/Smithtown won both the 200-yard medley and 200-yard freestyle relay state championships, and Sarah Lucca (100-yard butterfly) and Julia Lucca (100-yard backstroke), who hail from that program, both won individual state titles. Vivienne Zangaro of Long Beach won both the 200- and 500-yard freestyles, Una Diaz, also of Long Beach, won the 200-yard individual medley, and Manhasset’s Victoria Wang won the one-meter diving title.
Brierley said that it was ”inspiring to watch this year’s group of student-athletes compete with heart and give their all in every race.”
“Our girls represented their schools with respect and dignity, achieving wonderful accomplishments and showing personal growth both in and out of the pool,” he continued. “Whether a best time was reached or not, the true measure of success lies in the progress each individual made. It is our hope that every swimmer ends the season stronger and more confident than when they began.
“Our alumni can be proud knowing that the 2025 Bonac girls have left the team in an even better place than when they arrived — continuing the tradition of excellence and spirit that defines our program.”
