MONROE, CT — Masuk High’s girls swimming and diving team is ready to get back into the water for another season of competition in the South-West Conference and the Panthers will look to improve as they go, picking up wins along the way.
Coach Emily DeMace has five strong leaders in captains Sienna Jones, Siobhan Smith, Grace Sheppard, Eliza Palmieri and Skye Eannotti.
“We are also very fortunate to have the best coaching staff returning,” DeMace said of assistants Jenna Manion and Noah Duncan.
“We are smaller in numbers this year than in past years, but that just means more time in the pool for these girls and more/different events that they are able to do,” said DeMace, adding the Panthers have a majority of the lineup back and some new freshmen in the fold.
“We know each other well — we know our strengths and weaknesses and we know how we work and train together,” she said. “Our new freshmen make great additions to the team and will fit right in.”
The team has eight seniors. Palmieri is a diver. Other seniors are Anastazja Malecka, Ava O’Leary, Sheppard, Ritiksha Patel, Sienna Jones, Smith and Eannotti.
While winning is a big part of school sports, it is not what any given season is solely about.
“We are hoping to continue to have fun this season, win some meets, have some best times and high scores, shoot for qualifying times and scores to represent Masuk at all of our conference championships — and just to want and be able to better ourselves every day and reach our individual and team goals,” DeMace said.
“We’re very lucky to have such a great group of girls year after year and this year is no different — looking forward to what this season has in store for us,” she added.
It all gets going this Friday, Sept. 5, when Newtown visits at 4 p.m.
Senior night is Oct. 10 against Pomperaug, also at 4 p.m.
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