SOUTHERN TIER SPORTS REPORT: CORNING'S MCKANE, TERWILLIGER AND JARDIN-REED AND HORSEHEADS' LI HEADLINE ALL-STSR SWIMMING & DIVING (March 19, 2024)

By Brian Fees
Southern Tier Sports Report
A magical year for area swimmers and divers on both the boys and girls sides are highlighted by one of the best in the history of Section 4 highlighting the girls swimmer of the year, while a Horseheads senior wraps up his career with the boys honor.

For the girls Angie McKane of Corning takes home swimmer of the year honors. She was the outstanding performer at the NYSPHSAA Championships. She won both the 50 free and 100 fly state and federation titles, earning all-American honors in both.

McKane was the outstanding scholar athlete award winner in the state and she broke her own Section IV records in both the 50 free and 100 fly. She is a D1 commit to swim at West Point.

The girls diver of the year is Brooke Terwilliger of Corning. She was a state runner-up for the Hawks. She was the Class A sectional champion and earned her third career state medalist. She is a D1 commit to dive at Toledo.

Olivia Schwab of Horseheads is the newcomer of the year. She was an eighth-place finisher in the 100 fly at sectionals and took 13th in the 200 IM.

Horseheads coach Megan Janeski helped guide the Blue Raiders to a sectional title and she is the coach of the year.

For the boys Shoonfon Li of Horseheads is the swimmer of the year. He was 11th in the state, winning the B final in the 200 IM. He finished 14th in the state in the 100 back. He swam four events at states and qualified for states in seven events.

Brenden Jardin-Reed of Corning is the diver of the year. He was the Section 4, Class A champion and a state qualifier.

Horseheads’ MJ Carro is the newcomer of the year. He finished top 10 in sectionals in two events, both the 200 IM and 500 free.

Blue Raiders coach Chris Bankaitis is the coach of the year. He helped guide the Blue Raiders to the Section 4, Class A title.

TERRIFIC 10 ALL-STSR SWIMMING.& DIVING’
SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: Shoonfon Li, Horseheads
* Swam states in four events, including two individual events. He won the B final in the 200 IM in 1:53.91. Finished 14th in the state in the 100 back in 52.60. Qualified for states in seven different events this year, five of them individual events.
DIVER OF THE YEAR: Brenden Jardin-Reed, Corning
* Section IV, Class A champion in diving. A state qualifier for the Corning Hawks. Broke the pool record at Watkins Glen this year.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: MJ Carro, Horseheads
* Finished top 10 in sectionals in two different events (200 IM and 500 free).
COACH OF THE YEAR: Chris Bankaitis, Horseheads
* Helped guide the Horseheads Blue Raiders to the Section 4, Class A title.
Kaden TenEyck, Horseheads
* A state qualifier in both the 50 free and 100 free this year. Had a top time of 21.89 in the 50 free and 48.28 in the 100 free. Also made states in a relay for the Blue Raiders. Had the ninth best time in the 100 fly in 56.60. Had the fourth best time in the section in the 100 free in 48.28.
Joey Crisco, Corning
* Had the fourth best time in Section 4 Class A in the 200 IM this year in 2:05.96. Also had the 9th fastest time in the section in the 200 free. Finished third in the section in the 500 free in Class A.
Marvin Reimsnyder, Corning
* Had a tie for the sixth best time in the section in the 50 free in 22.33. Also had the sixth best time in the 100 fly in 54.95. Was third in the 50 free in Class A sectionals. Was sectional runner-up in the 100 fly.
Creed Hackett, Elmira
* A state qualifier in diving. Section 4, Class AA runner-up for the Express. Also took sixth in the 50 free at sectionals in 23.62.
Thai Tran, Horseheads
* A state qualifier for Horseheads in relays. A runner-up in Class A sectionals in the 100 breaststroke and a fourth-place finisher in the 100 fly.
James Fedele, Horseheads
* A sectional runner-up in the 100 back and a fourth-place finisher in the 200 IM at sectionals. A relay state qualifier for the Blue Raiders.
* Shawn DePedro, Corning
* A fourth-place finisher in the 100 breaststroke and third-place finisher in the 200 IM at sectionals for the Hawks.
Kegan Monahan, Horseheads
* A fourth-place finisher in the 500 free at sectionals and fifth-place finisher in the 200 free.

TERRIFIC 13 GIRLS
SWIMMER OF THE YEAR: Angie McKane, Corning
* Was the outstanding performer at the NYSPHSAA Championships. Won both the 50 free and 100 fly state and federation titles. Earned All-American honors in both events. Was named the outstanding scholar athlete award. She re-broke her own Section IV records in both events. A D1 commit to swim at West Point.
DIVER OF THE YEAR: Brooke Terwilliger, Corning
* A state runner-up for the Corning Hawks. She won the Section IV Class A title this year. Earned her third career state medalist. A D1 commit to dive at Toledo.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR: Olivia Schwab, Horseheads
* Was an 8th-place finisher in the 100 fly at sectionals in 1:12.27. Took 13th in the 200 IM at sectionals in 2:43.38.
COACH OF THE YEAR: Megan Janeski, Horseheads
* Helped guide the Horseheads Blue Raiders to a Section IV title.
Sibby Lowe, Horseheads
* A state qualifier in four events. A state medalist as part of the 200 free relay for the Blue Raiders. Also made states in the 50 free and 200 medley relay. Also a state qualifier in the 100 fly. Won the 50 free Class A title. Had a season best of 24.34 in the 50 free and 58.96 in the 100 fly.
Gabby Janeski, Horseheads
* A State medalist as part of the 200 free relay for Horseheads. Also a state qualifier in the 200 medley relay. Had a season best of 1:03.73 in the 100 fly and 1:15.75 in the 100 breaststroke. A runner-up in the 100 breaststroke at sectionals.
Karina Lapierre, Horseheads
* A state qualifier in the 200 medley relay. Had season bests of 5:51.26 in the 500 free and 1:03.87 in the 100 back. A fifth-place finisher in the 500 free at Class A sectionals. Third in sectionals in the 100 back.
Anna Lowe, Horseheads
* A state medalist as part of the 200 free relay for Horseheads. Also a state medalist in the 200 medley relay. Had a season best of 54.80 in the 100 free and 25.09 in the 50 free. Sectional runner-up in the 50 free.
Mia Carro, Horseheads
* A state medalist as part of the 200 free relay for Horseheads. Had a season best of 2:23.35 in the 200 IM and 1:02.98 in the 100 fly. 5th in sectionals in the 200 IM.
Cella McLaughlin, Corning
* A state qualifier in diving. A Section 4, Class A runner-up in the event.
Kara Peters, Corning
* A relay state qualifier for the Hawks. Finished 2nd in Class A sectionals in the 200 free. Finished third in sectionals in the 500 free.
Madelyn Cavalier, Elmira
* A fifth-place finisher in the 100 fly at sectionals and 8th place in the 100 back.
Maria Kuksenkova, Corning
* A relay state qualifier for Corning. Fifth in the 100 free at sectionals.
Kyra Gross, Corning
* A relay state qualifier for Corning. Took 7th in the 50 free and sixth in the 100 free.
Genevieve Carro, Horseheads
* A 4th place finisher in the 200 free and third-place finisher in the 100 breaststroke at sectionals.