Brewster Swimmers Win Divisional Championship

BREWSTER—The Brewster High swim team won the Conference 1 divisional championship last Saturday at Beacon High School, edging out Arlington and John Jay EF.

The Brewster High swim team celebrated winning the Conference 1 divisional championship last weekend. The Bears finished with 360 points. Arlington totaled 337, and Jay took third with 250.

Brewster’s 200 medley relay team of Ali Polhill, Alexis Valedon, Courtney Monsees, and Christy Edleson took a first in 1:53.19.

Edeleson won the 200 free in a time of 1:56.04, and was also first in the 500 free in 5:04.21.

Valedon was first in the 200 IM in 2:14.95, and also took a first in the breaststroke with a time of 1:09.02.

Polhill won the 100 backstroke in 59.35, and the team of Polhill. Valedon, Monsees, and Edleson also took the 200 free relay in 1:42.38.

Bears coach Brittany Hunter liked the way her team stepped up to the challenge.

“I was a little surprised,” she said. “We have a small team, so I was very happy with how well our depth stood up. It was great to see how the swimmers stepped up. KelliAnne Valedon, an eighth-grader, was in the top six in two events. That was a nice performance. And our diver – Victoria Arturi – was a top diver all year. She got a second at divisionals, and is our only sectional qualifier for diving. Courtney Monsees was in tough events with some top girls, and pulled out seconds and thirds… she had a very nice meet, and turned in some of her best times of the season.”

Brewster clinched the conference championship the prior Wednesday at Green Chimneys by defeating Arlington, 52-42.

Both teams went into the meet undefeated. Brewster finished at 7-0, while the Admirals closed at 8-1.

The team of Polhill, Valedon, Monsees and Edleson won the 200 medley relay in 1:56.02.

Edleson won the 200 free in 2:00.77, and also took the 500 free in 5:19.16.

Valedon won the 200 IM in 2:17.70, and also won the 100 breast in 1:10.17.

Monsees was first in the 50 free with a 26:52, and also won the 100 free in 56.8, and Polhill won the 100 fly in 1:00.09, and was first in the 100 back in 1:02.87.

Brewster’s team of Polhill, Valedon, Monsees and Edleson also won the 400 free relay in a time of 3:56.37.

“We were very excited,” Hunter said. “The girls are hard workers, and our four standouts – Ali Polhill, Alexis Valedon, Courtney Monsees, and Christy Edleson – you can put them in any event, and they’ve been undefeated all season. I was a little nervous because Arlington has a big team, but we proved we have a strong core. It was very exciting to see the fight the girls had in them.”

Brewster swims at the sectional championships this weekend and into next week. Diving gets underway Friday at Pace University, and swimming is set for Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday at the Felix Festa Middle School.