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Tenzin Tamang was League II Champion in the 200IM last week.
Aidan McCormac won the League II title in the 50-yard freestyle last week.
Tenzin Tamang didn’t compete for the East Hampton/Pierson boys swim team during the pandemic-shortened season last winter. He instead moved down to Florida for six months temporarily with his friend Curran O’Donnell and his family, for what was supposed to be a fun extended getaway. Instead, he ended up training even harder for swimming.
The result of that was Tamang’s first ever league title, winning the 200-yard individual medley in 2:10.85, and helping the Bonackers place third overall at the League II Championships at Hauppauge High School on February 3. Aidan McCormac also won a league title in the 50-yard freestyle (23.36 seconds) and both he and Tamang, along with Nicky Badilla and Daniel Piver, won the 200-yard medley relay in 1:47.85.
“I was ecstatic to get my first league champ title,” Tamang said. “I wanted to go a bit faster but was happy with the win.”
West Islip won the league title with 305 points, followed by Hauppauge (244) and East Hampton (219). Sayville/Bayport-Blue Point, which tied with the Bonackers during the regular season, finished fourth with 151 points, followed by Northport, Lindenhurst, Deer Park and North Babylon.
“Our approach to this meet was no different than any other meet: The boys are asked to control what they can control — effort, attitude, and preparation — and to give their absolute best,” head coach Craig Brierley said. “That was just what they did.”
Brierley said the team finished with 22 personal bests, and if a swimmer didn’t finish with a best time, they were pretty close to it.
“The boys demonstrated what their training prepared them to do … to compete against an opponent and reach for the greatest heights, together,” he said. “They showed mental and physical strength in an attempt to come out on top. The meaning of competition is striving together to do your best and each season Coach Brian and I are continually humbled by the boys and their efforts. This year’s team did not disappoint.”
Team captains McCormac and Piver chose East Hampton freshman Cristian Sigua as the Swimmer of the Meet. Sigua competed in both the 200IM and 100-yard backstroke and finished seventh and fifth, respectively, tallying 17 points for the team.
“As a freshman, swimming in his biggest competition of his young career, Cristian handled himself like a veteran,” Brierley said. “He quietly accepted the responsibility that was asked of him and he gave his absolute best effort for his team. The captains did not want this to go unnoticed and were thrilled to honor Cristian.”
Now the team’s focus is on the county tournament, which is this Saturday, February 12, at Stony Brook University. Tamang will be competing in both the 200IM and 100-yard butterfly, McCormac is expected to compete in both the 50 and 100 frees, Badilla in the 200IM and 100 fly, Luke Tarbet in the 100 fly, and all three relays, the 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free.
