Times Observer File Photo by Scott Kindberg In this November 2021 file photo, Jamestown Community College swimming coach Todd Conklin, right, chats with Bill Rollinger during an NJCAA meet.

The Jamestown Community College swim teams were NJCAA Region 3 champions last year, but the Jayhawks achieved that milestone without competing for the title in the pool because the championship was canceled.

That’s not the case this season.

Going into Friday’s regional championship at Monroe CC, the women will have the highest of expectations after a spectacular regular season in which they had a perfect 7-0 record and 6-0 Western New York Athletic Conference record.

“Coming off such a successful season last year, step one was to repeat as conference champions,” said Jayhawks’ head coach Todd Conklin. “The girls wrapped up the conference again this year winning back-to-back championships and the next goal is to repeat as regional champions. Hopefully, they wrap up another regional title.”

The women bring back just two swimmers from last year’s team — Tia Moppert (Gowanda/Gowanda HS) and Jade Vidas (Johannesburg, Gauteng, South Africa/Parktown HS for Girls) — but Conklin knows everyone on his roster is capable of having a great performance.

“My girls team, I think they’re all capable of being in the top three or four,” stated Conklin. “Tia Moppert I expect to have a great tournament. Tia has always been a girl to lead from the front. She’s a hard worker. When it comes to her I know I can really lean on her.”

A swimmer to count on to have a big meet for the Jayhawks is Kaylee Constantino (Frewsburg/Frewsburg HS). Constantino has been named the Region III Player of the Week four times this season and has set three school records just this past month. Constantino currently holds the record in the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 33.86, the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:15.58 and the 200 breaststroke with a time of 2:48.25.

“We’re very fortunate,” stated Conklin. “Constantino broke a couple of records this year. I expect them all to do what they’ve been doing all year and I expect us to truly have a fantastic regional meet.”

While the men do not boast the record the women have posted this season, Conklin still has high expectations.

“I feel we’re hitting our stride right now,” he said.

The Jayhawks finished the regular season with a 2-5 overall record and 2-4 record in the WNYAC. The Jayhawks return three swimmers from last year’s squad — Matthew Fennell (Fourways Garden, Johannesburg, South Africa/King Edwards VII School), Jackson Vanstrom (Jamestown/Southwestern HS) and Colby Pantall (Jamestown/Maple Grove HS).

The two newcomers have had solid seasons, both earning Player-of-the-Week once. Cole Carlson (Boonsboro, MD/Southwestern HS) won the Player of the Week in December and Joseph Keyser (Mayville/Chautauqua Lake CS) won Player of the Week in late January, getting hot at just the right time of year.

According to Conklin, the toughest competition will be Monroe CC and Genesee CC. In the last 20 years, the Jamestown CC, Genesee CC and Monroe CC are the only three schools to win the Region 3 Swimming & Diving Championships.

“Monroe and Genesee will be the biggest threat to the meet,” added Conklin. “We’ll have some really great races. I just feel we’re in a great situation. We can’t look too far ahead. We have to take it one event at a time and just swim our best every time we’re in that pool.”

After the regional championships, the Jayhawks will have a quick turnaround.

“Once this is done then we’ve got two weeks until we get to nationals,” stated Conklin. “But we’ll worry about that when Sunday afternoon comes.”

Until then, the Jayhawks will be getting ready for the Region 3 Championships at Monroe CC starting Friday at 6 p.m. and continuing through Sunday afternoon.