Middle Atlantic Conference Swimming Shutting Down For Holiday

By Allison Peters, Swimming World College Intern

READING – The vast majority of teams in Middle Atlantic Conference swimming will take a break from competition in the upcoming week for Thanksgiving break. The exception will be Lebanon Valley, who will face off in a close meet against Elizabethtown. This rest for most teams is well deserved after a week full of meets, which includes the majority of the conference’s participation in the Diamond City Invitational this past weekend.

The Middle Atlantic Conference is comprised of Lycoming, Widener, Misericordia, Arcadia, Wilkes, Albright, Messiah, Farleigh Dickinson, Hood, Stevenson, King’s and Lebanon Valley.

Looking back

Messiah

Messiah added another conference win to their record Saturday after the Falcons defeated the Albright Lions for the first time in program history. The men posted four event wins to come away with their victory.

Aaron Eckman posted one of these wins in the 500 freestyle (5:11.09), with teammate Nick Wieder not far behind in second (5:14.69). In the 200 butterfly, Dakota Schmalz walked away with a win after he posted a 2:01.37, again with Wieder in a close second in 2:03.67. Tara Freeman led her team as she earned a pair of individual wins in the 200 (1:59.62) and 100 (54.53) freestyles.

Teammate Emily Reale had a strong finish behind Freeman in the 100 freestyle, she took second in 56.94. Reale added a first-place finish for her team in the 200 individual medley (2:19.81) as well. For the Lions, Amanda Osterlind continued to be the top swimmer for her team as she walked away with two wins in the 1000 (10:59.93) and 500 (5:25.88) freestyles. Liz Muller posted a strong second-place finish in the 200 individual medley (2:25.21).

Ken Richardson won a pair of individual events against Messiah – the 200 individual medley (2:03.45) and 200 breaststroke (2:20.77). Ricky Sutton posted a win in the 1000 freestyle (10:26.33). Sutton also took home a second-place finish in the 200 backstroke with a time of (2:03.38). Matt Runtas recorded a win in the 50 freestyle at 22.11. Senior Alex Bauer was just off his best in-season time in the 200 freestyle to win the event (1:52.08).

Farleigh Dickinson

Farleigh Dickinson (FDU) men’s and women’s swim teams won their first meet of the season against Mount Saint Vincent Saturday. Sarah Bennett won both the 50 freestyle (27.50) and 100 butterfly (1:07.90). Samantha Irace also won a pair of events – the 500 (6:21.60) and 1000 (12:58.10) freestyles. Connor Zero proved to be the top of his team when be touched first in two events, the 200 freestyle (2:04.70) and 100 butterfly (1:04.00). Teammates Sean Pentz and William Raynes took the top two spots in the 500 freestyle, 6:40.40 and 6:48.40, respectively.

Widener

The Widener men placed fifth overall at the Franklin and Marshall Invitational. Ian Gaynor led his team as he set a new meet record in the 100 freestyle in prelims (44.90). This also set a new school record for Widener, as well as a new MAC conference record. Gaynor went on to win the 100 freestyle in finals with a 45.28.

Michael Grajek took fourth place in the finals of the 200 freestyle with a 1:45.47. Grajek also proved to be a key player for his team when he took fifth place in the 200 backstroke (1:58.38). Vladimir Belogorodsky went a 4:59.83 in the finals of the 500 freestyle which allowed him to place 13th.

The Widener men’s 400 freestyle relay took second with a time of 3:06.21, which broke the pool record as well as their school record. Gaynor anchored the relay with the fastest split of anyone in the meet at 44.18.

On the women’s side, sophomore Anna Pelligra placed 12th in the 1650 with a time of 18:47.50. Pelligra also had a strong swim in the 500 freestyle where she placed 12th in 5:21.79. Freshmen Liz O’Sullivan moved in to the top 10 all-time list for Widener when she swam a 1:02.62 in the 100 butterfly and placed 17th. Freshman Christine Kunzler placed fourteenth in the 100 freestyle with a time of 54.91, and eighteenth in the 50 freestyle in 25.41.

Diamond City Invitational

At the Diamond City Invitational, Wilkes’ Jeff Mastrantuono led his team with a third-place finish 50 freestyle in 22.67. Mastrantuono also swam an impressive 100 breaststroke time (1:02.85) that allowed him to place fourth. Dominic Parfianowicz took sixth in the 100 backstroke to help the Colonels after he touched the wall in 59.19. Sarah Cole was the top swimmer for the women Colonels. Cole placed thirteenth in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:08.08 and nineteenth in the 100 backstroke at 1:09.18.

Zac Cather was the only man to compete for Stevenson at the Diamond Invitational. Cather swam the 200 butterfly in a time of 2:21.95, which earned him eighth place. In the 500 freestyle Cather placed eighth (5:30.53) and in 100 butterfly he swam a 58.72 for ninth. On women’s side, Alison Smith had the top swim for the women when she posted a 5:27.39 in the 400 individual medley for twelfth place. Adrianne Kamosa placed thirteenth in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:19.44. Devan Bateman recorded two strong swims in the 100 (1:07.09) and 200 backstrokes (2:27.64).

Kings women’s and men’s swim teams placed third and fourth in the final standings at the Diamond City Invitational. Hosted by Kings themselves, the team had their best-ever showing.

Gabby Corpuz broke her own school record in the 100 backstroke when she touched the wall in 1:01.89. The next day Corpuz returned to break the school record in the 200 backstroke (2:15.42) and post another first-place finish. Caroline Fitch was the top distance swimmer for the Monarchs’ after she recorded a third-place finish in the 1650 freestyle (19:37.9) and a seventh-place finish in the 500 freestyle (5:39.97).

Rachel Jonas proved to be a key player to watch out for the rest of the season. Jonas swam the 100 breaststroke (1:13.56) where achieved the top spot for her team. Michael Sweeny walked away with two in-season best times in the 500 (5:14.36) and 200 (1:51.06) freestyles. Chris Lukashewski was the top sprinter for the Monarchs’ with a second-place finish in the 50 freestyle (22.19) and an eighth-place finish 100 freestyle (51.20).

Misericordia left the Diamond Invitational this past weekend with their men first overall and their women second overall. Dani Blass led her team with a pair of wins in the 400 individual medley (4:46.61) and 100 breaststroke (1:09.87). Kerri Ciriello was the strongest distance swimmer for her team in the 500 freestyle, where she did an in-season best (5:26.98). Aryn Zimmerman and Morgan Hanadel took the top two spots in the 50 freestyle, both doing in-season bests at 25.25 and 25.38, respectively.

In the 100 freestyle, Zimmerman and Hanadel went neck-and-neck once more to fight for fourth and fifth place. Zimmerman out-touched Hanadel again, 55.19 to 55.46. Thomas Scott won three events to help his team secure their victory. In the 200 breaststroke (2:10.75) and 200 individual medley (1:58.30), Scott not only placed first but also set new meet records that he had set the year prior. For his third event win, Thomas took the 100 breaststroke (59.78) and was just .57 off the meet record. Teammate John Brady was not far behind Thomas in the 100 (1:00.68) and 200 breaststrokes (2:13.49). Thomas Machi placed third in the 400 individual medley (4:32.75) and second in the 200 butterfly (2:03.95).

The Arcadia men’s team placed second overall at the Diamond Invitational this past weekend. Timothy Graham won the 200 butterfly (1:58.82) in which he set a new meet record and achieved the top time the MAC conference has seen so far this season. In the 100 butterfly, Graham recorded a third-place finish in 55.22, just ahead of teammate Jake Schellinger (55.71). Schellinger was the sprinter top for the Knights’ in the 100 freestyle (50.05). William Nolter placed third in the 1650 freestyle (19:36.96), almost a minute ahead of fourth place.

The Arcadia women finished seventh overall, with Whitney Boeckel as their lead swimmer. Boeckel placed second in the 200 backstroke (2:16.28) and fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:02.71). Boeckel also exhibitioned the 1650 freestyle (19:10.93) and set school records in the 1000 and 1650 freestyles as she swam the event. Becca Burkhart swam the 200 butterfly in 2:34.15 and recorded a sixth place finish for her team. Freshman Daniele Fundakowski had a strong swim in the 200 breaststroke when she touched the wall in 2:50.99 to take eleventh.

The Hood men’s team left the Diamond Invitational Sunday in third place overall. Cameron Rogers was the leader of his team after he won both the 500 (4:55.15) and 1650 (17:17.79) freestyles. Both of these times are the MAC conferences fastest so far this season. Bj Daisey swam the 100 (1:02.57) and 200 (2:20.41) breaststrokes in which he posted the top times for Hood. Lauren Fogarty was the leader for the women’s team in the distance events. Fogarty came in second in the 500 freestyle (5:26.47) and third in the 400 individual medley (4:50.59). In the 200 backstroke, Caitlin Fay fought for her fourth place finish (2:17.29), just .14 ahead of fifth place. In Fay’s 100 backstroke, she did a best in-season time (1:04.67) for a safe eighth place in the event.

Swarthmore Invitational

Dan Woods showed not only to be the top swimmer for Lycoming, but one of the top swimmers of the conference after he posted the MAC conference’s best 100 butterfly time at the at the Swarthmore Invitational. Woods also showed promise in his 100 breaststroke after he won the event in 1:01.23, which is only .04 off the top MAC conference top-time this season.

Junior Josh Thomas was another strong opponent for the competition. Thomas touched the wall in 2:03.75 in the 200 butterfly, which won him the event, and put him almost five seconds ahead of second place. Freshman Charlie Pletz used his swimming versatility to bring home points for his team after he swam both the 1650 and 100 freestyles and placed first and tenth, respectively.

Danielle Loiseau continued to be her teams top swimmer at the invitational. Loiseau won both the 1650 freestyle (19:00.63) by more than 13 seconds and then took second in the 100 butterfly (1:01.77). Teammates Brigid Clark and Felicia Sloyer took third and fourth in the 200 freestyle, 2:04.17 and 2:05.81, respectively. Sloyer also placed second in the 100 backstroke after she touched the wall in 1:03.13, the fifth fastest the conference has seen so far this season.

Lebanon Valley

Freshman Ian Lloyd will be the top swimmer for his team against the Lions. Lloyd will pose a threat in the 200 meter individual medley, where he recently swam the fastest time his pool has seen in 21 years (2:19.34). Chris Kurtz could also be a key player in their search for victory. Kurtz is their top 200 (2:07.05) and 400 (4:27.44) meter freestyle swimmer. Also be on the look out for Clay Heebner in the 100 meter butterfly (1:02.22) which he recently claimed victory in during a meet against King’s.

For the women, Lauren Skorupski will be competition for Elizabethtown’s top breaststroker Amanda Long. Skorupski’s best time in her 100 meter breaststroke this season is a 1:22.83, while her 200 meter breaststroke stands at a 3:00.66.

Schedule

November 25: Elizabethtown at Lebanon Valley

Allison Peters is a junior distance specialist at Albright College. Previously, she trained at The Atlantic Club, and the New Jersey Race Club as well as swam for the Point Pleasant Borough High School team.

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