Joshua Matheny Posts 4th-Ranked 100 Breast at Geneva Futures, Night 2

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Photo Courtesy: Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics Facebook

On the second night of competition in Geneva, New York, youngsters owned the competition. Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics’ Joshua Matheny had a particularly noteworthy performance in the 100 breaststroke, where he notched the fourth-ranked spot in the all-time list for the 13-14 age group. Allison Piccirillo and Megan Deuel were two more young swimmers who made their way to the podium in the 100 butterfly.

The 200 freestyle title proved to be a battle to the end. Morgan Miller of the Coast Guard Blue Dolphins set the pace in her first 100, with a split of 1:00.26. Madison Hartigan, representing Empire Swimming, refused to let the front half be the deciding factor of the race.

Hartigan rallied in the third fifty to come within four tenths of Miller and then found an extra gear in her blazing final fifty for a time of 2:04.21. Victor’s Sydney St Rose-Finear had a similar strategy but couldn’t quite make up the difference. Miller got into the wall in 2:04.38, just twelve hundredths after Hartigan, while St Rose-Finear settled for bronze in 2:04.86.

On the men’s side, Lexo Walker of Wilton YMCA Wahoos led the whole way, but Christopher McMahon of Club Mountaineer fought hard in the second 100 meters. Walker remained in control for his 1:54.64, but McMahon dropped 0.50 seconds for his time of 1:54.78, good for silver.

The next closest finisher was Emils Gustav Jurcik in 1:55.62. Jurcik stayed steady despite a late challenge from the final’s youngster: 16-year-old Jay Johnson of Hudson Explorers Aquatic Team, who stopped the clock in 1:55.76.

The women’s 100 breaststroke saw an upset victory by Jenna Thompson of 757swim, who dropped 1.63 seconds for a 1:12.96 that topped both Schenectady-Saratoga Swim Club’s Margaret Wyngowski and Firestone Akron Swim Team’s Kristen Vargas.

The two veterans also dropped time from the morning, but it was Thompson’s impressive first fifty that guaranteed her gold medal. Thompson went out at a 33.94, while Wyngowski and Vargas held back with splits of 34.94 and 34.44, respectively. Wyngowski posted the only other 1:12 of the night with her 1:12.45, while Vargas swam a 1:13.12.

The men’s race proved to be more clear-cut, as 14-year-old Joshua Matheny from Pittsburgh Elite Aquatics swam the fourth-fastest time of all time for 13- and 14-year-olds. Matheny’s 1:03.80 puts him behind only Reece Whitley, Liam Bell, and Ethan Dang and has him beating out Michael Andrew for a spot.

Matheny’s time was also worthy of gold, as he finished a full second ahead of his next closest competitor. Matheny’s success came thanks to a sub-30 first fifty (29.93) and an even-keeled 33.87 on the second fifty. The other swimmers who landed spots on the podium–Sulta Bukeev of the Lake Erie Silver Dolphins (1:04.80) and Antonio Octaviano of Radnor Aquatic Club (1:04.82).

In the women’s 100 butterfly, Northern Kentucky Clippers’ Allison Piccirillo laid claim to gold with her 1:01.62, a time she garnered thanks to consistent pacing across fifties. She took out her first fifty in 29.44, a time that placed her fifth among competitors, but her back half split of 32.18 blew away the competition.

Second place went to 14-year-old Megan Deuel of Victor in 1:02.39, who pulled just ahead of Radnor Aquatic Club’s Danielle Ghine in the final meters to earn silver. Ghine rounded out the podium with a 1:02.42. Also of note was a seventh-place finish by Morgan Miller, fresh out of her second-place touch in the 200 free.

The title in the men’s 100 butterfly also went to an up-and-comer: Tavis Siebert of the New York Sharks. Siebert’s 55.75 was a textbook swim–he took out the race in 26.46 and brought it back in 29.29 for the fastest set of splits in the pool.

William Knaul of Shawmut Aquatic Club garnered silver with a 56.35, but not without battling for the top spot with Matthew Martin of Cleveland Swim Institute. Knaul was five hundredths slower in the first fifty with his 26.61 but gained seven hundredths over Martin in the second fifty. Martin settled for third with his 56.37.

The women’s 400 IM produced another fast swim for Margaret Wyngowski, on the heels of her second place finish in the breast. Wyngowski dropped 1.61 seconds from the morning for her 4:35.45, in which her 1:22.53 breaststroke split made all of the difference against her competitors.

Abigail Hay, swimming unattached, hit the touchpad in 4:55.03 for second, while Delaware Swim Team’s Isabella Paoletti brought home the bronze in 4:55.48.

Meanwhile, in the men’s race, Sean Faikish of North Penn Aquatic Club posted a 4:32.86, paving the way to victory with speedy butterfly and breaststroke legs. Delaware Swim Team’s Emils Gustav Jurcik owned second place with his 4:33.31, while Parkland Aquatic Club’s Daniel Berlitz finished third in 4:34.82.

The women’s 400 meter freestyle relay title belonged to Empire Swimming, who brought home the gold in 3:54.73. The victory proved to be a balanced effort from all four swimmers, Madison Hartigan, Kate Amar, Josephine Panitz, and Georgia Panitz. Each of the swimmers split between 58.47 and 58.97.

Hudson Explorer Aquatic Team took silver in 3:58.59, and Victor Swim Club enjoyed the bronze with a 3:59.19, just touching out Bluefish Swim Club (3:59.38), who threatened the-third place team with Megan Kramer‘s strong anchor swim.

The men’s race was dominated by North Penn Aquatic Club, who placed first with a 3:34.82. In this race, Bluefish squeezed onto the podium with a 3:46.40, placing them just one tenth ahead of Seacoast Swimming Association and 11 hundredths ahead of Hudson Explorer Aquatic Team.

The difference for Bluefish were solid swims in the middle legs by William Hein (54.02) and Thomas Russell (54.36), while Seacoast stacked the front half of their relay. Meanwhile, Hudson’s Jay Johnson, despite a sizzling final 100 in 52.00, could not quite make up the difference on the end.

Live Results are available at the link on the sidebar and on Meet Mobile under “2017 Futures Championships (Geneva, Ohio).”

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