Peddie Sweeps Team Titles at Easterns

By John Lohn

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania, February 24. THE Peddie School, behind a combination of top-flight performers and high-quality depth, roared to the male and female team titles Saturday night at the 107th edition of the Eastern Interscholastic Championships. The meet, considered the premier prep-school competition in the nation, was held at La Salle University's Kirk Natatorium.

Peddie entered the second day of action with the scoring lead in both team races and never looked back. Coach Greg Wriede watched his women pile up 659 points to finish ahead of four-time defending champ Germantown Academy (613). As for the men, Peddie totaled 413 points to place ahead of Germantown (336) and Loyola-Blakefield (324.5).

The Peddie girls started the night in stylish fashion as Amywren Miller, later named Female Swimmer of the Meet, grabbed gold in the 100 freestyle while dueling with Germantown's Katie Riefenstahl. The ladies put on a show during the four-lap race, with Miller emerging on top in 50.46. Riefenstahl was clocked in 50.58 and Peddie's Amy Jacobi was third in 52.06.

The Peddie School also received a victory in the 100 backstroke, won by Annie Fittin in 56.36. It then cemented its team title in the 100 breaststroke when JiYoung Lee, Alicia Lightbourne and Rebecca Malone occupied the second through fourth slots. Kaley Swider added a sixth-place finish for Peddie, which totaled 77 points in the event. Heather Holtom of Phil-Mont Christian won the 100 breast in 1:03.07, tying the 1995 meet record of Peddie's Amy Balcerzak.

Germantown Academy, coached by Dick Shoulberg, capped the women's competition by claiming the gold medal in the 400 freestyle relay. The quartet of Teresa Crippen, Katie Magee, Claire Crippen and Riefenstahl was timed in 3:25.74, with Riefenstahl uncorking a split of 49.84. Peddie was second in 3:32.89.

In the 500 freestyle, Teresa Crippen was the winner in 4:51.41, leading a sweep of the top three slots by Germantown. Lauren Sylvester was second in 4:56.31 and Abby Reilly placed third in 5:02.52.

On the male side, Peddie benefited from a 1-2-3 sweep in the 100 backstroke, an event won by Josh Charnin-Aker in 51.55. Matt O'Brien and Derick Chui were second and third, respectively, to help Peddie bolster its lead. The school was second in the 400 free relay as its 3:10.25 mark was bettered only by Lawrenceville.

Fueled by Peter Geissinger's anchor split of 44.92, Lawrenceville checked in with a time of 3:08.62. Bruno Salemme, John Wright and Vincent Schiavoni handled the other three legs. Geissinger also was second in the 100 free when his 45.78 was topped by the 45.52 of Delco Christian's Evan Reed, the Male Swimmer of the Meet.

Germantown Academy took gold and silver in the 500 freestyle behind the tandem of Reece Chandler (4:34.38) and Matt Cox (4:36.56). In the 100 breast, Malvern Prep's Eric McAnelly came out on top in 58.97.

Boys Team Scores

Peddie School – 413
Germantown Academy – 336
Loyola-Blakefield – 324.5
Malvern Prep – 306
La Salle – 263

Girls Team Scores

Peddie School – 659
Germantown Academy – 613
Mercersburg Academy – 221
Mount de Sales Academy – 173
Episcopal Academy – 148

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