Pittsford is off to a fast start in defense of its Section 5 and Monroe County Champion titles. They kicked off the season with two home wins against Irondequoit (111-60) and Hilton (99-78).

On Tuesday, against Irondequoit, they started with a 1-2-3 finish in the 200 yard Medley Relay to sweep the points. Their good form continued throughout the meet. Matt Tanchick and Will Dawson were both double winners. Tanchick in the 200 yard Free (1:47:46) and the 100 Back (56:70). Dawson triumphed in the 50 Free (23:70) and 100 Breast (1:02:70), just missing the state cut. In event 6 PJ Ransford demonstrated his versatility in the 200 Individual Medley, by achieving the first state cut of the season at 2:00:07. Other individual winners were Brett Eslinger in 100 Fly (57:24), Austin Ling in 100 Free (50:98) and Shea Ransford in 500 Free (5:02:85). Pittsford Divers were impressive with Sam Randall and Dylan Marin twisting and turning through the air and entering the water gracefully. The result was a narrow victory for Marin (217.05) just outscoring Randall (213.25). The team is again coached by Mark Morris, assisted by Rick Schmitt and Duane Green (diving). Recently elected captains are seniors Josh Kapilivsky, Morgan Marin and Chris Dawson.

On Thursday Pittsford hosted Hilton, coach Morris mixed up the swimmers into different events and the result was another convincing win. Coach Morris said after the meet "We are experimenting with our line-up as we move in to our league schedule in January. We are looking forward to our primary work cycle during the winter break."

The Junior Varsity team was also in impressive early season form showing a deep bench that on other teams would be Varsity. Many of them have already swam sectional qualifying times and are continuing the rich heritage of Pittsford swimming.

Against Hilton Pittsford started with a 1-2-3 in the 200 Medley Relay. Will Dawson won the 200 Free (1:51:47), followed by Trevor McCrobie and Jack Thiemel. In the 200 IM it was the turn of Brett Eslinger (2:13:03), Tim Hart and Roddy Hughes. Next up was the 50 Free Timo Krapf (24:24) touched first, followed by Josh Kapilivsky and Scott Mayall came in fourth. In the 100 Butterfly Matt Tanchick flew through the water and collected his first state time in 53.88, swimming in his wake were Charlie Harrington and Vincent Criscuolo. In the 100 Free PJ Ransford returned to the pool in 50.14, followed closely by Trevor McCrobie (51.86) and Chris Dawson (54.20).

In the 500 Free Pittsford switched to exhibition. Josh Kapilivsky touched first (5:25:77), followed by Roddy Hughes and Chris McPherson fifth. Pittsford swam exhibition for the remainder of the meet with impressive showings in the 200 Free and 400 Free Relays. Between the two relays PJ Ransford won the 100 Back in 57:65 with his elder brother, Shea Ransford, winning the 100 Breast (1:05:21).

In Diving it was another nip and tuck battle between Dylan Marin and Sam Randall. Marin came out on top with some fantastic dives. It is going to be a fun season watching these two divers battle for supremacy. Pittsford has a strong team of divers, with good performances from Chris Lillis, Ben Goodfriend, Michael Thiemel, Sean Riley, and Charlie Mack.

This week Pittsford went to the Owego Invitational and return to their home pool on Thursday versus Churchville-Chili

Pittsford wins Water Polo title in Thrilling Style

Pittsford, N.Y. — In a thrilling final game Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving Team won the water polo invitational tournament it hosted last weekend. More than 200 swimmers from 8 local teams competed in the tournament over two days. The teams and spectators raised money for the American Diabetes Association. The tournament was first held in 1973 by Pittsford’s first swim coach, Fred Rockow as a response to his own sons diabetic condition. Combining team donations and admission receipts, the benefit netted more than $2,600 to help send diabetic children to summer camp.

Mark Morris the Pittsford Panthers head coach commented that "the focus of the weekend was to raise money for diabetes. The skill level is continuing to improve in Monroe County and some clubs are now starting to spring up so that the players can continue to develop. It was an exciting final game." The competition has become the unofficial opener of the boys’ swimming and diving season, and is intended to promote fun and good sportsmanship in addition to raising money.

On Friday, Webster and Fairport advanced to the semifinals over Victor and Greece in morning competition, while Penfield and Pittsford eliminated Gates Chili and McQuaid in the afternoon session.

Play started on Saturday with an alumni game, where many players from the last 38 years came out for an exhibition game. This game was followed by Pittsford defeating Webster (17-1) and Fairport defeating Penfield (24-5). In the consolation match Penfield held off Webster in a close match eventually winning 9-3 to secure third place. Penfield had been a finalist for the previous three years.

The final match was highly anticipated. Both teams had high expectations and were looking to establish themselves. Pittsford came out strong in the first period and jumped out to a 3-1 lead, Fairport came storming back and built a 4-3 lead, but Pittsford was not going to be denied and tied it up at half time 4-4. The packed swimming pool was loud and the Fairport fans were in full voice. In the third period the Pittsford underclassmen again came out strong and scored 5 goals with no reply from Fairport (9-4). In the final period the upperclassmen battled for superiority and fought for every loose ball. The teams traded goals, but Fairport could not close the gap and Pittsford held on to win 13-7. The game ended with warm handshakes and tired swimmers ready for the upcoming swim season.

Following the game, one of the Pittsford swimmers remarked "When you have games like this, against Fairport, our athletes were able to uphold the tradition of Pittsford - it was a team effort. It was an admirable fight."

Coach Morris expressed appreciation for the participating teams and for the many volunteers who contributed their time and talents over the busy holiday weekend. Officials included Scott Shields, Ralph Simpson, Doug Garnam, Kurt Schwarz, Aram Salehi, Andrea Zucchiatti, and Dr. Stefan Lucas. Caroline McPherson and Linda Locke ran the concessions stand, and fundraising efforts were coordinated by Nomi Kapilivsky. Morris also thanked members of the Pittsford Girls & Boys Swimming & Diving Team for running the clock and keeping score.

The boys swim season is off to a great start with all of the teams practicing hard. Pittsford is seeking its 10th successive sectional title. Their first meet is on December 6 at Mendon High School vs Irondequoit.

The Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving Team went head-to-head against the state’s best on Long Island on March 4 and 5, capping off a season that saw them win their ninth straight Section 5, Class A Championship and eighth consecutive Monroe County Division I title. During the competition, one team member broke a record and another picked up a significant honor.

Sophomore Matt Tanchick topped a school record in the 200 individual medley with his 1:55.24 race during the preliminary heats at the Nassau Aquatic Center; Tanchick went on to finish seventh in the finals (1:55.86) the next day. Senior and tri-captain Emmett Jacobi received the Section 5 Sportsmanship award, having been selected from among all the entries on the Section 5 state team.

Overall, the Panthers had a good showing at this year’s highly competitive state meet. Freshman P.J. Ransford claimed sixth place in the 500 freestyle, swimming the 20-lap event in 4:41.39. Jacobi snagged eighth (4:43.56) and Tanchick took eleventh (4:44.04) in the same race.

Known for its depth and speed, Pittsford again fielded some of the state’s top relay teams. Placing eighth in the 200 free relay among public schools at 1:29.25 were Morgan Marin, Tyler McCrobie, Tanchick, and Jacobi. 

In the 400 free relay, Marin, McCrobie, Ransford, and Jacobi swam a 3:15.95 race for a seventeenth place overall. And in the 200 medley relay, the Panthers took eighteenth (1:40.48) with the team of Alan Chuang, Tanchick, Ryan Horey, and McCrobie.

Notable times were achieved in the 200 free by Jacobi (1:45.32) and Will Dawson (1:51.45), in the 100 free by Marin (49.21), and in the 50 free by McCrobie (22.69) and Marin (23.01). Brothers P.J. and Shea Ransford were closely matched in the 200 IM at 2:03.36 and 2:03.42.

Shea Ransford also posted a 56.44 in the 100 back, with teammate Chuang a hair behind at 56.89. Sam Randall represented Pittsford in the 1-meter diving event.

Despite a two year age difference, Emmett Jacobi and Matt Tanchick are good friends inside and outside of the pool. That friendship helped fuel six different sectional titles for the pair at the Class A Finals last weekend. It's also another example of why Pittsford swimming has been so dominant over the last decade. Thad Brown explains why with this week's Athletes of the Week.

Pittsford cruised to victory in the Section 5, Class A championship meet in Webster on Saturday, claiming its ninth consecutive sectional title. The Panthers racked up an impressive 538 points—more than 100 points better than their nearest rivals—to cap off an undefeated season in dual meets, tournaments and championships.

Afterwards, head coach Mark Morris and assistants Rick Schmitt, Duane Green, and Mark McMann jumped in the pool with the team for a celebratory post-meet swim. Wearing their street clothes and very wide smiles, the team leaders enjoyed a brief respite before regrouping to prepare for the state competition to be held in early March.

A couple of Panthers picked up some notable awards, along with two individual wins each. Pittsford Mendon sophomore Matt Tanchick was named Division I Swimmer/Diver of the Year, and showed he was worthy of the honor by winning both the 200 IM (1:55.97) and 100 breast (58.80) with state-cut times. Tanchick also was named Swimmer of the Meet.

Pittsford Sutherland senior Emmett Jacobi, a tri-captain for the 2010-2011 team, received a Division I Sportsmanship award and had a great meet, as well. Jacobi easily won the 200 free with a state-cut 1:44.07. Later he took first in the distance event with another blazing time (4:41.59), about 13 seconds under the state pace.

Also earning a first and second place for the Panthers were divers Sam Randall (375.20 points) and Dylan Marin (366.95), who were neck in neck throughout the preliminaries, semifinals, and finals. In the diving competition held one week earlier at Gates-Chili High, the two finished ahead of 22 other top divers from throughout Section 5, providing the perfect finish to a successful season for the diving program led by Coach Green and assistant McMann.

This achievement represented the first time in 16 years that a Pittsford diver had stood atop the sectional podium. Randall and Marin improved from respective third and eighth place finishes in last year’s sectionals. With points also being earned by senior Brad Kwarta for his sixteenth place finish, the varsity diving squad—though only three men and one event deep—added 38 points to the final score.

“Dylan and I have been partners this year, and it’s helped a lot,” said Randall. “Having him push me has definitely made me a better diver.” Since Randall is a freshman and Marin a sophomore, Section 5 can look forward to two more years of high-level competition from the pair.

In the swimming competition on Saturday, the day went Pittsford’s way right from the start when the Panthers, who were seeded second in the 200 medley relay, beat Fairport by almost a second—to the delight oftheir cheering supporters. Alan Chuang (back), Tanchick (breast), Ryan Horey (fly), and Tyler McCrobie (free) swam the event in 1:39.04, qualifying for the state competition.

Swimming with Jacobi in the 200 free and earning hard-won points were Morgan Marin (fifth—with a state qualifying 1:47.96) and Will Dawson (sixth). In the consolation heat of that event, senior Alex Branch took more than a second off his prelim time, touching first and earning a ninth place overall. Coach Morris noted that Branch’s come-from-behind win energized the entire team from that point forward.

Brothers P.J. and Shea Ransford joined Tanchick in the 200 IM, each swimming a state qualifying time and earning respective third and fifth place finishes; Charlie Harrington finished eleventh in the race. Pittsford showed some speed in the 50, led by tri-captain Tyler McCrobie’s state cut time (22.29) and third place finish. Also earning points in the sprint event were Austin Ling (ninth), tri-captain Owen Drinkwater (tenth), and Chris Dawson (twelfth).

In the 100 fly, Chuang touched in just shy of a state time with a second place 55.27, followed by Horey (fourth), Brett Eslinger (seventh), and Scott Colby (twelfth). Morgan Marin’s state-qualifying 48.79 in the 100 free was the Panthers’ fastest finish in that race and got him a third place. Just behind him was Tyler McCrobie in fourth, and Branch placed fifteenth. In the 500 free, freshman P.J. Ransford was out-touched by Jacobi, but finished second in 4:46.27 (state cut). Also earning points in the distance event were Will Dawson (fourth) and Stephen Thomas (ninth).

The Panthers flexed their relay muscles again in the 200 free with another first place and state-cut time. Morgan Marin, McCrobie,Tanchick, and Jacobi sealed the deal in 1:27.46—with Marin’s lead-off leg also qualifying him for states in the 50. In the next race, a large group of backstrokers scored points for Pittsford, led by Shea Ransford in second place with a state qualifying time (55.90). Chuang came up with a third, Trevor McCrobie fifth, and Josh Kapilivsky finished twelfth.

Pittsford brought home ninth, tenth, and eleventh places in the 100 breast by sophomore Vincent Criscuolo and freshmen Ling and Jack Thiemel. Though Fairport won the 400 free relay, the Panthers' second place finish in 3:15.14 was five seconds under the state qualifying time. Swimming in the final event were Morgan Marin, Will Dawson, P.J. Ransford, and Jacobi.

A bit wistful about the season nearing its end, Coach Morris said that he’ll miss the boys who will be graduating and leaving the program. “You don’t lose 14 seniors—especially these seniors—without having it make animpact,” he said.

“But it’s not about what they’re taking with them; it’s what they’re leaving behind,” Morris added. He explained that the younger boys have worked side-by-side with the team veterans, and it’s helped to instill a work ethic and a healthy dose of respect. 

Their biggest rivals are each other.

Jacobi, a senior, and Tanchick, a sophomore, both won two individual events as the Panthers won their ninth straight Section V Class A league title Saturday at the Webster Aquatic Center.

Tanchick, who won the 200-yard individual medley (1:55.97) and the 100 breaststroke (58.80) and was a member of the winning 200 medley relay and the 200 freestyle relays, was named the Swimmer of the Meet. Jacobi won the 200 freestyle (1:44.07), the 500 freestyle (4:41.59) and was the anchor on the winning 200 freestyle relay.

"Emmett's pushed me all season," Tanchick said. "We're friends both in the pool and outside."

But for Tanchick, Jacobi is as much of an inspiration as a rival.

"He told me before the meet, 'Matt, go get it. This race isn't like any other one,'" Tanchick said.

The Binghamton-bound Jacobi must have listened to his own advice as well.

"We're on par with each other," Jacobi said. "It makes both of us go faster."

Fairport coach Mike Kennedy was named the Coach of the Year as the Red Raiders finished second with 404 points. Fairport won three individual titles and edged out Pittsford in the 400 freestyle relay.

The Red Raiders came in second behind Pittsford in the 200 medley relay and then won their first individual title when senior John Spitzer edged out McQuaid's Doug Leclair to win the 50 freestyle (21.46).

Leclair was seeded first in the finals with a qualifying time of 21.75 to Spitzer's 21.93. But finishing second to Leclair in Thursday's qualifiers just served as motivation for Spitzer on Saturday.

"I hate losing," Spitzer said. "I could see him coming off the wall and I wanted to blast by him."

Spitzer didn't have to blast by Leclair in the 100 freestyle as he won the event with a time of 47.79. Fairport teammate Evan Zheng finished second (48.18) and Leclair was disqualified after leaving the starting block early.

"On the last lap I was just trying to hold on," Spitzer added.

Fairport held on in the 400 freestyle relay, edging Pittsford by just over a second. Zheng and Spitzer were on the winning relay along with David Howard and Charlie Morales that beat out Pittsford's Morgan Marin, Will Dawson, Patrick Ransford and Jacobi. The Greece team of Jared Cappon, Steve Spencer, Pat Koenig and Ben Koert missed out on qualifying for the state meet by .01 seconds.

"The guys were hoping for this all week, all season," Greece coach Jeff Humphreys said. "To miss out is frustrating."

But in the end, Pittsford's depth won out.

"You don't win sectional championships with two kids," Pittsford coach Mark Morris said.

More than half of the Pittsford swimmers entered in the recent Monroe County Coaches Invitational (MCCI) were issued “speeding tickets”—and that was just fine with their parents and other supporters. This wasn’t a reflection on their driving, after all; it just meant they swam sectional cut times, and were therefore too fast to be included in the MCCI scoring.

Members of the Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving Team turned in some of the best times in the competition, which was held at the Webster Aquatic Center on January 29. Of the 28 Panthers swimming in the meet, 15 beat the sectional qualifying time in at least one race, and nine of these were double-speeders, with a ticket in each of their individual events.

Speedster Tim Hart touched first in the 500 free (5:31.56), almost one-half minute under the sectional pace, and also had a sectional cut time in the 200 IM. Marc Colby swam the day’s quickest 50 free (24.61) and surpassed the sectional time in the 100 back, as well. And Roddy Hughes got “pooled over” with a ticket in the 50 free, and went on to finish first in the 100 back (1:05.20).

Grey Ankenman had the second fastest times in both the 200 free (2:05.14) and the 100 free (58.06). Other double-speeders included Alex Abrams, (50 and 100 freestyles), Jesse Bennett (200 IM and 500 free), Max Johnson (100 free and 100 back), Timo Krapf (50 free and 100 fly), Scott Mayall (200 IM and 100 Breast), and David Wideman (50 free and 100 back).

Posting the day’s fastest times in their events and receiving speeding tickets were Ben Rehberg in the 100 fly (1:06.48) and Fisher Curran in the 100 breast (1:12.95). Cesar Neri (100 free), Koby Waterstram (100 breast), and Albert Xiao (100 back) rounded out the field of Panthers who were ticketed for “failure to yield” in their lanes.

Several other Pittsford swimmers finished in the top 12 places in their events, including Chris McPherson (3^rd) and Michael Locke (8^th) in the 200 free. Waterstram took first in the 200 IM (2:31.43). In the 50 free, notable finishes were made by Neri (8^th), Ryan Alaimo (10^th), and Rehberg (11^th).

Curran placed 10^th in the 100 free, while McPherson’s effort in the 500 free (6:14.14) resulted in a third place finish. In the 100 breast, Parker Neale finished sixth, and also posted a best time in the 100 free. Robert Moon placed 12^th in both the 200 free and 100 breast. And eighth-grader Xiao had a second place finish in the middle school heat of the 50 free with a time of 27.25.

Harrison Brown closed out his high school swimming career with personal records in two freestyle events: 27.86 in the 50 and 1:02.87 in the 100. Also recording personal best times in the meet were William Beeley,Tom Boyatzies, Spencer Byrd, Elliot Ding, Chris Locke, Chris Rudmann, and AlexWoodard.

True to form, Pittsford’s relay teams dominated the competition, with first place overall finishes by the A teams in all three relays, and first places in the 200 medley and 400 free relays by the B teams, along with a second place in the 200 free relay. In most cases, it wasn’t even close—with the Panthers cruising to the wall several seconds ahead of their closest rivals.

The diving portion of the MCCI was held one day earlier at Penfield High School, where members of Pittsford’s junior varsity squad, coached by Duane Green and assistant Mark McMann, all finished in the top 12. “I was very proud to see all of our divers on the awards stand,” said Green.

Seventh grader Chris Lillis, who racked up 196.85 points for his eight dives, earned the Panthers’ best finish in the contest—fifth place. Ben Goodfriend placed 10^th with a total of 168.9, and Mike Thiemel’s 161.15 points landed him in 12^th place.

“Every single Pittsford mom, dad, sister, and brother were up at the Penfield pool cheering on all of the divers,” said Green. “Coach Morris attended the event, and the boys all lit up like Christmas trees when they got a chance to talk with him—trying to tell him all at once how they were doing.”

For most athletes participating in the MCCI, the event marks the culmination of the swimming/diving season. Goodfriend, however, had a chance to advance to the sectionals by scoring 130 points in his first six dives; he squeaked by with 130.5. Subsequently, he has been training with both coaches to learn new dives with a higher degree of difficulty (DD), and will join three other Pittsford divers in the sectional competition next weekend.

In search of a challenge, head coach Mark Morris took his Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving Team on a road trip to the Eastern States Swimming and Diving Championship in Long Island—a first for Section 5 swimmers. Proving themselves equal to the test, the Panthers out-performed all but one ofthe 28 teams from across the Northeast region.

Pittsford was topped only by St. John’s Preparatory School from Danvers (Boston), Mass. for a second place overall finish in the 28^th annual tournament held at the Nassau County Aquatic Center in Eisenhower Park on January 22^nd. With an average of more than 100 swimmers per race, the day was a jam-packed succession of coed heats with “flyover” starts to keep the competition in the massive natatorium running on schedule.

“The whole team had really been looking forward to going to this meet,” said P.J. Ransford, a freshman at Pittsford Mendon and second-year Panther. “We knew the competition was going to be tough.”

In the 500 free, Ransford put up a state-cut time of 4:46.15 for second place in a field of 60 swimmers. “When I got to the 500, I just took it out hard and tried to hold on,” Ransford said about his race strategy. He also nabbed a seventh place finish in the 200 individual medley.

Another state-qualifying time was achieved by sophomore Matt Tanchick in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.01), which landed him in third place in the event. Earlier in the day, Tanchick went 2:02.64—a hair off the state time—for sixth place in the 200 IM.

Pitted against 223 other swimmers in the 50 free event, tri-captain Tyler McCrobie finished third with a time of 23.13. McCrobie also placed sixth out of 166 contestants in the 100 freestyle. Morgan Marin had a great day, too, out-touching McCrobie by 0.03 seconds to claim the fifth spot in the 100 free (50.11), and placing 16^th in the 50 free, less than a half-second off McCrobie’s time.

The diving squad of Coach Duane Green and assistant MarkMcMann also had an impressive showing, with the three varsity divers all placing in the top 20. In the 11-dive, 1-meter event, freshman Sam Randall led the way with 364.25 points for sixth place. Not far behind was Dylan Marin (331.85 points, ninth place), with senior Brad Kwarta placing 19^th in the event. Ben Goodfriend placed sixth among the 22 contestants in six-dive event, which was not scored.

Eleven other Panthers placed 20^th or better in their individual events, earning points toward the team’s total. Pittsford Sutherland senior and tri-captain Emmett Jacobi, who will continue his swimming career at Binghamton in the fall, placed eighth in both the 200 and 500 freestyle races. Freshman Will Dawson also was successful in the longer freestyle events, touching ninth in the 200 and 12^th in the 500 free.

Alan Chuang, a senior at Pittsford Sutherland, claimed tenth place in the 100 back and 11^th in the 100 fly. Shea Ransford finished just behind Chuang in the 100 back in 11^th place, and also captured 12^th place in the 200 IM. Austin Ling got 11^th place in the 50 free and 14^th in the 100 breast.

In the 100 fly, Brett Eslinger (13^th) and Ryan Horey (17^th) both finished in the money. Trevor McCrobie’s performance in the 100 back earned him 15^th place, while Vince Criscuolo snagged 17^th place in the 100 breast, out of 140 swimmers. Seniors Alex Branch (19^th in the 200 free) and Stephen Thomas (20^th in the 500 free) also made it onto the leader-board.

Pittsford’s A and B relay teams had incredibly strong finishes as well—especially considering there were an average of 78 teams entered in each event. In the opening 200 medley relay, Chuang, Tanchick, Horey, and Tyler McCrobie finished fourth (1:42.31), with the B team (Shea Ransford, Criscuolo, Eslinger, and Owen Drinkwater) posting the ninth fastest time in the event.

Panthers’ A team in the sprint relay (Morgan Marin, Tyler McCrobie, Tanchick, and Jacobi) touched in at 1:30.80 for third place, with the B team not even two seconds back with the sixth fastest time. B team members included Ling, brothers Chris and Will Dawson, and Drinkwater.

Saving some steam for the day’s final event, the A team posted a state-cut time of 3:20.53 to place third in the 400 free relay; it included Morgan Marin, Will Dawson, Chuang and Jacobi. The B team (Branch, Shea Ransford, Ling, and P.J. Ransford) cruised in with the event’s 12^th fastest time.

In addition to his relay contributions, tri-captain Owen Drinkwater finished just outside the scoring in the 50 free, at 21^stplace. Honorable mentions also go to up-and-comer Jack Thiemel with a 22^nd place in the 200 IM and 24^th in the 100 breaststroke, and to senior Scott Colby who placed 24^th in the 100 fly with a personal record (1:00.66).

“The meet was a great experience for the team,” summed up P.J. Ransford. The Long Island competition was the second invitational tourney this season for the Panthers, who won their fourth consecutive ‘Fab Four’ tournament in Bath earlier in January.

The Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving Team left Webster in its wake last Tuesday to claim its eighth consecutive Monroe County Division 1 Championship title. With the 111 to 70 victory at the Pittsford Mendon pool, the Panthers remained undefeated for the season and improved their dual meet streak to a sweet 16.

The final home meet of the season also provided an opportunity for head coach Mark Morris to pay tribute to the 14 team members who will graduate in June. Honored during the “senior recognition” event were the team’s tri-captains, each of whom have been swimming with the Panthers for five years: Owen Drinkwater, Emmett Jacobi, and Tyler McCrobie. 

Harrison Brown and Ryan Horey also were recognized for their five-year stints. Four-year veterans include Alex Branch, Alan Chuang, Scott Colby, Max Goodenow, Ben Rehberg, Stephen Thomas, and Chris Wideman. Brad Kwarta and Ryan Stern were honored for their respective three and two years with the program.

“I will truly miss this group,” said Morris. “I can’t be prouder of their achievements, and their athleticism is matched by the strength of their character.” During the intermission after diving, Morris presented a white rose and congratulations to each of the seniors, who were celebrated with balloons, a poster, and a brochure created by team parents.

Morris also expressed gratitude to the five volunteers from the Pittsford Girls Swimming and Diving Team who assisted him over the season with timekeeping, scoring, and announcing. They are Erica Bryson, Carrie DeMoulin, Anna Grazulis, Elizabeth Maier, and Danielle Phillips.

Pittsford dominated Tuesday’s match in typical fashion, winning ten of the twelve events including all three relays. In the opening 200 medley relay, Jacobi, Vincent Criscuolo, Chuang and Branch took first with a time of 1:46.52. The team of Drinkwater, brothers Tyler and Trevor McCrobie, and Jacobi touched first in the sprint freestyle relay (1:33.61). And in the 4 x 100 free, Matt Tanchick, Will Dawson, Thomas, and Goodenow posted a fast 3:30.13 to close out the day with a win.

In individual events, Tanchick led the way with a state-cut time, personal record, and first place finish in the 200 free (1:47.85), with teammates P.J. Ransford and Morgan Marin taking second and third. Tyler McCrobie was way out ahead of the crowd in the 200 individual medley, finishing almost 17 seconds before his Webster challenger with a personal best time of 2:08.29; Scott Colby got third place in the event.

Finishing one, two in the 50 free were Will Dawson (23.41) and Trevor McCrobie, with Shea Ransford and Chris Dawson getting a second and third in the 100 fly. Branch won the 100 free (53.18), while teammate Wideman snagged third in the race. And Austin Ling and Jack Thiemel earned points for the team with their second and third place finishes in the distance event, the 500 freestyle.

Pittsford swept the 100 backstroke, with Charlie Harrington’s personal best time of 1:01.99 fast enough for a first; teammates Josh Kapilivsky and Horey were close behind. In another sweep, seniors Jacobi, Chuang and Drinkwater took first, second, and third in the 100 breast, with Jacobi also posting a personal record (1:07.89).

Dylan Marin was the king of the diving well this week, earning a total of 244 points for six great dives, and edging out teammate Sam Randall by four points. Marin and Randall placed first and second, with senior Brad Kwarta earning third place in his final high school dual meet.

The Panthers’ JV squad also easily handled Webster (103-54), led by double winners Tim Hart (200 free and 100 breast) and Marc Colby (200 IM and 100 fly). Also winning their events were Alex Abrams in the 50 free, Chris Lillis in diving, Scott Mayall in the 100 free, Chris McPherson in the 500 free, and Roddy Hughes in the 100 back.

The Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving team put another two X’s in the win column last week, extending its dual meet streak to fifteen. The Panthers pounded the Penfield Patriots (111-71) at a home meet on Thursday, just two days after finishing off Fairport (107-79) at the Red Raiders’ pool.

As usual, the match with Fairport was hotly contested, with fans from both teams packing the stands and loud cheers echoing through the pool area. The rivals split the events evenly, with each team placing first in six races, but Pittsford’s depth put it over the top—along with lots of help from co-captain Emmett Jacobi.

Jacobi snagged first place and posted a state-cut time in both the 200 freestyle (1:47.50) and his signature event, the 500 free (4:52.61). Between the two teams, a notable eight state qualifying times were recorded, with the intense competition evidently spurring the swimmers to move a little faster.

Another individual state-qualifying time for Pittsford was achieved by P. J. Ransford, who finished second in the 500 at 4:52.70. Ransford and Jacobi put on a shoulder-to-shoulder synchronized swimming show in the distance event, finishing the 20-lap race just 9/100 of a second apart. Ransford also had a second place finish in the 200 individual medley.

One of Pittsford's relay teams also touched in with a state-cut time. Morgan Marin, Will Dawson, Matt Tanchick, and Jacobi swam the 400 free relay in 3:20.28, to end the match in fine fashion. The opening 200 medley relay saw another fast finish by the Panthers, whose time was less than a second off the state pace; this event was won by Alan Chuang, Tanchik, Ryan Horey, and Tyler McCrobie (1:41.87). 

Other winners for Pittsford included Tanchick in the 100 breast (1:03.37) and Alan Chuang in the 100 fly (56.43), who finished a split-second ahead of Panthers Marin (56.54) and Horey (56.62), for a sweep ofthe event. In the 50 free, Marin and Tyler McCrobie went second and third, with Chuang and Shea Ransford placing second and third in the 100 back, as well.

Pittsford also claimed a first place in the diving event, with Sam Randall netting a season-high 241.30 points and Dylan Marin (195.08) placing second.

The Panthers’ JV squad easily disposed of Fairport (100-52), with assistance by two double winners. Charlie Harrington touched first in both the 200 free (2:00.25) and 100 fly (35.04), while Marc Colby got a first place in the two freestyle sprint events, the 50 (24.56) and the 100 (55.89).

Jack Thiemel won the 200 IM with a time of  2:13.03, and also had the day’s fastest time in the 100 breast (1:10.22) for another quasi-double win, even though the latter race was scored as exhibition. Other individual winners included Scott Mayall in the 500 free (5:45.20) and Roddy Hughes in the 100 back with a personal record of 1:05.56.

JV divers Christopher Lillis (99.75), Mike Thiemel, and Ben Goodfriend went one, two, three to sweep the 1-meter event. 

In the home meet against Penfield on Thursday, Panther sco-captain Emmett Jacobi showed his versatility by competing in races he doesn’t often swim. Jacobi won the 200 individual medley (2:05.92) and finished second the 100 fly (58.23), followed closely by Brett Eslinger in third.

Double-winner Will Dawson swam the long and short of it with first place finishes in both the 500 free (4:56.87) and the 50 free (23.93). And Matt Tanchick won the 100 back with a state qualifying time of 55.64. To date, Tanchick has achieved state-cut times in all the individual events—except for the 50 and 100 freestyles—at least once this season.

In the 100 free, Alex Branch got a first place for Pittsford (52.28), with Chris Dawson and Max Goodenow close behind. Morgan Marin placed first in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.47), just ahead of Tyler McCrobie and Owen Drinkwater (both exhibition).

Shea Ransford and Austin Ling brought home second and third places for Pittsford in the 200 freestyle event. Also finishing with a second and third (behind Jacobi) in the 200 IM were Alan Chuang and Charlie Harrington, while Josh Kapilivsky got a third in the 50 free. Also earning points for the Panthers in the 500 free (behind Will Dawson) were Stephen Thomas in second and Trevor McCrobie in third.

Varsity diver Sam Randall again came up with the highest total for his six dives (237.95) in the 1-meter event. Teammate Dylan Marin placed second with a 183.80 total score.

The Junior Varsity team also trounced the competition (129-43) and had two double winners on the day. Jack Thiemel placed first in the 200 free with a personal record (2:02.03) and also first in the 500 free (5:30.43), while Tim Hart won the 50 free (24.72), as well as the 100 fly (1:03.36).

Marc Colby claimed top honors in the 200 IM (2:24.73) with a personal best effort, while Scott Mayall picked up a first place in the 100 free (56.15). Other winners included David Wideman in the 100 back (1:06.32) and Fisher Curran in the 100 breast (115.06).

In JV diving, Lillis picked up a first place for the fourth consecutive dual meet, with a total of 107.75 for four solid dives, while Goodfriend (83.95) took second place. Mike Thiemel also earned points for the team with a fifth place finish.

The Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving Team traveled to Canandaigua last Saturday to compete in the diving invitational, and came home with the competition’s second highest score. Pittsford Sutherland freshman Sam Randall earned a state-cut total of 400.30 points for his 11 dives to claim second place overall, and became the toast of the team.

“The 396 cut score is not easy, but is obtainable for our divers if they do their best,” said Pittsford’s diving coach Duane Green.  “We are all proud of Sam for making the state cut, and he now has a new challenge—to dive against the best in the state.”

The Panther’s three other varsity divers also saw success inthe competition. With a total of 373.20, Dylan Marin was only about 23 points shy of the state qualifying total, which Coach Green stated was “very attainable” if Marin dives well in the remaining two events. Pittsford Sutherland senior Brad Kwarta earned a respectable 312.85 points and Ben Goodfriend received a total of 219.45. 

Coach Green emphasized that he was pleased with the performance of all his divers, regardless of their scores. “Doing your best in a big meet is tough,” he said. “To focus on one dive at a time and ignore the judges, audience and other divers is very difficult.”

Pittsford divers will compete next weekend in the Long Island Invitational at the Nassau Aquatic Center, where Coach Green will be reuniting with hometown friends, coaches and officials that he worked with for more than 30 years.

The Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving Team would like to pay tribute to Captain Emmett Jacobi’s mother, an ultimate “swim mom” who was universally loved and admired. Karen Maghran Jacobi was laid to rest in Buffalo two weeks ago, after a courageous two-year battle with leukemia that ended on December 23, 2010.

Jacobi was a dedicated mother, homemaker and school volunteer who will be sorely missed in the swimming community and beyond. In lieu of flowers, donations to Foodlink (936 Exchange Street, Rochester, NY 14608) may be made in Karen’s memory.

With a big win at the ‘Fab Four’ invitational tournament in Bath and an easy dual-meet victory against Rush-Henrietta at home, the Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving team is right where it wants to be. The Panthers remain undefeated for the season as they round the half-way mark and charge toward their goal of repeating their Section V and Monroe County championship titles.

Pittsford scored 640 total points to dominate the tournament hosted by Bath-Haverling High School on January 7 and 8. Not only did the Panthers rack up almost 100 more points than their nearest Class A competitor, Fairport, it was also the highest total to be earned by any of the 12 competing schools, regardless of class (which is based on program size/school enrollment).

Pittsford Mendon sophomore Matt Tanchick was a double winner on Saturday, touching first (both in Class A and overall) in the 200 individual medley with a state qualifying time (1:58.14) and first (in Class A, second overall) in the 500 free with a blazing 4:50.62, another time that was well below the state cut.

Also helping lead the team to victory were Pittsford Sutherland seniors Alan Chuang and Emmett Jacobi. Chuang had a huge win (first overall and in Class A) in the 100 back with a state cut time of 55.56. And team co-captain Jacobi got the team fired up by swimming the first individual event, the 200 freestyle, in 1:48.42—just two-tenths of a second shy of the state cut-off. Jacobi’s efforts earned a first place in Class A and second overall.

The competition ended on a high note for Pittsford, as well, when the Panthers’ fastest team in the 400 free relay (Morgan Marin, Tanchick, Will Dawson and Jacobi) cruised to a victory over Class A rival Fairport by a margin of more than seven seconds. Their 3:19.72 finish qualified them for states, and also was the day’s overall fastest time in the event.

The Panthers also saw success in the other relays, by placing second in the opening 200 medley relay (Chuang, Tanchick, Ryan Horey and Tyler McCrobie—1:41.36) and second in the 200 free relay (Marin, McCrobie, Dawson and Jacobi—1:31.82) in Class A standings.

Many other swimmers contributed to the day’s win by earning points toward the team’s total; the places shown below are for Class A, which included Pittsford, Fairport, Palmyra-Macedon and Rush-Henrietta. In the 200 free, Jacobi was joined by P.J. Ransford (3^rd), Will Dawson (4^th), Alex Branch (6^th) and Stephen Thomas (7^th).  In addition to Tanchick in the 200 IM were Jack Thiemel (5^th) and Charlie Harrington (6^th).

In the 50 free, Tyler McCrobie, Morgan Marin and Austin Ling placed second through fourth—which happen to be the same places earned by Marin, P.J. Ransford and Ryan Horey in the 100 fly. A familiar cast ofcharacters also gained points in the 100 free, namely, McCrobie (2^nd), Chuang (4^th) and Dawson (5^th).

In addition to Tanchick’s win in the 500 free, two other Pittsford finmen finished in the money in the distance event: Alex Branch (4^th) and Josh Kapilivsky (6^th). Touching just behind Chuang in the 100 back were teammates Shea Ransford (2^nd) and Trevor McCrobie (3^rd), with Chris Wideman grabbing fifth. Earning points in the 100 breast were Vince Criscuolo (4^th), Austin Ling (5^th), Shea Ransford (6^th) and Brett Eslinger (7^th).

The diving portion of the ‘Fab Four’ competition was held on Friday in Bath, where the Panthers made a good showing and earned 66 points for the team. Pittsford divers placed first, second, third and sixth in Class A standings. Sam Randall was the top scorer for Pittsford, placing third overall in the tournament (1^st, Class A). The score for his 11 dives was 382.75, just missing the state cut total by 13.25 points.

Dylan Marin, who was plagued by a stiff back all day, finished tenth overall (2^nd, Class A), with Brad Kwarta’s consistent dives getting him an eleventh place overall finish (3^rd, Class A). Ben Goodfriend, who’s been diving JV so far this season, participated in his first 11-dive meet, and stepped up with a sixth place (Class A) finish.

In earlier action, Pittsford defeated Rush-Henrietta in a dual meet at the Pittsford Mendon pool last Thursday, with final scores of 106 to 61 (Varsity) and 96 to 35 (JV). The Panthers’ JV squad touched first in all its races, while the Varsity swimmers were passed by the Royal Comets in only the 50 and 100 yard freestyle events.

“The younger kids’ times are dropping steadily, and the veteran swimmers’ times are also trending downward,” said head coach Mark Morris after the meet. “I am very pleased with the boys’ progress, and their willingness to continue to work hard. After coaching one of my swimmers on technique, I noticed that his time had dropped eight seconds in 50 yards. Those are incredible results.”

Pittsford’s winning team in the opening 200 medley relay included Chris Wideman, Austin Ling, Brett Eslinger and Emmett Jacobi (1:47.05). For JV, the all-freshman team of Max Johnson, Fisher Curran, Timo Krapf and Roddy Hughes won the event with a time of 1:59.75.

A one, two, three finish in the 200 individual medley was earned by Shea Ransford (1:55.17—a personal best), Stephen Thomas and Marc Colby. Grey Ankenman’s personal record of 2:07.59 took a first in the JV heat, where he was followed by teammates Spencer Byrd and Neale Parker.

In the 200 individual medley, Emmett Jacobi won the day with a time of 2:05.17, and Brett Eslinger took third. The personal best time of 2:25.43 in the same event snagged a first place for Roddy Hughes in the JV competition, with Koby Waterstram placing second.

Max Goodenow put up a good fight in the 50 free. His time of 25.22 seconds earned him a second place, with Harrison Brown touching fourth. The Panthers swept the JV race with Alex Abrams leading the way with a personal best (25.79), followed by Ryan Alaimo and Cesar Neri.

Pittsford’s Varsity divers swept the competition, with Dylan Marin coming out on top with 186.85 points, followed by Sam Randall and Brad Kwarta, who earned second and third places for their six dives. JV divers Chris Lillis, Ben Goodfriend and Mike Thiemel finished one, two, three, as well.

Alan Chuang dug deep in the 100 butterfly for a personal record (56.26) that won the race, while third and fourth places were claimed by Chris Dawson and Scott Colby. In the JV heat, flyer Fisher Curran posted a personal best of 1:11.58 to take first, while Albert Xiao finished second.

The 100 free was won by the Royal Comets’ Tom Kirch, with Pittsford’s Owen Drinkwater taking second (52.73) and teammate Ling right on his heels in third (52.84, a personal record).  With a time of 1:03.39, Mike Locke locked up a win in the JV event, where Chris Rudman and Jason Gan finished second and third.

Pittsford then took the honors in the grueling distance event, the 500 free, where Jack Thiemel’s personal best time (5:29.76) won him a first. Tyler McCrobie and Scott Mayall touched second and fourth in the 20-lap event for Varsity, while JV-ers Jesse Bennett (5:54.35) and Chris McPherson swam exhibition.

Swimming exhibition in the 200 free relay, Pittsford fielded two teams that finished about a tenth of a second apart: Will Dawson, Charlie Harrington, Ryan Stern and Drinkwater (1:35.18) and Matt Tanchick, Marc Colby, Shea Ransford and Tim Hart (135.30). The JV 200 free relay was won by the team of Neri, Johnson, Abrams and Ankenman.

The order of finish in the 100 back was Josh Kapilivsky (1:03.24), Ryan Horey (1:03.47) and Alex Branch. Horey claimed first place in the tight race, however, since Kapilivsky and Branch were swimming exhibition.  Also swimming exhibition for JV, Albert Xiao and Sam Roberts touched first and second.

Will Dawson’s 1:06.26 took first in the 100 breast—just ahead of P.J. Ransford, who earned a second place. Koby Waterstram lead the JV finishers in the same event, followed by Robert Moon and Chris Labman (all exhibition).

Pittsford was again swimming exhibition in the 400 free relay, the day’s final event. Touching first for Varsity were Jacobi, Trevor McCrobie, Horey and Chuang at 3:32.15, with the JV team of Ankenman, Mike Locke, Bennett and Hughes out-touching its competition.

Next up for the Panthers is a dual meet in Fairport (Tuesday) and a home meet against Penfield (Thursday). The divers travel to another 11-dive meet in Canandaigua on Saturday. 

Defending Section 5 and Monroe County champions, the Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving Team recorded another win on the road in Hilton last week. The Panthers emerged victorious against the tenacious Cadets, 117 to 62, to claim their 12th consecutive dual meet. Pittsford won the JV meet as well, 104 to 80.

Helping to lead the charge against Hilton were three Pittsford sophomores—Matt Tanchick, Vincent Criscuolo and Tim Hart. Tanchick won the first individual event, the 200 freestyle, with a state-qualifying time of 1:48.09 that set the tone for the remainder of the meet. Criscuolo and Hart were both double winners in the JV heats, swimming Varsity-comparable times in their events and also contributing to the 200 and 400 free relays.

Pittsford got on the scoreboard quickly, with first and second place finishes in the 200 medley relay. The first three swimmers on the winning team (Alex Branch—backstroke, Morgan Marin—breaststroke and Alan Chuang—butterfly) pulled out personal best times. Freestyler Tyler McCrobie also swam a fast anchor leg and touched in at 1:46.59. The second place team included P.J. Ransford, Ryan Horey, Will Dawson and Chris Dawson.

Joining Tanchick on the podium in the 200 free was Austin Ling with a third place finish and personal record (1:58.37). For the JV team, Grey Ankenman and Timo Krapf touched second and third. Varsity swimmers demonstrated their mastery of all strokes by placing one, two, three in the 200 individual medley. Shea Ransford came out on top with a time of 2:09.87, followed by Owen Drinkwater and Tyler McCrobie. JV’ers Jesse Bennett and Fisher Curran snagged a first and third in the same event.

In the 50 free, Chuang put up another personal best time (23.37) to win, with Horey taking second; Hart and Alex Abrams got a first and third for JV. In the ongoing, friendly but competitive battle among Varsity divers, it was Dylan Marin’s turn for a first place finish (199.75 points). Marin out-scored teammate Sam Randall by 5 points, with the two taking first and second for Pittsford in the 1-meter event. Ben Goodfriend also earned points for the team with a fourth place finish. JV divers Mike Thiemel and Chris Lillis had third and fourth place totals.

Freshman P. J. Ransford won the 100 fly with a personal record (57.33), while Criscuolo, Krapf and David Wideman swept the JV 50 fly. In the 100 free, Branch (52.80) and Horey finished first and second. Hart won the JV heat, with Ankenman touching third.

The 500 free was claimed by Stephen Thomas with a time of 5:19.57, with Scott Colby placing second. On the JV side, Chris McPherson, Alex Abrams and Spencer Byrd earned points by finishing second, fourth and fifth in the demanding 20-lap distance event.

Pittsford’s dominance in the sprint relay continued with a one, two finish by its ‘A’ and ‘B’ teams. Touching first were Tanchick, Chris Dawson, Drinkwater and Chuang (1:33.21), followed closely by the team of Branch, Shea Ransford, Ryan Stern and Ling. The JV team of Criscuolo, Ankenman, Krapf and Hart also won its heat.

Hilton’s Eric Avery out-touched Morgan Marin by 1/3 second in the 100 back, with Marin (1:00.86) getting a second, and Charlie Harrington and Will Dawson placing third and fourth. Marin, Harrington and Dawson all achieved personal best times in the race. In the JV heat, David Wideman, Sam Roberts and Koby Waterstram finished one, two, three—with each of them also recording their best times to date.

Shea Ransford also got a close second place finish in the 100 breast (1:07.73), with Tyler McCrobie just behind him in third place with a personal record. The first three finishers in the JV race were Criscuolo, Curran and Bennett.

In the day’s final race, Pittsford’s 400 free relay teams finished first, while swimming exhibition. Swimming Varsity were Tanchick, Drinkwater, Will Dawson and Chuang (3:25.47), with Abrams, Ankenman, Criscuolo and Hart recording a 3:55.85 time for JV.

The Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving Team had something to prove, and it did so by soundly defeating three-time defending state champion Shenendehowa in a dual meet at Pittsford Mendon on Saturday. The Panthers turned the tables on the visiting team from Clifton Park who last year snapped its 73-meet win streak that dated back to 2003.

Pittsford’s head coach Mark Morris went out of his way last December—about 225 miles, that is—to have his undefeated team face off against the state’s top-ranked team, the Section 2 champions from the Schenectady area. The Panthers, ranked second in the state at the time, were narrowly defeated in an exciting, high-energy competition that resulted in 12 new Shenendehowa pool records and an unprecedented number of state qualifying times.

The rematch, however, belonged to Pittsford, who dominated from the beginning and widened the points gap as the meet progressed. The Panthers won 10 of the 11 swimming events, with Shenendehowa taking first only in diving and the 100 backstroke. And the score (117 to 68) would have been even more lopsided if Morris hadn’t conceded a couple of lanes as exhibition in the final two races.

“It was redemption—not revenge,” said sophomore Matt Tanchick, a double winner who was wearing a big smile after the meet. “I feel as if we redeemed the Pittsford legacy,” he said. Tanchick had state cut times in two individual events and broke a Mendon pool record. Seniors Emmett Jacobi and Tyler McCrobie also won two events each, with Jacobi achieving two individual state cuts, as well.

Coach Morris acknowledged that the rematch looked good on paper, with Shen having graduated three All Americans last year, and that he was obviously hoping for a win. “But you never really know how a meet is going to go until you swim it,” he said. “It’s certainly a lot nicer swimming at home, without a 3-1/2 hour bus ride.”

Shen head coach Chuck Dunham, whose 49-meet winning streak came to a halt with Saturday’s competition, made no excuses for his team, however. He pointed out that it was well worth making the trip, even though he was fairly certain beforehand that his team was not going to win the day.

“Match-ups like this are like good prize fights—you get the best out of each team,” Dunham said. “We are happy we came. Even though we lost, it was a positive experience, and we are leaving here with our heads held high.”

Before the race, members of the swim team’s fan group gathered for an impromptu cheer, assisted by body paint spelling out “GO PITTSFORD!” Shen marched its team around the pool area to the sound ofenthusiastic clapping from the stands, as many supporters had made the long drive. And when the 64 members of the 2010-2011 Panthers began their walk-out around the deck, parents and other fans jumped to their feet with thundering applause and cheers—a long-time tradition for home meets.

The opening 200 medley relay was one of the closest—and loudest—races of the day, with Shen’s first team finishing only about half a second behind Alan Chuang, Tanchick, Ryan Horey and McCrobie (1:41.23). The Panther’s B team took a third place; it included Shea Ransford, Austin Ling, Brett Eslinger and Owen Drinkwater.

Jacobi burned up the 200 free with a 1:45.95 state cut time, touching almost 5 seconds before his Shen challenger. Will Dawson and Alex Branch placed third and fifth. In the 200 individual medley, Tanchick’s 1:58.30 set a pool record and qualified him for states. P.J. and Shea Ransford also earned points for the team with third and fifth place finishes.

The 50 free was an all-out battle between Panthers Morgan Marin and McCrobie that was over in a quick 22.82 seconds, with McCrobie out-touching Marin by a tenth of a second. They both finished within a half-second of the state qualifying time, at first and second places, with Drinkwater taking fourth.

Pittford’s divers definitely rose to the challenge presented by Shen, who has one of the best groups of divers in the state. With six strong dives each and their season’s highest point total to date by far, Sam Randall took second with 238.35, followed closely by Dylan Marin at third with 228.4. Brad Kwarta scored 6’s and above on all of his dives, resulting in a fifth place finish.

Diving coach Duane Green, who received numerous compliments on his team’s performance, pointed out that his varsity divers were awarded a total of 17 six’s, 10 seven’s and 3 eight’s. The divers’ efforts added eight points to the total score.

The Panthers claimed first and second in the 100 fly when Morgan Marin (55.22) edged Ryan Horey (55.82), while freshman Brett Eslinger took fifth. The next race also saw some fast times, with Pittsford taking one, two, three in the 100 free. McCrobie got his second win of the day with a time of 50.38 seconds, just ahead of teammates Will Dawson and Chuang.

Jacobi excelled in the 500 free, leading from start to finish with his second state cut time of the day (4:48.52). Freshman P.J. Ransford, who touched second in the distance event, also got a state qualifying time (4:51.19), and Josh Kapilivsky placed fourth.

Remarkably, Jacobi was back in the water in the very next event to anchor the sprint relay and bring home another first place with teammates Morgan Marin, Will Dawson and McCrobie (1:31.76). Pittsford’s B team also garnered points with a third place finish; it included Ling, P.J. Ransford, Chris Dawson and Drinkwater.

Shen standout Taylor Nichols won the 100 backstroke with a state cut time, while Pittsford’s Chuang, Trevor McCrobie and Shea Ransford placed second, fourth and fifth in the event. Tanchick’s second win (and second state cut time) came in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.02), with teammates Ling and Vince Criscuolo also putting in good times, swimming exhibition.

By the final race, it was all over but the crying—but that didn’t keep Pittsford’s A team in the 400 free relay from qualifying for states with a blazing 3:20.46. The team included Morgan Marin, Tanchick, Dawson and Jacobi. The Panther’s B and C teams swam exhibition.

With a final score of 109 to 76, Pittsford’s JV team also handily defeated Shenendehowa. Marc Colby took first in both the 50 and 100 freestyle events, while Charlie Harrington snagged both the 100 fly and 200 free. Other individual winners included Jack Thiemel, whose first in the 200 IM was more than 11 seconds faster than his closest Shen challenger, and Roddy Hughes, who won the 100 backstroke.

During the break after the diving competition, Coach Morris paid tribute to three swimming coaches who were all present at the meet: Marty Keating, a “legendary” local swim coach who was named National High School Coach of the Year in September; Chuck Dunham, Shen’s head coach with 49 straight victories spanning a five-year period; and his brother, Mike Morris, Bath Haverling’s head swim coach who recently passed a benchmark that few coaches get to see—his 400^th dual meet.

After the meet, the Panthers hosted Shen swimmers and fans at a pizza party in the school’s commons area.

Three up, three down. The Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving team traveled to Canandaigua Academy last Wednesday and notched its third consecutive win of the season.

The 172 to 126 final score handed the Braves their first loss this season and extended the Panther’s dual meet streak to ten. The victory also added to the momentum building up for the showdown with the state’s number one-ranked team, Shenendehowa.

First up, Alan Chuang, Austin Ling, Brett Eslinger and Tyler McCrobie combined for a winning effort in the 200 medley relay (1:45.49). JV swimmers Sam Roberts, Chris McPherson, Timo Krapf and Robert Moon put up a time of 2:02.82 for a first in the same event.

In the 200 free, Emmett Jacobi finished first at 1:50.35, with Josh Kapilivsky placing second. The top two finishers on the JV squad were Max Johnson and Ryan Alaimo.

Charlie Harrington out-touched Alan Chuang to win the 200 individual medley with a personal record of 2:11.66, with David Wideman and Fisher Curran placing one, two in the JV race.

Pittsford also set the pace in the fast 50 free, raced byTyler McCrobie (22.93), Owen Drinkwater (23.74) and Austin Ling. JV swimmer Alex Abrams touched in at 26.40.

In the diving well, the Panthers’ Sam Randall placed first for the second consecutive meet, earning a total of 206.95 for his six dives. Dylan Marin snagged third place (193.95), with Ben Goodfriend and Chris Lillis turning in the best JV efforts for the meet.

The 100 fly went to Morgan Marin (55.58), with Timo Krapf touching first for JV. Pittsford finished one, two, three in the 100 free with Alan Chuang clocking in at 50.99 seconds, followed by teammates Chris Dawson and Alex Branch. Alex Abrams got first place in the JV heat.

A personal best time and first place finish was achieved by P.J. Ransford in the 500 free (4:56.89), while Jesse Bennett won the JV race.Then Pittsford put up the best time in the 200 free relay (1:35.61) with the team of Will Dawson, P.J. Ransford, Branch, and Jacobi, swimming exhibition. The fastest JV team included Abrams, Alaimo, Krapf and Koby Waterstram.

For Varsity, Shea Ransford broke the minute barrier in the 100 back at 59.14, with Johnson winning the JV heat with a personal best time of 1:09.11.

Matt Tanchick’s time of 1:02.04 sealed the deal in the 100 breaststroke; he finished a few seconds ahead of teammates Will Dawson and Vince Criscuolo, who were swimming exhibition. On the JV side, Curran’s first place finish was a personal record of 1:14.28.

In the day’s final event, the 400 free ‘B’ relay team ofTyler McCrobie, Chris Dawson, Ryan Horey and Kapilivsky finished first in 3:31.29 (exhibition). Showing its depth, Pittsford fielded four teams in the race, with only about a ten second difference between the first and fourth finishes. 

Tanchick helps Pittsford top Shenendehowa

Matt Tanchick set a pool record in the 200 individual medley to lead Pittsford over defending three-time state champion Shenendehowa of Section II, 117-68, on Saturday in a non-league boys swimming meet.

Pittsford made six state cuts, five of which represent the fastest times in Section V this season.

200 medley relay: Pittsford (Alan Chuang, Matt Tanchick, Ryan Horey, Tyler McCrobie) 1:41.23. 200 freestyle: Jacobi (Pittsford) 1:45.95*. 200 individual medley: Tanchick (Pittsford) 1:58.30*#. 50 freestyle: McCrobie (Pittsford) 22.82. Diving: Adam Bonk (Shenendehowa) 244.45. 100 butterfly: Morgan Marin (Pittsford) 55.22. 100 freestyle: McCrobie (Pittsford) 50.38. 500 freestyle: Jacobi (Pittsford) 4:48.52*. 200 freestyle relay: Pittsford (Marin, McCrobie, Will Dawson, Jacobi) 1:31.76. 100 backstroke: Taylor Nichols (Shenendehowa) 55.38. 100 breaststroke: Tanchick (Pittsford) 1:02.02*. 400 freestyle relay: Pittsford (Marin, Tanchick, Dawson, Jacobi) 3:20.46*.

*Automatic state time. #Pool record.

Pool records were falling faster and harder than the snow last Thursday afternoon at Gates Chili High School. It may have been cold outside, but inside the Pittsford Panthers were heating things up—and breaking six pool records on their way to a 106 to 72 victory in their second dual meet of the season.

Records started to tumble right from the start, as Pittsford set new best times in the first three events. The remaining three records were scattered throughout the meet, each one bringing parents and other fans to their feet. By the end of the competition, Pittsford had reset the Spartans’ pool best times in one-half of the 12 events, essentially rewriting the record board.

In the opening 200 medley relay, a pool record time of 1:43.72 was posted by Alan Chuang, Matt Tanchick, Will Dawson and Tyler McCrobie. (The record they bested was set by a Pittsford relay team two seasons back.) Next up was freshman P.J. Ransford, whose 1:49.03 in the 200 free was also fast enough to earn him a place of honor on the wall. Alex Branch placed second in the race.

Tanchick toppled the pool record in the 200 individual medley with a state qualifying time of 1:59.53 while Shea Ransford touched second. Ryan Horey’s first place finish in the 100 fly (55.56) also beat the old pool record, with Chuang close behind. In the 500 free, Emmett Jacobi’s 4:50.06 was not only a state cut time, but it chopped more than seven and a-half seconds off the existing pool record of 4:57.65.

The final record of the day was set in the 200 free relay when McCrobie, Morgan Marin, Will Dawson and Tanchick clocked in at a quick 1:32.27, upsetting the record of a Pittsford relay team that was established almost two years ago.

Pittsford finished fast in the other events, as well. Jacobi’s 23.17 seconds in the 50 free got him a win, but was just shy of a pool record. Teammates Will Dawson and Tim Hart touched second and fourth.

The Panthers swept the diving competition with Sam Randall (180.75 points), Dylan Marin (174.80) and Brad Kwarta (158.05) placing one, two, three. Randall’s reverse 1-1/2 somersault in tuck position in the fourth round was particularly notable, receiving an award of 34.65 points.

Chris Dawson was another winner for Pittsford, swimming the 100 free in 53.14, with Max Goodenow finishing third. The 100 back went to Chuang (57.10); his three teammates swimming exhibition (P.J. Ransford, Trevor McCrobie and Roddy Hughes) all touched ahead of the Spartans, as well.

Morgan Marin claimed a first in the 100 breast with a time of 1:07.78. And Pittsford closed out the meet by posting the day’s fastest time in the 400 free relay (3:27.29) by the team of Jacobi, Horey, Branch and Chuang. Gates Chili took first in the event, however, as Pittsford was swimming exhibition.

Pittsford’s JV team also won its competition with Gates Chili, 83 to 48.  A double winner for the day, Grey Ankenman took first place in both the 100 free (1:02.14) and 200 free (2:18.48). Other individual winners included Alex Abrams, Timo Krapf and Jack Thiemel. Three swimmers also had the fastest times in their events while swimming exhibition; they include Jesse Bennett, Vincent Criscuolo and Albert Xiao.

JV divers had a good meet, as well. Chris Lillis finished first with a total of 78.60 points for his four dives. Ben Goodfriend, Harrison Smith and Mike Thiemel followed closely behind the leader, with less than a seven-point difference between first and fourth places.

In its season opener last Tuesday, the Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving team dominated Irondequoit, 119 to 64. The Panthers’ convincing win in the Eagles’ new 8-lane pool brought the team’s dual meet streak to eight and successfully launched the defense of its Section 5 and Monroe County Champion titles.

Sixty-plus members strong, the team is again coached by Mark Morris, assisted by Rick Schmitt and Duane Green (diving). Recently elected captains are seniors Owen Drinkwater, Emmett Jacobi and Tyler McCrobie. 

—VARSITY SWIMMING—

The Panthers touched first in all of the swimming events, with an especially strong showing by Pittsford Mendon sophomore Matt Tanchick, who won both the 100 fly and 100 back. Tanchick also swam fast legs in two winning relays.

In individual events, Will Dawson set the stage for Pittsford’s win with a blazing, state cut time of 1:47.90 in the 200 free, followed by teammates Morgan Marin and Josh Kapilivsky in second and third places. The 200 individual medley went to Emmett Jacobi (2:03.57), with P.J. Ransford and Ryan Horey not far behind.

Chris Wideman came off the injured list with a bang in the 50 free; his winning effort clocked in at 24.52 seconds. Second and third places in the tight race were claimed by Chris Dawson and Alex Branch.

In the 100 butterfly, Tanchick’s state qualifying time (54.21) was fast enough for first, with Brett Eslinger and Tyler McCrobie finishing a few seconds back. Alan Chuang touched the wall first in the 100 freestyle at 51.31 seconds, ahead of Kapilivsky and Trevor McCrobie (swimming exhibition).

Branch prevailed in the demanding 500 freestyle with a time of 5:15.55, followed by Jack Thiemel (swimming exhibition) and Scott Colby, who placed third. Tanchick’s second win came in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.44, less than 1/3 second ahead of teammate Jacobi. In the 100 breaststroke, freshman Austin Ling finished first at 106.96, edging out Shea Ransford (swimming exhibition) and Vincent Criscuolo.

Relay races continue to be an area of strength this season for the deep Pittsford team. In the 200 medley relay, Chuang, Tanchick, Horey and Tyler McCrobie put up a winning time of 1:43.41. The 200 free relay went to Tyler McCrobie, Chuang, Will Dawson and Marin (1:32.79). And Marin, Tanchick, Chuang and Jacobi touched first in the 400 free relay at 3:24.98, swimming exhibition.

—DIVING—

Pittsford divers plunged into the season with Dylan Marin placing second with 169.90 points and Sam Randall taking fourth with 137.30. Marin also provided a little excitement along the way when his leg grazed the board on his second dive, a back 1-1/2 somersault in pike position; he was not injured.

Coach Green said that he was proud of the team’s efforts, especially in light of first-meet jitters and the fact that the Varsity dives were loaded with difficulty.

JV divers posted four solid dives each. Harrison Smith came out on top with 85.05 points, followed by Chris Lillis, Ben Goodfriend and Mike Thiemel (diving exhibition).

—JV SWIMMING—

Easily out-swimming their Irondequoit challengers with a final score of 101 to 33, the large JV team had an auspicious opening meet. In many races, the JV’s split times were comparable to Varsity times, portending a great season ahead.

Marc Colby was a double winner, laying claim to both the 50 free (24.94) and the 500 free (6:00.37). Other individual winners included Alex Abrams, Grey Ankenman, Jesse Bennett, Tim Hart, Roddy Hughes and Chris McPherson.