(Click on the headline or the attached handout to see the full Class A results)

Dan Locke won both the 50 and 100 freestyle events and was a member of two winning relay teams as the Pittsford Boys Swimming and Diving team won the second annual “Fab 4 Invitational.”

With just five weeks to go before Sectionals, the competition at Bath-Haverling High School on January 9-10 was an opportunity for Section 5 swimmers to show their best.  Locke took the challenge to heart, winning four gold medals, the most of any swimmer in his class.  He twice came from behind in individual events to touch the wall first.

Asked about his achievements, the senior co-captain said, “It feels great.”

Locke noted that Pittsford will be swimming against some good teams in the coming weeks, including Webster and Canandaigua.  “We should have some close meets,” he said, “but after today, we’re feeling confident.”

Pittsford scored a total of 619 points at the Invitational to take the Class A crown.  Fairport was second with 489 points and Webster third with 377.  The top 16 swimmers in each event scored points for their teams, along with their “A” relay teams.  A total of 12 teams, four each from Classes A, B and C took part in the meet.

The Pittsford relays provided some of the highlights of the day. John Lyman, Andrew Maier, Tyler McCrobie and Locke teamed up to win the sprint relay, the 200 free, in a time of 1:29.57.  In the 400 free relay, Morgan Marin, Brandon McManus, Lyman and Locke took first with a state qualifying time of 3:18.92.  The Panthers also took third place in the 200 medley relay, with Maier, Marin, McManus and McCrobie turning in a time of 1:43.86.

Also taking home medals for Pittsford in individual events were Matt Tanchick, third place in the 200 IM (2:06.32); Marin, third in the 100 fly (56.10); Lyman, third in the 100 free (49.67), and Emmett Jacobi, with a state qualifying time of 4:53.23 for second place in the 500 free.  Locke’s winning time of 22.53 in the 50 free also made the state cut and he posted a 49.58 to win the 100 free.

“I’m proud of the way my boys performed today, from our youngest swimmers to our veterans,” Head Coach Mark Morris said. 

Pittsford teams are known for their depth in nearly every event, and the “Fab Four Invitational” was no exception.  Panther swimmers racked up points in every event to contribute to the Class A win.  Jacobi, McManus, McCrobie and Josh Kapilivsky scored points in the 200 free.  In addition to Tanchick, A. Maier, Lee Silverstein and Alan Chuang scored in the 200 IM.  Lyman, Owen Drinkwater and Kevin Maier joined Locke in bringing home points in the 50 free.  Ryan Horey, Scott Colby and Brett Eslinger also contributed in the 100 fly. 

In the 100 free, McCrobie and Drinkwater joined Locke and Lyman in tallying points for Pittsford.  McManus, Shea Ransford and Kapilivsky were among the top finishers in the 500 free, along with Jacobi.  In the 100 back, Ransford, Chuang and Horey scored points along with Maier, and in the 100 breast, Tanchick, Silverstein and Vincent Criscuolo also contributed to the Pittsford victory.

In Class A diving, Alex Byrd placed third with 345 points, Robert Amberger was fourth with 299.15, Matt Tartaglia was eighth with 272.15 and Samuel Randall was ninth with 263.10.

Pittsford is now 5-0 in dual meets this season and 2-0 in tournaments.  The Panthers are the defending Section 5 Class A and Monroe County Division 1 Champions.