( To see the full meet results, click on the Headline or click on the Handout.)

Pittsford took first or second place in 11 of 12 events as the Panthers dominated the Owego Invitational swimming and diving tournament, coming home as victors for the fifth year in a row.  Pittsford racked up more than twice as many points as runner up Fairport, 770.50 to 362.50. 

Morgan Marin won the 50 free (22.87) and the 100 fly (54.70) and was a member of the winning 200 free and 400 free relay teams.  Tyler McCrobie was the victor in the 100 free with a time of 50.10 and Emmett Jacobi took first place in the 500 free with 4:55.89.   

With seven of the state’s best teams competing, the top 16 finishers in each event scored points, and the strength and depth that Pittsford has displayed in recent years in winning Section 5 and Monroe County championships was again evident.  In the opening 200 yard medley relay, Alan Chuang, Lee Silverstein, Brandon McManus and McCrobie turned in a time of 1:43.52, taking second place just a half second behind the winning relay from Ithaca.  Three other Pittsford relay teams also scored points, helping the Panthers jump to an early lead, and they never looked back. 

Up next was the 200 yard freestyle, with Jacobi taking second with a time of 1:48.37.  Alex Branch was fifth, Josh Kapilivsky seventh and Stephen Thomas eighth in the 200 free.  The following event, the 200 Individual Medley (IM), was Pittsford’s strongest.  Matt Tanchick took second with a state cut time of 2:02.39.  Silverstein was third in the IM, Shea Ransford fourth, Charlie Harrington seventh, Chuang eighth, Will Dawson ninth, Jack Thiemel 15th, and Vincent Criscuolo rounded out the scoring in 16th place. 

Marin then notched his first victory in the 50 free, with McCrobie right behind him in second place, Kevin Maier tenth and Tim Hart 16th.  Marin’s second victory came in the 100 fly, with McManus third, Brett Eslinger sixth, Ryan Horey seventh and PJ Randsford 11th.  In addition to McCrobie’s first place in the 100 free, Branch was seventh, Maier eighth, Max Goodenow 11th and Hart 13th. 

Pittsford had four of the top five performers in the distance event, the 500 free.  In addition to Jacobi in first, Kapilivsky was third, PJ Ransford fourth and Stephen Thomas was fifth.  The points piled up in the sprint relay with Pittsford taking first place behind the team of Marin, Tanchick, McCrobie and Jacobi, and three other Panther relays also in the top 16.  In the 100 back, McManus was second with a time of 57.40, Chuang fourth, Shea Ransford ninth, Horey 13th and Harrington 14th.  Tanchick was second in the 100 breast (1:03.84), with Dawson fourth, Silverstein fifth, Criscuolo sixth and Eslinger 14th. 

With a large contingent of Pittsford parents and supporters cheering them on, Marin, McManus, Tanchick and Jacobi finished the meet with first place in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:22.50, just a few seconds off the state cut time for the event.  Again, three other Pittsford relays contributed to the scoring.  

In the diving competition, held earlier in the day, Sam Randall placed 12th for the Panthers with 277.60 points, Ryan Stern was 15th with 223.50, and Brad Kwarta 16th with 217.85.  

The tournament took place at Owego Free Academy on December 12. 

Head coach Mark Morris said it was important for his team to score well at Owego, to help get ready for a major challenge this Saturday against the number one ranked team in New York State, Section 2 champion Shenendehowa.  Morris and the Panthers will be putting a 72 dual meet winning streak on the line when they travel to the Capital region for a contest that may well determine the number one ranking this season.   But Morris believes that “seeking out the competition” is the only way to move a program to the next level. 

“It’s never really been about the ‘W,’ it’s been about the development of the team,” Morris said.  “I think the kids know what’s at stake.  If you don’t swim them, you’ll never know who’s the best,” he added. 

Pittsford, 1-0 in dual meets in addition to the win at Owego, must get by Victor this week before the road trip to Shenendehowa.

D&C Article

Owego-IV Invitational

Pittsford won the meet with 770.50 points and Fairport was second (362.50). The Panthers won six events and placed second in five.
Morgan Marin won the 50 freestyle (22.87) and 100 butterfly (54.70) for the Panthers. The Red Raiders' Dhruv Tyagi's 551.80 in diving is a school record.

Scores:
Pittsford -770.5
Fairport - 362.5
Ithaca -    317
Vestal -    302
Monroe-Woodbury - 191
Owego  - 144
Elmira - 135