Downstate teams fare well at DIAA Swim Championships

The Sussex Academy swim teams placed 10th overall in the DIAA swim finals. The 200 yard-medley relay team of Victoria Evans, Sanne Elling, Gracie Maughan and Elle McKay earned bronze in the first race of the evening. Maughan claimed a silver medal in the 100 breaststroke, then took fifth in the individual medley. Maughan, Eve Mundok, Addy McKay and Itzel Gomez placed 10th in the 200 freestyle relay, while Victoria Evans, Mundok, Elle McKay and Sanne Elling took 11th in the 400 free relay. Elling took 13th in the 100 fly and 15th in the 50 freestyle. The girls’ squad earned 95 points for their efforts. 

The Seahawks boys’ team swam well in the DIAA event, placing 12th overall. They were led by freshman Jaxon Laux, who placed fifth in the breaststroke, 11th in the individual medley and 11th in the 400 freestyle relay with Tyler Hudson, Tyler Burger and Christian Wright. Laux took 15th in the medley relay team with teammates Mack Leonhartt, Brayden Trout and Lex Johnson. The 200 freestyle relay team of Hudson, Burger, Johnson and Wright placed seventh. Other individual finishes included Matt Perchiniak, 14th, 500 free; Burger, 15th, 100 breaststroke; and eighth-grader Christian Wright, 16th, 50 free.

DIAA academic awards were presented to Lex Johnson, Elle McKay, Tyler Hudson and Gracie Maughan.

Seahawks coach Tom Martiner was voted Girls’ State Coach of the Year.

The Cape boys’ team finished ninth overall with seven swimmers. The 200 freestyle relay team of Holden Tighe, Kevin Lewandowski, Andrew Criswell and Josh Reinhold made the podium for third place in 1:31.39, a new Cape record. Brian Fleming took fifth in the 500 free with a time of 5:00.48, breaking the school record, and Tighe placed seventh in 5:01.89. The 400 free relay of Fleming, Tighe, Criswell and Josh Turek came in fifth with a time of 3:24.56, a new Cape record. The medley relay of Reinhold, Turek, Fleming and Dylan Steinwedel placed 11th in 1:45.44. Reinhold placed 13th in the 50 free at 22.96. Turek placed 14th in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:05.54.

DIAA academic awards were presented to Cape’s Josh Turek and Josh Reinhold.

The Cape girls’ squad offered a few outstanding performances. The 200 free relay team of Hailey Hassell, Alyssa Silva, Gabby Robertson and Anna Sullivan placed 11th with a time of 1:47.01, a season-best clocking. The Cape 400 free relay of Hassell, Jenna Reinhold, Robertson and Sullivan took 12th with a time of 3:55.73. Sullivan placed 14th in the 50 free with a personal-best time of 25.93.

DIAA academic awards were presented to Sophie Schoenfeld and Gabbie Robertson.

Sussex Central’s boys’ 200 free relay with Chet Mariner, Breyden Wright, Matthew Smith and Peyton Harmon placed 12th. Wright placed third in the 100 backstroke in 52.72 and second in the 100 fly with a 50.05. Mariner placed 16th in the 100 fly.

The Sussex Central girls’ team of Amelia Meyer, Maggie Walker, Keelie Grez and Madelynn McTeer placed 16th in the 200 medley relay. McTeer placed fourth in the 50 free and fifth in the 100 free. Grez took 14th in the 500. The team of Meyer, Grez, Jane Warren and McTeer took 15th in the 200 free relay.

DIAA academic awards were presented to Breyden Wright and Maddy McTeer.

Sussex Tech’s Molly Dopler took 11th in the 200 freestyle. Brynn Thornton took 15th in the 200 IM, while Dopler took 15th in the 100 fly. The 200 freestyle relay team of Mackenzie Whaley, Rachel Pogwist, Zoe Tyndal and McKinley Stokley took 13th. The 400 relay team of Stokley, Pogwist, Dopler and Cassidy Thomas placed 10th.

Delmarva Christian’s Coleman Woodard placed eighth in the 100 breaststroke. Keelie Conaway took 15th in the 500 free.

DIAA academic awards were presented to Keelie Conaway and Zach Desiderio.

Indian River’s Shane Hall placed 11th in the 200 freestyle. The 200 free relay of Max Forrey, Alex Arnold, Finn Bellistri and Shane Hall took eighth place. The 400 free relay of Forrey, Evan Peterson, Bellistri and Hall took 14th place.

DIAA academic awards were presented to Bella Scharp, Kendra Aukland, Shane Hall and Evan Peterson.

Full results can be found at http://sslswim.org.