Sussex Academy swimming sweeps Henlopen South tri-meet

A Henlopen South tri-meet between Sussex Academy, Lake Forest and Seaford at the Sussex Academy Aquatics Center was the home opener for the Seahawks Dec. 15.

Both teams kicked off their Henlopen South slate with victories, as the girls downed the Spartans 81-11 and Seaford 78-13, and the boys toppled Lake Forest 70-24 and Seaford 69-13.

“Boys and girls did a great job today,” said coach Tom Martiner. “It's always fun coming back for our first home meet of the year. They all perform very well; some had meets this past weekend for club teams, so to see how they put that behind them and hopped in and did a great job today was just spectacular.”

The girls’ squad won 10 of 11 events. 

The girls’ 200 medley relay team of Victoria Evans, Camilla Figueroa, Lillie Bradley and Sam Petty won with a time of 2:07.83. Kendall Rhodes tackled the 200 freestyle with a 2:14.63 clocking, while the medley version of the 200 went to Anna Mumford, who tapped at 2:11.82. Petty flashed her speed with a win in the 50 freestyle. Madeline Perchiniak conquered the butterfly, and Caitlin Perchiniak’s 1:01.69 was the low mark in the 100 freestyle. In the 200 freestyle relay, Mumford, Catherine Elder, Ava Allfather and Petty combined for a victory at 1:54.22. Figueroa mastered the backstroke and finished at 1:08.77. Elder’s 1:25.55 was the fastest breaststroke on the girls’ side. Sussex Academy wrapped up the meet by winning the 400 freestyle relay when Mumford, Caitlin Perchiniak, Rhodes and Evans teamed up for a time of 4:03.63.

“This was a great opportunity to try different people doing different things, because you don't know what you can do unless you try first,” Martiner said. “Kids really stepped up doing things they are unused to.”

On the boys’ side, Michael Whitaker, Reed Knowlton, Angel Figueroa and Christian Wright claimed the 200 medley race. Wright turned right around and broke his own program record in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:52.18. Figueroa’s flexibility was on display as he won the individual medley with a time of 2:06:02. Wright recorded the lowest time in the butterfly, 57:18, and his classmate Keiran Probert took the 100 freestyle. Eddie Hale mastered the marathon and took top prize in the 500. Knowlton, Kaleb Siok, Sebastian Scruggs and Probert finished their swims first in the 200 freestyle relay. Probert put a little extra on his leg.

“When I'm out there, I'm thinking I gotta leave it all out in that pool, because at the end of the day, if it's my last event, I gotta go all out – I gotta win it for my team,” Probert said. “It really helps to see the effort my three teammates before me put in, so I know I have to match that or do better. I can't let them down. I gotta be there for my team.”

Whitaker won the backstroke, while Knowlton registered a 1:07.42 to take the breaststroke. Wright, Hale, Whitaker and Figueroa put the cherry on top of the squad’s first two wins by claiming the 400 free relay.

The Seahawks surprised their coach by putting an ALS ribbon on their swim caps. Martiner’s brother has been battling the devastating disease for five years.