YMCA swimmers win 9-10 boys state title

Highlighted by the 9-10 boys championship, the YMCA of Western Monmouth County Eagle Rays scored big at the recent YMCA State Swimming Championships.

More than 25 teams from the New Jersey area competed in the three-day meet at Gloucester, with the 9-10 boys winning the overall points title for their age group. Overall, the Eagle Rays placed 11th in the competition, accentuated by several outstanding individual performances that included a national qualifying time (1:09.71) in the 100 breast stroke by Amelia Buckley.

Once again the 9-10 boys, anchored by Michael Skibniewski, Ryan O'Neill, Drew Orzechowski and Justin Wone were the stars of the show, winning both the 200 freestyle relay and the 200 medley relay, and dominating in the individual events to win the overall age group title.

Skibniewski led the way with wins in the 100 individual medley (IM) (1:09.75), 200 IM (2:31.29), 50 butterfly (30.25) and 100 butterfly (1:07.61), a second-place finish in the 200 free (2:14.94), and a sixth place in the 50 breaststroke (38.93). Ryan O'Neill was equal to the task with a victory in the 100 free (1:01.78), a second-place showing in the 50 free (27.69) and 100 backstroke (1:13.36), third place in the 50 back (33.25), fifth in the 50 fly (32.87) and sixth in the 100 fly (1:17.66).

Drew Orzechowski added a 10th-place finish in the 100 IM (1:15.58) and 50 breast (40.59), and a 14th place in the 100 breast (1:28.85). Justin Wone contributed a 12th-place showing in the 100 breast (1:28.77) and 14th place in the 50 breast (40.98).

The 9-10 girls had their standouts as well, led by Joanna Han, who finished in the Top 10 in all of her events - second place in the 200 IM, 2:37.31, third place in the 100 IM, 1:12.17, fifth place in the 100 breast, 1:22.36, and 50 breast (38.52), sixth place in the 100 backstroke, (1:14.98), and ninth place in the 100 free (1:07.06).

Shannon Belforti was also outstanding, contributing Top 16 finishes in all six events she competed in - seventh place in the 100 fly 1:16,89, eighth place in the 50 fly 34.28, ninth in the 50 free, 30.13, 11th place in the 100 back, 1:17.39, 13th place in the 50 back, 35.06, and 14th place in the 100 free, 1:08.03.

In the 11-12 girls age group Stephanie Ross won the 100 IM (1:04.58) and 200 IM (2:20.55), placing second in the 100 breast (1:10.88, a new club record), 200 breast (2.34.00) and 200 free (2:04.55), third place in the 100 fly (1:05.91), and fourth place in the 100 free (58.23). Bridget Nucum was a fine eighth place in the 200 fly (2:45.63).

The girls' 13-14 division put in a strong overall performance, exemplified by Amelia Buckley, who responded to tough competition with a national qualifying time in the 100 breast (1:09.71, second place) along with a stellar performance in the 200 breast (second place, 2:31.29). Teammate Eva Wimberly swam well in both those events, too, coming up with a third-place finish in 200 breast (2:32.39), along with a fifth-place finish in the 100 breast (1:11.26).

Emily O'Neill was awesome with her backstroke, finishing fifth in the 100 back (1:02.80) and 13th in the 200 back (2:17.57).

Ryan Kauth led the 13-14 boys group with strong showings in the 200 free, third place (1:50.33), 500 free, fourth place (4:59.04), 1,000 free, fourth place (10.23.33), and the 100 free (50.97). The 200, 500 and 1,000 were all new team records.

Lee Ingram had a productive weekend for the 15-18 girls, finishing fourth in the 200 back (2:11.46), fifth in the 100 back (1:00.9), seventh in the 1,000 free (11:01.27), and 12th in the 200 free (2:20.25). Chelsea Unger added three Top 10 finishes for the Eagle Rays - third place in the 100 breast, 1:09.96, ninth place in the 200 breast, 2:30.99, and eighth place in the 50 free, 25.53.

The 15-18 female relay teams of Ingram, Unger, Eleazar, Mirynowski (200 medley) and Mirynowski, Uckar, Ingram and Unger (200 free) qualified for YMCA nationals in the 200 medley and 200 free relays. The 200 medley of Ingram, Unger, Eleazar and Unger also set the team record in the medley.

The boys 15-18 squad contributed solid performances by Stephen Fox (12th place 100 back, 55.25) and Danny Murphy (100 fly, 54.84).