2018 Speedo Winter Juniors – East: Day 3 Finals Live Recap

2018 SPEEDO WINTER JUNIOR CHAMPIONSHIPS – EAST

• December 5-8, 2018
• Greensboro Aquatic Center, Greensboro, NC
• SCY (25 yards)
• Psych Sheets
• Live Results
• Live Stream
• Friday Finals Heat Sheet

The Walsh sisters and Foster brothers have been putting on a show this weekend, and one of the biggest races tonight will be a sibling showdown in the 400 IM between Carson and Jake.

GIRLS 400 IM

• Meet record: 4:02.51 12/9/2016 Brooke Forde, Lakeside ST

Top 3

1. Grace Sheble (NOVA of Virginia) – 4:06.35
2. Kathryn Ackerman (Michigan Lakeshore Aquatics) – 4:07.79
3. Isabel Gormley (AGUA) – 4:08.80

Grace Sheble of NOVA of Virginia used a great breatstroke leg to get ahead of the field, then powered home on the freestyle to secure the win at 4:06.35. The top three finishers were under 4:10 in a fantastic swim from all three, with MLA’s Kathryn Ackerman posting a 4:07.79 for 2nd and AGUA’s Isabel Gormley going 4:08.80 for 3rd.

All three are in the 15-16 age group, with Sheble at 15 and the other two at 16. Sheble now ranks 8th all-time in the 15-16 age group, Ackerman 12th, and Gormley 20th.

Ella Nelson of NAC posted a 4:10.10 for 4th, just off of breaking the 4:10 barrier, while 14-year-old Charlotte Hook of TAC Titans swam to a 5th place finish at 4:11.00. Hook now ranks 4th in 13-14 history in the event.

BOYS 400 IM

• Meet record: 3:43.64 12/8/2017 Kieran Smith, Ridgefield Aquatic Club

Top 3

1. Carson Foster (Mason Manta Rays) – 3:40.86
2. Jake Foster (Mason Manta Rays) – 3:43.64
3. Owen Conley (Dayton Raiders) – 3:46.25

It was a battle of two brothers, as Mason Manta Rays’ Carson and Jake Foster dueled for the win here. Carson built up an enormous three-body-length lead after a big backstroke leg, and this time he didn’t let his older brother overtake him on the freestyle leg. Jake did make up some ground on both breast and free legs, but Carson had built up a 1:45.83 to 1:50.26 lead on Jake at the 200 mark, and his breast leg (1:03-low) and free leg (51-high) were strong enough to maintain almost a three-second lead at the finish.

Carson destroyed Kieran Smith’s meet record from last year, while Jake actually tied Smith’s mark.

Dayton Raiders’ Owen Conley was 3:46.25 for third, making it an all-Ohio podium. He and the Foster brothers were the only finishers under 3:50.

GIRLS 100 FLY

• Meet record: 51.73 12/9/2016 Regan Smith, Riptide

Top 3

1. Claire Curzan (TAC Titans) – 51.92
2. Kate Douglass (Chelsea Piers) – 51.95
3. Gabi Albiero (Cardinal Aquatics) – 51.97

Kate Douglass went out like a rocket, going 23.91 on the first 50, but it was the 14-year-old Claire Curzan out of lane 1 who surprised the field. Never having been quicker than a 52-high, Curzan was out in 24.14 and came back in 27.78 to finish on top in 51.92. That’s nearly as fast as Regan Smith’s NAG record, a 51.73 from 2016. Still, that solidifies Curzan as the second 13-14 girl to ever break 52 in this event, and she’s well ahead of the third-best 100 fly performer in 13-14 history (Justina Kozan with a 52.83 from a month ago).

Douglass, who has emerged as first a breaststroker, then also a sprint freestyler, and then also a 200 IMer, can now say she’s one of the fastest 100 butterfliers in high school (along with Cardinal Aquatics’ Gabi Albier0). Douglass (51.95) and Albiero (51.97) both broke 52 for the first time.

Isabel Ivey of Laker Swim, another incredibly versatile high school talent, was 52.11 for 4th ahead of Gretchen Walsh at 52.23, bests for both of them as well.

BOYS 100 FLY

• Meet record: 45.46 12/11/2015 Ryan Hoffer, Scottsdale AC

Top 3

1. Sterling Crane (Episcopal AmberJax) – 47.22
2. Jean-pierre Khouzam (Dayton Raiders) – 47.26
3. Max Edwards (Enfinity Aquatics) – 47.47

Out of lane 1, Sterling Crane of Episcopal AmberJax in Florida snuck in for the win. He posted a 47.22, a lifetime best by a half second and just four hundredths ahead of Dayton Raiders’ Jean-pierre Khouzam, who was 47.26 for 2nd. Khouzam, who is 16, moves up to #14 all-time in the 15-16 historical rankings with that lifetime best.

Max Edwards of Enfinity Aquatics was 47.47, which was good for 3rd place tonight. Cason Wilburn of East Coast Aquatics and Boyd Poelke tied for 4th, both hitting the wall at 47.59.

GIRLS 200 FREE

• Meet record: 1:43.64 12/9/2016 Isabel Ivey, Gator Swim Club

Top 3

1. Core Dupre (Mason Manta Rays) – 1:45.27
2. Mary Smutny (South Florida) – 1:45.75
3. Maxine Parker (Chelsea Piers)/Kelly Pash (Carmel Swim Club) – 1:46.21

Mason Manta Rays’ Cora Dupre was 1:45.27 for the win, a huge swim for her after going out hard (50.81) to lead at the 100 and then hold strong the rest of the way out. Touching 2nd was South Florida’s Mary Smutny, who also broke 1:46 for a time of 1:45.75.

Chelsea Piers’ Maxine Parker clocked a 1:46.21 to take 3rd in a tie with Kelly Pash of Carmel Swim Club. Parker came into this meet with a 1:48.07, but skimmed down to a 1:46.38 this morning and took a bit more off tonight.

Parker’s CPAC teammate Bridget Semenuk won the B final in 1:46.93, a time that would’ve been 5th in the A final. Notably, Smutny, Pash, and Semenuk are all headed to the University of Texas next fall.

Natalie Mannion was 5th in the A final at 1:46.96. The Commonwealth Swimming 14-year-old now ranks 17th all-time in the 13-14 age group.

BOYS 200 FREE

• Meet record: 1:33.40 12/9/2016 Drew Kibler, Carmel Swim Club

Top 3

1. Jack Walker (SwimMAC) – 1:34.16
2. Julian Hill (Gator Swim Club) – 1:35.14
3. Jack Wright (Allegheny North) – 1:35.43

Jack Walker didn’t get a best time, but he looked enthused about the 1:34.16 that he swam to take the win here. That was his second-best time ever, and the closest he’s come to his 1:33.73 lifetime best from December of 2016. His 1:34.98 from this meet last year was the closest he’s been to that 1:33, and his swim today, which is just four tenths off, makes that 2016 performance look like much less of a one-hit wonder.

Gator Swim Club’s Julian Hill had a great swim for 2nd, clocking a 1:35.14, a nice improvement on his old best, a 1:35.70 done just last month at the 2018 FHSAA 4A State Champs. Allegheny North’s Jack Wright was 3rd in 1:35.43, his second time under 1:36.9 and seven tenths off of his best of 1:34.77 from spring of 2018.

Jake Magahey, the 500 free champion last night from SwimAtlanta, was 1:35.64 for 4th. That’s a few tenths off of his 1:35.13 lifetime best this morning in prelims.

GIRLS 100 BREAST

• Meet record: 58.19 12/8/2017 Alexandra Walsh, Nashville Aquatic Club

Top 3

1. Taylor Steele (Coastal Aquatic Club) – 1:00.54
2. Sophia Zhang (AGUA) – 1:00.83
3. Janessa Mathews (Ohio State Swim Club) – 1:00.90

Taylor Steele of Coastal Aquatic Club earned the win in the 100 breast, going 1:00.54 to improve upon her morning time by almost a tenth.

Dropping over a full second from the morning was 16-year-old Sophia Zhang of AGUA, posting a strong 1:00.83, leaving her just outside the top 30 in 15-16 history. Ohio State Swim Club’s Janessa Mathews was 1:00.90 for 3rd.

14-year-old Zoe Skirboll had a great swim, taking 4th at 1:01.04. That leaves her #3 all-time in the 13-14 rankings behind only Alexis Wenger and Allie Raab.

BOYS 100 BREAST

• Meet record: 52.21 12/11/2015 Michael Andrew, Indie Swimming

Top 3

1. Josh Matheny (Pittsburgh Elite) – 52.89
2. Jake Foster (Mason Manta Rays) – 53.20
3. Paul Degrado (Episcopal AmberJax) – 54.06

Josh Matheny (Pittsburgh Elite) and Jake Foster (Mason Manta Rays) were a league above the rest, as the only finishers under 54 seconds. Matheny, 16 years old, dropped big time from this morning (54.25 in prelims) to take down Foster, who also took off from the morning but only five hundredths as compared to Matheny’s 1.36 seconds.

Matheny’s 52.89 is a best time, and it ranks him #4 in the 15-16 all-time rankings. Foster was 2nd in 53.20.

Paul Degrado of Episcopal AmberJax clocked a 54.06 to take 3rd.

GIRLS 100 BACK

• Meet record: 51.09 12/9/2016 Regan Smith, Riptide

Top 3

1. Alex Walsh (Nashville Aquatic Club) – 50.88
2. Gretchen Walsh (Nashville Aquatic Club) – 51.75
3. Isabel Ivey (Laker Swim) – 52.19

It was a sibling sweep, as Alex Walsh erupted for a 50.88 to win the race by nearly a full second tonight and break Regan Smith’s meet record. That’s a huge new PR for Walsh by almost a full second, and she now ranks 4th all-time in the 17-18 age group. Katharine Berkoff of Missoula Aquatic Club went 50.83 for 3rd all-time this morning out at Juniors West.

Gretchen Walsh hit a PR, too, going 51.75 to take 2nd. Gretchen and Alex are both at the front ends of their respective age groups. Gretchen now ranks 7th all-time in 15-16 history, .30 behind Alex when Alex was in the 15-16 age group.

In her third event of the night, Isabel Ivey clocked a 52.19 to take 3rd. Claire Curzan of TAC Titans was 52.77, taking a tiny bit off of her best and moving to #4 in 13-14 history.

BOYS 100 BACK

• Meet record: 45.48 12/11/2015 Ryan Hoffer, Scottsdale AC

Top 3

1. Adam Chaney (Mason Manta Rays) – 47.26
2. Wyatt Davis (Carmel Swim Club) – 47.41
3. Jacob Eismann (Ohio State Swim Club) – 47.71

Adam Chaney, known for his exceptional medley relay anchor abilities, showed some versatility with a win here in the 100 back. The Mason Manta Rays 16-year-old was 47.26, as he’s now #14 all-time in the 15-16 age group historical rankings.

Carmel’s Wyatt Davis wasn’t far behind, going 47.41 for 2nd place, while Jacob Eismann of OSSC was 47.71 for 3rd.

GIRLS 4X50 FREE RELAY

• Meet record: 1:30.09 12/11/2015 SwimMac Carolina

Top 3

1. Chelsea Piers – 1:29.04
2. Nashville Aquatic Club – 1:30.25
3. SwimMAC – 1:31.47

Chelsea Piers’ girls combined for a 1:29.04, which is a good full second faster than the meet record, which also happens to be the 15-18 NAG record.

CPAC got a 22.46 lead off from Bridget Semenuk, followed by Sophia Moore at 23.20, Maxine Parker at 21.86, and Kate Douglass with a wondrous 21.52 anchor leg.

NAC was 2nd in 1:30.25, nearly ahead of the old record themselves. They had a 22.36 lead-off from Alex Walsh and a 21.40 field-best anchor by Gretchen Walsh.

BOYS 4X50 FREE RELAY

• Meet record: 1:19.03 12/6/2012 Bolles School Sharks

Top 3

1. Mason Manta Rays – 1:19.98
2. Dynamo – 1:21.93
3. SwimMAC Carolina – 1:22.00

On the boys’ side, the Mason Manta Rays were in a class of their own. With only Dynamo Swim Club getting under 1:22 (and just barely so), the Manta Rays clocked a 1:19.98 to win the junior east title. Adam Chaneywas great on the end, splitting a 19.34.

Chaney was actually one of just two swimmers to break 20 in the entire field — Jack Wright of Allegheny North was 19.98 anchoring their relay.