The final session of the 2014 YMCA National Championships concluded Friday night with Countryside’s Ali Marsteller and Kishwaukee’s Caitlyn Moon taking down the loan national records of the evening. Moon first raced to a national record of 8:49.29 in the 800 free, crushing Laura Simon’s 2009 mark of 8:55.46. Runner-up Verity Abel (8:53.18) and third place Leah Braswell (8:53.14) also put down rather impressive swims, each dipping under the national record.
Marsteller and Moon would go on to face-off in the 100 free, with Marsteller ending up on top in a time of 56.43. That time would lower Katrina Knopka’s mark of 56.77 set just last year. It was a redemption win for Marsteller, having finished second to Kishwaukee’s Caitlyn Moon in the 200 free Wednesday night by a margin of .07. Taking runner-up in the women’s 100 free was Lakeland Hills’s Ingrid Shu, touching in 56.94. Shu also snagged a second place finish in the 50 free Tuesday night at 26.00. Katrina Kuhn of Somerset Valley rounded out third place in 57.90.
In the men’s 100 free, Ocean County swimmer and 100 fly champion Zach Molloy took home a national championship with a time of 51.01. Molloy sought revenge on NC State bound Collin Ellington after being out touched by the future Wolfpack sprinter in the 50 and 200 free earlier in the program. Ellington touched in 51.41. Sixteen-year-old Grant House (200 free champion) touched third in 52.05.
Amanda McNulty of Middle Tyger cruised to a first place finish in the women’s 200 fly, touching the wall in 2:15.24. McNulty took a runner-up finish in the 100 fly Tuesday night. Fifteen-year-old Brook Perrotta finished second in 2:18.80, following up a third place finish in the 100 fly on Tuesday. Astrid Swensen of North Shore nabbed a third place finish in 2:18.89.
A tight men’s 200 fly final saw Wilton’s Tommy Kealy take home top honors with a time of 2:05.29. Kealy earned himself a runner-up position in the 100 fly Tuesday. After failing to advance past prelims in the 100 fly, Lancaster’s Ryan DiPietro touched second in the 200 fly in 2:06.04. Fourteen-year-old David May of Cheshire put down an impressive time of 2:06.21 to squeak by with a third place finish.
Countryside’s Ali Marsteller doubled up on championship titles Friday night, winning the women’s 200 IM in a time of 2:19.04. Marsteller finished just ahead of Brook Perotta who finished in 2:19.78 following a second place finish in the 200 fly just two events prior. York’s Kacey Oberlander finished just ahead of Oshkosh’s Maggie Werba for a third place finish in 2:21.68. Werba took fourth in 2:21.74.
The men’s 200 IM title was captured by Grant House, following his third place finish in the 100 free. Hosue put down a time of 2:05.49, flirting with Connor Maher’s national record mark of 2:05.13. John Rutter of Powel Crosley finished second in 2:06.71. Not far behind was Wilton’s Maxwell Dolan who swam a huge freestyle leg of 29.24 to overpower Manuel Barragan for the third place position. Dolan finished in 2:07.00 followed by Barragan in 2:07.16.
The women’s 400 free relay saw a thrilling conclusion, with first-fourth place being separated by just .68. The Triangle Area squad of Haley Bishop (58.80), Sam Medlin (58.51), Kelsey Lawton (58.60) and Jenny Nusbaum (57.23) took home top honors with a time of 3:53.14, finalizing their quest for the women’s team title. York’s relay team made a valiant effort, finishing just behind Triangle in 3:53.31. That second place finish was thanks in large part to a monster anchor leg by Becca Luft (56.97). Somerset Hills finished third in 3:53.41.
The Triangle Area men’s 400 free relay team would follow the lead of their female counterparts, winning in a time of 3:30.50. The quartet of Noah Franz (53.96), Jon Suits (52.78), Chris Kohut (50.97) and Seth Maslowski (52.79) finished ahead of Cheshire (3:31.36) and Ocean County (3:31.59) to claim the title.
When all was said and done, Countryside would take home the combined team title with 730 points, followed by Traingle Area (666) and Wilton (664). Triangle Area took the women’s title with 381 points, just ahead of Countryside (372) and York (343). On the men’s side, Wilton earned a first place title with 362 points. Countryside (358) took second followed by Ocean County (339) finishing third.
Final results can be found HERE.
Caitlynn Moon did not swim the 100 free this week.