25 RMSC swimmers travelled to Buffalo, NY to compete in the Eastern Zone Senior Longcourse Championships, held August 6-9. The meet featured over 50 teams from all over the Eastern Zone (Maine through Virginia). For the second straight year, RMSC won the Combined team title, almost doubling up the 2nd place team. The Girls also won the meet, easily outpacing the field, and the Boys finished 3rd in team scoring with only seven Boys on the trip. Most of our swimmers scored for the team by placing in the top 16 in their events, and everyone on the team qualified for finals by placing in the top 32 in at least one of their events.
Our youngest swimmer at the meet was our team's leading scorer, as Annabel Robey led the way with 86 points. She took 1st in 400 IM (5:10.63), 2nd in 100 breast in a Junior National cut (1:16.14), 3rd in 200 IM (2:27.71), 4th in 200 breast, and top 16 in 100 back and 50 breast. Maeve Cutter contributed 68 points, with 4th place finishes in 200 IM and 400 IM, 5th in 200 free, 8th in 1500 free, and top 16’s in 400 free and 200 breast. Mia Fecko had 63 points, including an exciting 1st place in 1500 free (17:57.80) with a 36 second drop, a 2nd in 800 free (9:23.91), 4th in 400 free, and 8th in 200 free. Sienna Magro also had 63 points, finishing 5th in 1500 free, 7th in 100 back, 8th in 200 free and 50 back, and top 16 in 100 free and 200 back. Luke Biddle led the Boys in scoring with 53 points, highlighted by a come-from-behind 1st place in 400 free (4:15.53), a 3rd in 1500 free (16:55.76), 6th in 200 free, top 16 in 200 IM, top 24 in 100 free, and top 32 in 50 free. Graham Stelzer was 4th in 400 IM, 7th in 200 IM, and 8th in 200 breast and 200 fly. Juliana Capello took 2nd in 200 breast (2:46.39) and 400 IM (5:17.94), 8th in 100 breast, and top 16 in 50 breast. Elizabeth Chen was 5th in 200 back, top 16 in 200 free, 100 back, 50 fly, and 100 fly. Dante Long finished 3rd in 800 free (8:50.69), 5th in 1500 free, 8th in 200 free, and top 24 in 100 back. Gracie Schur was 7th in 50 fly, 8th in 200 back, top 16 in 50 free, 100 free, 50 back, and 100 fly, and top 24 in 100 back. Emma Liu was 7th in 100 fly, 8th in 50 fly and 200 fly, and top 16 in 200 IM. Bauti Salvado was 5th in 800 free, 8th in 400 free, and top 16 in 200 free and 200 fly. Taisiya Ivanovskaya took 4th in 800 free and 1500 free, and top 16 in 200 free and 400 free. Elle Floyd finished 6th in 1500 free and 400 IM, and top 16 in 400 free and 200 back. Maria Georgiou was 6th in 800 free, top 16 in 1500 free, and top 24 in 200 free and 400 free. Iliza Huang was top 16 in 100 fly, 200 fly, 200 IM, and 400 IM. Tirzah Tenney was 7th in 200 back, top 16 in 100 back, top 24 in 400 free, and top 32 in 50 free. Nathan Averill finished top 16 in 50 free, 200 free, and 200 IM, and top 24 in 100 free. Gary Diaz took top 16 in 50 fly, 100 fly, and 200 fly. Lillian Congdon was top 16 in 50 fly and 200 fly, top 24 in 100 fly, and top 32 in 100 free. Sarah Erkan was top 16 in 100 fly and 200 fly, and top 32 in 200 free. Leila DeBacker was top 16 in 200 back, top 24 in 50 back and 400 free, and top 32 in 100 back. Jackie McCarty was top 16 in 200 back, top 24 in 50 back and 100 breast, and top 32 in 100 back. Also making finals appearances by finishing in the top 24 at the meet were Meera Patel and Bram Schestopol.
Much of our team scoring came in relays, where RMSC swam particularly well. In fact, our Girls pulled off an amazing feat, as our A relay won all four Girls relays! Congratulations to the 200 free (Schur, Robey, Magro, Chen), 400 free (Robey, Magro, Schur, Tenney), 800 free (Cutter, Chen, Fecko, Magro), and 400 medley (Magro, Robey, Chen, Schur) for their 1st place finishes. Our depth was also great in the Girls 800 free relay, where we also finished 2nd (Tenney, Ivanovskaya, Floyd, Georgiou). The Boys’ relay swims also helped them to their high team finish, led by a 2nd in the 800 free (Biddle, Averill, Long, Salvado) and a 3rd in 400 free (Salvado, Averill, Biddle, Schestopol). Also contributing to top 16 scoring relays at the meet were: Capello, Diaz, Erkan, Liu, Patel, and Stelzer.
Congratulations to the 2026 Senior Zone Team, and we’ll enjoy the Championship plaques to commemorate the victory (pictured)!
