There’s no secret sauce, no Knute Rockne speeches that explain Pittsford’s unmatched success in boys swimming.
Instead, an explanation much simpler: A group of swimmers, year-round or not, dedicated to extending an unprecedented streak.
And the beat goes on. The Panthers nabbed their 24th consecutive section championship on Thursday, claiming the Class A title with almost double the second-place team (511.5) t.
The streak in its entirety significantly predates the birth of all the Panthers swimmers. Coach Rick Schmitt has led the program for half of them.
“Right now we have a great program that has young guys and depth and strong talent. I think that’s my job every year, to set the tone and hit the reboot button,” Schmitt said. “We have to prove it again and prove it to ourselves that we can go faster. The kids believe in what I do and I believe they can perform, and we go from there.”
Pittsford’s best performed as such. Senior Billy Sanderson (200 free, 500 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay) and freshman Kosta Oluic (200 IM, 100 breaststroke, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay) both reached the top of the podium four times. Another senior, Michael Kusch, did so three times (100 free and two relays).
There were the usual suspects, and then the unsung heroes. Schmitt pointed to contributors like Indi Wilton and Kieran Savage, who aren’t in the pool 365 days a year but show up big time in the winter, as examples of why the program is such a standout.
Of the 19 swimmers the Panthers had at sectionals, 16 return next season. Pittsford likes its odds of completing a quarter century streak. For now, though, the Panthers will take solace in No. 24.
“It’s like hot potato, nobody wants to lose and get stuck with it,” Schmitt said. “If we get beat someday and it’s by a better team, then it’s kudos to them. But when you’ve got something good in life, you don’t want to let it go. And we’re giving everything we can as coaches and parents and athletes to keep it going.”
Webster’s Frenzel named top individual swimmer
The biggest challenge for Webster senior Jack Frenzel: Duplicating a record-setting performance.
The Lakers’ sprinter set a section championship meet record during Tuesday’s preliminary races, completing the 50 freestyle in 20.79 seconds. One great swim, however, didn’t guarantee anything for Friday’s final.
“Every race is a new opportunity,” Frenzel said. “You can’t take anything for granted. You’ve gotta come back and give it your all.”
While Frenzel didn’t match his preliminary time, he came close. He finished in 20.80 — a fraction of a second behind his previous pace — to claim the race’s section title.
His day wasn’t done. A few events later, Frenzel claimed the 100 butterfly at 51.02 seconds, nearly two full seconds better than the runner-up. He also helped Webster place second in the 400 freestyle relay, with the best individual split (47.11 seconds) of all swimmers.
Afterward, Frenzel was named “Swimmer of the Meet.” Of the honor, he said his supporting cast was front of mind.
“I was surrounded by my team, my coaches, everybody that got me to where I am,” Frenzel said. “I was so thankful. We have the benefit of being at our home pool here (at the Webster Aquatic Center), so being at a place that I know and feel like home with all the people I love and care about.”
Looking ahead to states
This year’s state championship meet is set for Friday, March 6 and Saturday, March 7 at Ithaca College, about three weeks after the completion of sectionals.
That should allow plenty of time for recovery and regrouping.
New York state has toyed with the schedule several times over the years. In some instances, Section V’s best would compete in state qualifiers and then head immediately to states. Other times, swimmers were offered a two-week break.
The latter, according to those in the know, was awkward for preparation purposes. The three-week period is preferred.
Since the first boys swim state meet in 2000, Section V has won 61 titles. A near-third of them belong to Pittsford. The Panthers have claimed five events at states in the last 10 years, four of which were in relays.
“States is a bonus. We just go there to have fun and let it rip,” Schmitt said. “New York state is super fast downstate. We just go there to compete, do our thing and sometimes good things happen.”
Here are results from the Section V boys swimming and diving championships:
Section V Class A championships
First-place finishers
200 medley relay: Pittsford (Kieran Savage, Kosta Oluic, Rigo Cunningham, Elliott Cunniffe) — 1:37.56
200 freestyle: Billy Sanderson, Pittsford — 1:43.73
200 individual medley: Kosta Oluic, Pittsford — 1:55.86
50 freestyle: Jack Frenzel, Webster — 20.80
Diving: Rishaan Shah, Penfield — 488.15
100 butterfly: Jack Frenzel, Webster (51.02)
100 freestyle: Michael Kusch, Pittsford — 46.37
500 freestyle: Billy Sanderson, Pittsford — 4:51.82
200 freestyle relay: Pittsford (Billy Sanderson, Elliott Cunniffe, Peiheng Liu, Michael Kusch) — 1:26.64
100 backstroke: Carlton Cabral, Brighton — 52.60
100 breaststroke: Kosta Oluic, Pittsford — 57.81
400 freestyle relay: Pittsford (Michael Kusch, Billy Sanderson, Kieran Savage, Kosta Oluic) — 3:12.38
Team scoring
1st: Pittsford (511.5)
2nd: Penfield (268.5)
3rd: Webster (248)
4th: Fairport (244.5)
5th: Hilton (223)
Swimmer of the meet: Jack Frenzel, Webster
Coach of the year: Rick Schmitt, Pittsford
Section V Class B championships
First-place finishers
200 medley relay: McQuaid (Ian Miller, Thomas Steele, Ben Hinds, Nate Stubbe) — 1:40.12
200 freestyle: Luke McCormack, McQuaid — 1:44.72
200 individual medley: Ben Hinds, McQuaid — 1:55.81
50 freestyle: Xavier Joseph, McQuaid — 21.53
Diving: Kyler Thomas, Churchville-Chili — 575.40
100 butterfly: Ian Miller, McQuaid — 50.82
100 freestyle: Luke McCormack, McQuaid — 47.40
500 freestyle: George Newsome, Palmyra-Macedon — 4:43.70
200 freestyle relay: McQuaid (Xavier Joseph, Luke McCormack, Nate Stubbe, Ben Hinds) — 1:29.33
100 backstroke: Ian Miller, McQuaid — 50.49
100 breaststroke: Ben Hinds, McQuaid — 58.13
400 freestyle relay: McQuaid (Xavier Joseph, Luke McCormack, Thomas Steele, Ian Miller) — 3:17.04
Team scoring
1st: McQuaid (381)
2nd: Canandaigua (363)
3rd: Honeoye Falls-Lima (337)
4th: Palmyra-Macedon (250)
5th: Churchville-Chili (231)
Swimmer of the meet: George Newsome, Palmyra-Macedon; Luke McCormack, McQuaid; Ian Miller, McQuaid
Coach of the Year: Ari Freedman-Weiss, Honeoye Falls-Lima
Section V Class C championships
First-place finishers
200 medley relay: Marcus Whitman (Zach Lincoln, Daniel Smith, Canon Laity, Trenton Ryan) — 1:45.87
200 freestyle: Carter Fix, Byron-Bergen/LeRoy — 1:46.90
200 individual medley: Ryan Frazier, Dansville — 2:09.38
50 freestyle: Jax Rene, Avon — 22.98
Diving: Isabella Curtis, Avon — 389.60
100 butterfly: Daniel Smith, Marcus Whitman — 55.58
100 freestyle: Brandon Hunt, Avon — 50.24
500 freestyle: Carter Fix, Byron-Bergen/LeRoy — 5:06.47
200 freestyle relay: Byron-Bergen/LeRoy (Liam Grayson, Zachary Gray, Malacai McGrath, Carter Fix) — 1:33.72
100 backstroke: Noah Rode, Livonia — 55.89
100 breaststroke: Daniel Smith, Marcus Whitman — 1:05.53
400 freestyle relay: Byron-Bergen/LeRoy (Liam Grayson, Malacai McGrath, Jack Walker, Carter Fix) — 3:27.23
Team scoring
1st: Byron-Bergen/LeRoy (352)
2nd: Avon (328)
3rd: Livonia (316)
4th: Marcus Whitman (185)
5th: Pembroke-Alexander (179)
Swimmer of the meet: Carter Fix, Byron-Bergen/LeRoy
Coach of the year: Sara Stockwell, Byron-Bergen/LeRoy
Section V Class D championships
First-place finishers
200 medley relay: Harley Allendale Columbia (Andrew Fouraker, Adelai Herberger, Landon Krul, Jake Wallace) — 1:43.98
200 freestyle: Owen Rademacker, Naples — 1:44.99
200 individual medley: Simon Aguilar, Geneseo — 2:09.74
50 freestyle: Peyton Conner, Gananda — 21.55
Diving: Sadie Gursslin, Naples — 382.35
100 butterfly: Peyton Conner, Gananda — 53.24
100 freestyle: Liam Ivers, Geneseo — 49.57
500 freestyle: Owen Rademacker, Naples (4:43.39)
200 freestyle relay: Geneseo (Liam Ivers, Oliver Ivers, Eleanor Bailey, Simon Aguilar) — 1:35.99
100 backstroke: Oliver Ivers, Geneseo — 57.83
100 breaststroke: Adelai Herberger, Harley Allendale Columbia — 1:07.03
400 freestyle relay: Geneseo (Liam Ivers, Oliver Ivers, Eleanor Bailey, Simon Aguilar) — 3:27.38
Team scoring
1st: Harley Allendale Columbia (382)
2nd: Geneseo (307)
3rd: Naples (244)
4th: Gananda (242)
5th: Alfred-Almond (239)
Swimmer of the meet: Owen Rademacker, Naples
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: Pittsford keeps swimming dynasty alive: Results from Section V swim meets
Reporting by Justin Ritzel, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
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