NA Swimmers Remain Undefeated, Sweep Bethel Park
Senior Casey Melzer and freshman Mason Gonzalez had perfect nights, each taking first place in two individual events while also teaming together on the victorious 200-yard medley and 400-yard freestyle relay teams, as the North Allegheny boys defeated Bethel Park 148-35 on December 22. Senior Jacquelyn Du nearly matched their feat, finishing first in the 200-yard freestyle and 100-yard butterfly, and swimming the first leg of the victorious 400-yard freestyle relay as the NA girls prevailed 130-55 despite having several swimmers out due to the flu.
Melzer’s first-place finishes in individual events came in the 50-yard freestyle (22.53) and 500-yard freestyle (4:45.92, pool record), while Gonzalez finished first in the 200-yard individual medley (2:03.69) and 100-yard butterfly (54.43). Senior Greg Arnold also had two first-place finishes, winning the 200-yard freestyle in 1:45.98 and the 100-yard freestyle in 47.70. Other first-place finishers were sophomores Eben Krigger in the 100-yard backstroke (56:54) and Brett Edwards in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:05.83). Krigger also swam with Melzer and Gonzalez on the winning 400-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay teams. The time of 3:13.38 posted by Melzer, Krigger, Gonzalez and sophomore Max Gonzalez in 400-yard freestyle relay was a pool record.
First-place finishers for the girls, in addition to Du, were senior Charlie Brickner in the 200-yard individual medley (2:14.95) and 500-yard freestyle (5:28.58); sophomore Eliza Ross in the 50-yard freestyle (26.36); senior Kayla Churman in the 100-yard freestyle (54.86); junior Gianna Caputo in the 100-yard backstroke (1:01.16); and senior Morgan Soulia in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.61). The time of 3:36.58 posted by Du, Soulia, Anna Verardi and Katie Wright in 400-yard freestyle relay set a pool record. In 1-meter diving, Julia Vespoli finished first for the girls with a score of 254.65. Andrew Doerfler finished first for the boys with a score of 240.0.