Pittsford's balance is difference

November 13, 2004 - Pittsford swimming coach Marty Keating's strategy is simple.

He emphasizes balance, not speed.

And Saturday, for the third consecutive year, that strategy paid off in the form of another Section V Class A girls championship.

"It started when these seniors were freshmen," Keating said. "We didn't work on speed to get the 

JAMIE GERMANO staff photographer
Webster Schroeder's Christine Rieth is thrilled with her winning time of 25.12 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle race at Saturday's Section V Class A swimming championships at the Webster Aquatic Center. Rieth beat Pittsford's Kelly Groves (25.30).

studs. Instead, we pushed the girls to make sure that all three or four of them in an event were close together."

That's exactly what happened at the Webster Aquatic Center, where the Panthers placed at least two swimmers in the top five in six of the nine individual races. That scoring helped Pittsford total 560 points (147 ahead of second-place Fairport).

"It's wonderful to have that balance," Keating said. "We scored in every event. I'm very, very pleased."

So is his team, which completely believes in his approach.

"We push for excellence," said senior Stephanie House, who won the 100-yard freestyle (54.26 seconds). "The weakest person on the team is as weak as the team. We want the weakest person to be the best."

House joined junior Hailey Weniger, who won the 500 freestyle (5:03.65), sophomore Jenny Lewis, who won the 100 backstroke (1:01.01), and sophomore Jessie Ward, who won the 100 breaststroke (1:08.94), as Pittsford's four individual champions.

Lewis and Ward also swam with Courtney Brayman and Kelly Groves on Pittsford's winning 200 medley relay team (1:53.32) in the meet's first event.

After that hot start, the Panthers slowed down a bit. Pittsford didn't claim another championship until House's victory in the 100 freestyle — the meet's seventh event. The Panthers also claimed second and fourth place in that event, before going on to win each of the last two individual races.

Pittsford senior Libby Brush felt a sense of relief after the Panthers defended their title.

"Staying on top is the hardest thing to do because everyone is gunning for you," Brush said.

That includes rival Fairport, which was led by sophomore Erin McGraw.

McGraw won the 200 freestyle (1:52.32) and the 100 butterfly (57.71) and joined Lauren DuFault, Devina Tyagi and Marlys Fuqua on the Red Raiders' winning 200 freestyle relay (1:38.86) and 400 freestyle relay (3:35.77).

"I wasn't expecting to win in any of the events," said McGraw, who was named swimmer of the meet. "It's amazing. There is no feeling like it."

But even McGraw's dominance and a strong Fairport performance wasn't enough to catch the Panthers.

"It's just amazing how much good competition there is in Section V," McGraw said. "I feel like we're a strong team, but (Pittsford) just keeps raising the bar.

"It's their depth, and they've been working at it for a lot of years."

 

Originally published in the Democrat and Chronicle

Pertinent Links
2004 Team
2004 Sectionals

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