WEBSTER, NY — The Alfred University men's swimming & diving team concluded the four-day stretch at the Empire 8 Championship Meet with a third place finish.
"The last day of championships is always bittersweet, especially when you're doing so well. I'm excited and happy for our seniors who got to experience this team and season, it was such a great group" Head Coach Brian Striker '00 said. "Everyone had a solid meet. I'm not sure I could have asked much more from them."
The Saxons had seven finishers on the podium in A-Final races. Three alone came in the 200-yard backstroke. Those three were William LaMastus (Maumee, OH/Anthony Wayne), Paul Tuttle (Irondequoit, NY/Irondequoit), and Diego Monroy (Mexico City, Mexico/Colegio Simon Bolivar). They finished second, third, and seventh with respective times of 1:55.03, 1:57.35, and 2:06.11.
There were another three in the 200-breast A-Final with Carlos Gonzalez (Baja California, Mexico/Unifront), Emiliano Terrazas (La Paz, Bolivia/Saint Andrew's), and Wade LaMastus (Maumee, OH/Anthony Wayne). They were respectively second, fifth, and seventh with times of 2:04.42, 2:08.15, and 2:10.88.
The final A-Finalist team came in the 400-free relay with the previously-mentioned Will LaMastus, Tuttle, and Gonzalez. Along with Emmanuel Drappatz (Pittsburgh, PA/Fox Chapel Area), they finished third with a 3:12.29.
Plus, there were two notable B-Finalists in the 200-breast. Jordan Annlee (Henrietta, NY/Rush-Henrietta), who split time in both the pool and diving well, finished second with a 2:19.25. Keagen Winkky (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) was right behind him in third, clocking in at 2:20.15.
In the end, it was a successful season which left Head Coach Striker very pleased as one of the best in the Empire 8. They'll aim even higher with the returning members in the fall.
— Swords Forward Saxons —
