2020 Easterns Day 2: Curtiss Breaks Borges’ Meet Record with 43.7 100 Free

2020 EASTERNS INTERSCHOLASTIC SWIMMING AND DIVING

• Friday, February 14 – Saturday, February 15
• Kunkel Aquatic Center – Lacaster, PA
• Defending Champions: Andover boys, Penn Charter girls
• Championship Central
• Meet Info
• Day 1 Recap
• Live Results

FINAL TOP 5 TEAMS – BOYS

1. Andover 641
2. Mercersburg Academy 485.5
3. Haverford School 448
4. Episcopal 433
5. Brunswick 427

FINAL TOP 5 TEAMS – GIRLS

1. Episcopal 619
2. Penn Charter 557
3. Notre Dame 457
4. Andover 418
5. Mercersburg Academy 396.5

The 2020 Eastern Interscholastic Swimming and Diving Championships concluded on Saturday. The Andover boys repeated as champions, extending their lead on day 2. On the girls’ side, the race was extremely close after day 1, but the Episcopal girls came through to defeat 2019 champion Penn Charter.

After breaking the National Independent High School Record in the 50 free on day 1, Pennington junior David Curtiss completed the sprint sweep with another record. This time, Curtiss took down Gustavo Borges’ Meet Record in the 100 free, breaking 44 for the first time in 43.77. Curtiss, an NC State commit, still has another year to go after the National Independent High School Record in the 100 free, which Ryan Murphy set at a 42.95 back in 2012. His time is fast enough to have scored in the C final of last season’s ACC meet.

Exeter’s Andrew Benson, who set a Meet Record in the 100 fly on Friday, picked up another win in the 100 breast. He hit the wall in 55.17, coming from behind to out-touch Haverford’s Antonio Octaviano (55.28). Both have been faster before, with bests standing at 53.61 and 54.58 respectively. They’ll likely battle in the future in the Big Ten, as Octaviano has committed to join Minesota and Benson will join Wisconsin.

The Andover boys set a new Pool Record and Meet Record, breaking 3:00 in the 400 free relay to win it in 2:59.81. Marcus Lee had just swum a lifetime best 45.39 in the 100 free, but he lowered it further on the leadoff leg with a 45.21. Arnold Su (45.02) and Sam Donchi (45.60) took on the middle legs. Princeton commit Max Hunger anchored in 43.98.

On the girls’ side, Notre Dame junior Mia Abruzzo made a huge drop in the 500 free, breaking 4:50 for the first time to win it in 4:46.89. That was a best by 5 seconds. Abruzzo has committed to join her brother at the University of Georgia. She’s already fast enough to have scored in the 2019 SEC B final, but has another year to chase the Meet Record set by Rachel Zilinskas in 2012. Zilinskas went on to become an All-American at UGA.

Penn Charter’s Sally Foley, a Duke commit, took down the Meet Record in the 100 breast. Her 1:00.89 marked her first swim under 1:01 and is fast enough to have scored in the 2019 ACC B final. Foley also anchored Penn Charter’s winning 400 free relay in 49.57.

Narrowly missing her own Meet Record, Germantown’s Emma Atkinson nabbed her 2nd win of the weekend with a 53.05 in the 100 back. Atkinson is committed to join Virginia Tech next season. Her time tonight would have scored in the 2019 ACC B final, but her lifetime best 52.80 from last year’s Easterns is fast enough to have qualified for the championship final there. Atkinson clipped her best in the 400 free relay, where she led off with a 49.71.

Episcopal sophomore Kelly Feuzeu Mekoue completed the sprint sweep, winning the 100 free in 51.59. That was her first time breaking 52 seconds. Her 23.71 in the 50 free on Friday was also a lifetime best.

ADDITIONAL EVENT WINNERS – DAY 2

• Boys 100 Back: Ben Eckerson, Pennington, 48.87
• Boys 500 Free: Henry Morrissey, Germantown, 4:24.12
• Girls 400 Free Relay: Penn Charter, 3:25.40