2017 SECTIONALS – BUFFALO
- March 30th-April 2nd, 2017
- Burt Flickinger Athletic Center, Buffalo, New York (Star Swimming hosted)
- Long course – 50m
- Results on Meet Mobile – search “Buffalo”
Cougar Aquatic Team’s Joseph Scerbo pulled off a tough 100 breast/400 IM double Friday night, winning both events to highlight the Buffalo Sectional.
Scerbo started his night with a lifetime-best 1:06.64 in the 100 breast, winning by just two tenths of a second over fellow 17-year-old and teammate Zachary Valenzuela. Later on, Scerbo would go 4:38.99 to close the session with gold in the 400 IM. This one wasn’t nearly as close, with Scerbo winning by almost four seconds. He was still about three off his lifetime-best in the event.
Scerbo is a high school senior who will swim at Columbia next year. He also won a third event on the day, helping Cougar win the 800 free relay with a 1:59.54 split.
15-year-old Madelyn Donohoe of The Fish nearly pulled off a similar double. She took the 200 free to start the session, going 2:04.64. But at the end of the night, she fell just short in the 400 IM. That event instead went to Palma Foschi Walko of Cape Cod Swim Club in 5:02.30. Donohoe was 5:04.62 for second as the top two blew out the field.
Donohoe also split 2:04.41 on The Fish’s winning 800 free relay.
Teammates from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez combined to sweep the other two men’s events. Andres Solivan Rivera went 1:56.91 to win the 200 free and Alex Hernandez Medina topped the 100 fly in 55.21.
The most thrilling event of the night was the women’s 100 breast, where Alexandra McDaid of the Peddie Aquatic Association touched out Clifton Park-Halfmoon’s Olivia Jack 1:13.38 to 1:13.39. Town Wreckers Swim Team’s Olivia Sapio won the girls 100 fly in 1:02.68.