Ethan Harrington Jumps To 12th Among 15-16 Boys With 19.73 50 Free CIF-CCS

2022 CIF CCS Swimming & Diving Championships

• May 6-7, 2022
• Santa Clara International Swim Centre, Santa Clara, CA
• SCY (25 yards)
• Meet Central
• Meet Results
• CIF State Championship Psych Sheets

Palo Alto High School junior Ethan Harrington highlighted the action at the 2022 CIF Central Coast Section Championships over the weekend, breaking a pair of 13-year-old records while becoming one of the fastest swimmers of all-time in the boys’ 15-16 age group.

Harrington, 16, won the boys’ 50 freestyle in a time of 19.73, launching him up into 12th in the historical rankings among 15-16 boys while also breaking the CCS Record of 19.89 set by Shayne Fleming back in 2009.

Harrington’s previous best time stood at 20.21, set in March.

Harrington followed up with a victory in the 100 free, clocking 43.84 to near his lifetime best of 43.76, which currently ranks him tied for 25th in 15-16 history. He also came within three-tenths of the CCS Record, a 43.52 from Max Saunders in 2019.

After leading off Palo Alto to victory in the 200 free relay with a 20.37 leg, Harrington then led off the 400 free relay in 44.47 as they finished in a time of 3:00.25 to break another longstanding Central Coast Record. The previous mark of 3:00.68 was set by Saratoga High School in 2009.

Moving into this week’s state championships, Harrington holds the top seed in both the boys’ 50 and 100 free events.

OTHER BOYS HIGHLIGHTS

The Palo Alto boys went on to win the title by 122.5 points, with senior Eric Gabbassof and junior Arthur Balva also earning a pair of individual victories.

Gabbassof topped the 200 free field in 1:37.72, ranking him fourth for the state championships, and he also paced the 500 free in 4:28.98, seeding him seventh.

Balva picks up the ninth seed for the state meet with his time of 1:49.90 in the 200 IM, while also claiming the 10th spot in the 100 fly after winning that race here in 48.72.

GIRLS HIGHLIGHTS

Gilroy junior Zoey Zeller stole the show on the girls’ side of the pool, topping the 200 IM (1:59.48) and 100 breaststroke (1:01.74) for a pair of personal best times.

The 17-year-old is seeded second in both races for the state championships.

Sacred Heart junior Audrey J-Cheng was actually the fastest swimmer overall in the 100 breast, touching in 1:01.36 in the prelims before taking second to Zeller with a finals time of 1:01.85. With only the times from finals showing up on the state psych sheets, J-Cheng ranks third, though her prelim swim would slot her second behind Eastlake’s Emily Lundgren (1:01.16), who competed at the D1 San Diego Section meet.

Another double-winner was St. Francis senior Abby Wickersham, who swept the girls’ 50 free (23.31) and 100 free (50.10), with the 100 time ranking her third overall heading into the state championships. Both swims were just off her personal best times (23.22, 49.97).

The lone CCS Record to fall on the girls’ side came in the 200 medley relay, where St. Ignatius clocked 1:43.01 to down Sacred Heart Preps’ 2014 mark of 1:43.25.

Sophomore Jordan Ash split 24.43 swimming fly on that relay and also won the 100 fly individually (54.59) as St. Ignatius (230) edged out St. Francis (214) for the overall victory.