Harnish, Konopka, Small break more national records as Middle Tyger & Sarasota win YNats team titles

The individual stars of the meet all week, Courtney Harnish, Katrina Konopka and Meghan Small closed out Short Course YMCA Nationals with an individual national record apiece.

Harnish struck first, opening Friday night’s finals with a national record win in the 200 fly.

The 15-year-old York YMCA sensation was 1:54.37 to crush the old record, set by Flint Michigan grad and current Georgia Bulldog Courtney Weaver last year. Harnish won the race by 1.6 seconds over runner-up Remedy Rule, and rule also got under the old record in the swim. Rule was 1:55.92, the old record 1:56.51.

Konopka led the Middle Tyger girls to a team national title, winning the 100 free in a quick 48.50. That took three tenths off the national record set by future NCAA champ Margo Geer.

Finally, Small took home the 200 IM for York, breaking yet another national record. Her 1:54.25 chopped almost two full seconds off her own record set last season. It also topped the field by over 5 seconds.

The girls 1650 free went to 17-year-old Casey Jernberg out of Schroeder YMCA in Wisconsin. Jernberg was 16:12.89, beating York’s newest breakout young swimmer Leah Braswell. Braswell, just 14 years old, went 16:23.56 for second.

The York girls capped off the meet with a national title in the 400 free relay. Harnish led off in 50.25, and Small anchored in a blazing 48.11 as the York relay went 3:20.40. Also on the winning relay: Cami Cook (50.81) and Emily Ilgenfritz (51.23).

On the boys side, Sarasota iced its national team title by winning the 1650 free. That win came courtesy of Drew Clark, who was 15:07.83, taking just over two seconds off the national record. The previous owner was Nicholas Caldwell, another former Sarasota standout who is now starring in the NCAA with the Wisconsin Badgers.

Kishwaukee’s Daniel Hein picked up another win, taking the 200 fly in 1:46.33. Hein won the 100 back a few days ago, and topped this race by a full second over Cheshire’s David May (1:47.42).

Friday night saw another great sprint battle between New Jersey rivals Sebastian Lutz and Brad Zdroik. After the two tangled in the 50 free last night, they clashed again in the 100 free on the meet’s closing night, and for the second-straight day, Somerset Hills’ Lutz topped Somerset Valley’s Zdroik. Lutz was 43.65, just three tenths off a national record, and Zdroik was 44.52 for second.

Westport/Weston’s Bryce Keblish was the other individual winner of the night, going 1:47.33 to take the 200 IM in a touchout of Eau Claire’s Paul DeLakis (1:47.55).

Countryside Y of Ohio won the boys 400 free relay to end the night. Grant House dropped a huge 43.82 on the anchor leg to run down the leades and vault his team to the win in 3:00.96.

Other Countryside relay winners were Matt Slabe (46.19 leadoff), Kevin George (46.01) and Jack German (44.94).

Full results

Team Scores

Girls

1. Middle Tyger – 470
2. York – 425.5
3. Sarasota – 383
4. YMCA of the Triangle – 232.5
5. Northwest North Carolina – 201

Boys

1. Sarasota – 501
2. Westport/Weston – 239
3. Somerset Valley – 237.5
4. Countryside – 235
5. YMCA of the Triangle – 223