FIGHTING TIGER MEN’S SWIMMERS WIN COBLESKILL INVITATIONAL

The SUNY Cobleskill swimming & diving program made a powerful statement over the weekend at their own 2006 Fighting Tiger Invitational on Saturday. The Fighting Tiger men posted a team score of 248 points to better the field of seven teams while the Cobleskill women scored 74 points to finish fourth in the seven team field.

Senior Brian Fox, Ballston Lake, NY, Shenendehowa High School, led the way for the Fighting Tigers by scoring 41 individual points in the meet. Fox won the 100 Butterfly, 1:13.12, and recorded third place finishes in the 100 Breaststroke, 1:18.64, and the 200 Breaststroke, 2:55.44. The Shenendehowa High School alumnus also swam legs of the 400 Individual Medley Relay  which placed second, 4:34.85, and the 400 Freestyle Medley which also finished second, 4:13.17.

Cobleskill received strong showings from senior Kiel Wilcox, Cobleskill, NY, Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, who won the 100 Breaststroke, 1:13.50, and the 200 Breaststroke, 2:46.36, and freshman Mike Sidoti, Pine Island, NY, Warwick Valley High School, who won the 100 Backstroke, 1:18.26, while placing third in the 200 Individual Medley, 2:56.88, and seventh in the 100 Freestyle, 1:04.05. Senior Sam Deboer, West Winfield, NY, Mount Markham High School, scored a career best of 197.10 points to capture the diving and turned in a third place finish in the 50 Freestyle, 27.05 seconds, for the Fighting Tigers.

The Fighting Tigers got a much needed boost from their rookies as freshman D’arcy Shorthouse, Addison, NY, Addison High School, placed fourth in the 500 Freestyle, 6:31.36, and second in the 50 Freestyle, 24.56, and from freshman Willie Cool, Canajoharie, NY, Canajoharie High School, who placed fourth in the 50 Freestyle, 27.15 seconds, sixth in the 100 Freestyle, 1:02.89, and fifth in the 500 Freestyle, 6:35.36

The Cobleskill women were led by freshman Gabrielle Asay, Greenfield Center, NY, who tied for Swimmer-of-the-Meet honors by scoring 48 individual points by posting victories in the 50 Freestyle, 27.50 seconds, the 100 Freestyle, 59.49, and the 200 Freestyle, 2:12.59. Senior Kim Pace, Hopewell Junction, NY, Arlington High School, also had a stellar performance for the Fighting Tigers placing sixth in the 500 Freestyle, 8:28.89, and eighth in the 50 Freestyle, 36.40 seconds.

The team next travels to Buffalo, NY on Saturday January 21st for the 2006 Erie Community College Invitational hosted by Erie Community College beginning at 1:00 PM.