COBLESKILL SWIMMING & DIVING EXCELS AT 2006 ERIE INVITATIONAL

With the Mountain Valley Conference Championships fast approaching the SUNY Cobleskill Swimming & Diving program served notice at the 2006 Erie Community College Invitational in Buffalo, NY on Saturday that they will be a factor. The Fighting Tiger men, who are the three-time reigning MVC champions, posted a team score of 88 points to place fourth in a field of eight teams at the event while the Fighting Tiger women finished sixth in the eight team field with a total of 41 points.

The Cobleskill men were led by senior diver Sam Deboer, West Winfield, NY, Mount Markham High School, who captured the championship on the One Meter Board with a total of 162.70 points. Deboer also placed twelfth in the 50 Freestyle with a time of 27.05 seconds in the meet.

Senior Danny Porras, Great Neck, NY, Great Neck North High School, returned to the line-up after a bout with the flu to place seventh in the 200 Freestyle, 2:10.29, and eighth in the 100 Freestyle, 57.74 seconds, while senior Kiel Wilcox, Cobleskill, NY, Cobleskill-Richmondville High School, finished seventh in the 200 Breaststroke, 2:47.54, and tenth in the 200 Freestyle, 2:27.35, for the Fighting Tigers. Freshman Mike Sidoti, Pine Island, NY, Warwick Valley High School, also turned in a solid effort with a ninth place finish in the 200 Backstroke, 2:43.85, and a thirteenth place finish in the 100 Backstroke, 1:14.00.

In the relays the Fighting Tiger 400 Medley of freshman Willie Cool, Canajoharie, NY, Canajoharie High School, Mike Sidoti, Kiel Wilcox and Danny Porras placed fourth with a time of 4:39.91 and the 400 Freestyle Medley of Willie Cool, Sam Deboer, Mike Sidoti and Kiel Wilcox also placed fourth in a time of 4:13.43.

The Fighting Tiger women were paced by freshman Gabrielle Asay, Greenfield Center, NY, who won the 200 Individual Medley, 2:28.37, and placed third in both the 200 Backstroke, 2:32.79, and the 200 Breaststroke, 2:57.88. Senior Kim Pace, Hopewell Junction, NY, Arlington High School, also competed for Cobleskill placing twelfth in the 200 Freestyle, 8:11.33, and thirteenth in the 500 Freestyle, 2:59.35.

Cobleskill will travel to Delhi, NY for a meet on Wednesday January 25 hosted by Delhi Tech beginning at 6:00 PM before returning to Delhi Tech on Saturday January 28th for the 2006 Bronco Invitational beginning at 1:00 PM.