ATHENS POSTS CONVINCING WINS OVER TOWANDA ON SENIOR NIGHT

By: Tim Birney | AthensWildcats.com | February 10, 2022

 
ATHENS POSTS CONVINCING WINS OVER TOWANDA ON SENIOR NIGHT
 

ATHENS — The Athens boys and girls rolled to big wins over Towanda on Senior Night here Thursday in NTL swimming & diving action.

Senior Reuven Gifeisman won four events to lead the Athens boys to a 115-41 wi over the Black Knights, while senior Brooke Kopatz was a triple-winner to help the Lady Wildcats to a 115-35 win.

BOYS
Athens 115, Towanda 41

Like Gifeisman, junior Chris DeForest won four events, while junior Ethan Denlinger and freshman Ethan Hicks was a triple-winner as the Wildcats close the season with a 6-1 record.

"I am really impressed with all our first-year swimmers and how all our kids have shown improvement this season,” said Athens coach Mark Keister.

Gifeisman led a sweep in the 100-yard freestyle, clocking in at 1:02.65, while junior Joe Blood was second in 1:08.52, and freshman Aiden Oldroyd was third in 1:14.86.

DeForest won the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:56.1, and Blood was third in 2:29.51.

DeForest also won the 50-yard freestyle in a time of 23.61, and freshman Ronel Ankam was second in 25.86 seconds.

Gifeisman and DeForest teamed with Hicks and Blood to win the 400-yard freestyle relay in a time of 4:07.84.

Gifeisman, DeForest and Denlinger teamed with Ankam to win the 200-yard free relay in a time of 1:44.54

Gifeisman and Hicks teamed with freshmen Ryan Gorman, and Josh Leonard to win the 200-yard medley relay in a time of 2:04.38

Denlinger won the 200-yard IM in a time of 2:24.23, and Hicks won the 500-yard freestyle in a time of 5:40.32.

Ankam won the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 1:16.29, and Leonard won the 100-yard butterfly in a time of 1:10.96.

Freshman Treyvon Simpson won the 1-meter diving competition with 143.25 points, and freshman Carter Lewis was second with 120 points.

Denlinger was second in the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 1:19.56, and Gorman was third in 1:28.28.

GIRLS
Athens 115, Towanda 35

Juniors Taegan Williams and Taylar Fisher won four events, while sophomore Emily Marshall joined Kopatz as a triple-winner in Athens’ 115-35 win over Towanda.

“The kids are really hitting their times at the right time of the season to qualify for the post-season,” said Athens coach Shauntel Place. “I am so happy with all our swimmers today."

Williams won the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 2:08.8, and sophomore Grace Cobb was second in 2:23.42. Williams also won the 500-yard freestyle in a time of 5:55.95, and Cobb was second in 6:32.85.

Fisher won the 200-yard IM in 2:32.47, edging Kopatz (2:32.9) by less than a half-second. Fisher also won the 100-yard backstroke in a time of 1:11.73, and Marshall was second in 1:18.15.

Williams and Fisher teamed with Marshall and Kopatz to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in a time of 1:53.35.

Williams and Fisher teamed with Kopatz and Cobb to win the 400-yard free relay in a time of 4:28.51.

Kopatz led a sweep in the 100-yard breaststroke in a time of 1:13.42, while junior Alli Thoman was second in 1:24.19, and sophomore Emily Henderson was third in 1:42.62.

Marshall won the 100-yard butterfly with a time of 1:19.5, edging out Macaria Benjamin, who was second in 1:19.93.

Marshall, Thoman, Benjamin, and freshman Elizabeth Talada teamed to win the 200-yard medley relay in a time of 2:20.13.

Senior Hannah Walker was second in the 100-yard freestyle in a personal-best time of 1:11.71

Thoman finished third in the 50-yard freestyle in 31.37 seconds

“We are looking to have an all-NTL last chance meet next week to give swimmers and divers one more time to improve their swims and possibly qualify for post-season competition,” said Keister.

 

About the Author

Tim Birney Author Bio
Tim Birney

Tim Birney is the founder / owner of River Road Media Group. He was born and raised in the Valley, graduating from Waverly High School in 1984.

Birney earned an Associate's Degree in Journalism from SUNY Morrisville in 1986 and a Bachelor's Degree in Journalism / Public Relations from Utica College of Syracuse University in 1988. He began his newspaper career at The Daily Review in Towanda in 1989, before moving on to The Evening Times in 1995. He spent more than 10 years at the Times, the last four as Managing Editor.

River Road Media Group includes five sites in "The Sports Reports" family that cover 24 school districts in five counties: Valley Sports Report (launched Aug. 10, 2009), Tioga County (NY) Sports Report (Aug. 13, 2018), and Northern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 31, 2020); Northern Tier West Sports Report (March 15, 2021) Southern Tier Sports Report (Aug. 16, 2021).