For the second year in a row, the Jamesville-DeWitt/CBA boys swim team proved to be deeper, tougher and more talented than anyone else in the Section III Class A field — and this time around, it didn’t stop there.
Not only did the Red Rams beat the Class A crowd at Nottingham High School, it went on to claim the overall sectional championship on Saturday, holding off West Genesee and Auburn for the top spot.
The annual sectional meet at Nottingham consists of two parts. First, team and individual titles in Class A and B are determined. Then the two sides join together to determine overall titles and to see who advances to the state meet.
Mastering the first part last Thursday night, J-D/CBA (owners of a 41-meet win streak) repeated as Class A champions, earning 345 points to prevail in a tough three-way battle. West Genesee was second, with 320 points, while Auburn earned third place with 299 points.
In every event, the Red Rams earned multiple points for high finishes. Eric Jorgenson tore through the 200-yard freestyle in a time of 1:49.30 to beat Baldwinsville’s Elijah Langlois (1:50.26) by nearly a full second. Scott Thieke was fifth, in 1:51.48.
And in the diving competition, James Luttinger took over, earning 389.70 points to edge out Fayetteville-Manlius’ Jonnie Beach (382.85 points) for the title. Tim Beach (338.30 points) was second for the Hornets.
J-D/CBA also piled up points in relays, finishing third in the 200 medley (1:42.15), 200 freestyle (1:34.46) and 400 freestyle (3:22.78) events in a terrific show of consistency.
Tyghe Speidel gave J-D/CBA points when he finished second in the 100 breaststroke in 1:02.37, an event where Russ Farchione (1:06.75) took seventh place. Speidel was also fifth (2:04.34) in the 200 individual medley.
Jack Fletcher earned third place in the 100 backstroke in 57.58 seconds as Dan Farchione (1:00.23) and Garrett Farchione (1:00.59) were seventh and eighth, respectively.
As Jorgenson finished sixth in the 500 freestyle (5:02.71), Thieke swam his way to fourth place in the 100 freestyle, in 50.12 seconds.
Now J-D/CBA turned its attention to grabbing the overall sectional title on Saturday. And though the issue was in doubt right to the end, the Red Rams would prevail.
After another third in the 200 medley relay (1:41.50) behind Auburn and WG, Jorgensen took his turn in the 200 freestyle and nearly matched his Thursday time with 1:49.31, finishing second behind Mexico’s Shawn Parkhurst (1:45.71). Speidel had a fifth in the 200 individual medley in 2:02.96.
When the divers had their turn, Luttinger again proved to be more talented and graceful than the rest, accumulating 415.20 points to beat Mexico’s Josh Lucas (405.85 points) for the top spot. Shawn Thieke finished ninth, with 356.40 points.
Dan Farchione went to 10th in the 100 butterfly (58.27 seconds) and Daley gained crucial points by winning the consolation 100 freestyle in 51.26 seconds as Scott Thieke (49.85 seconds) finished sixth. Garrett Farchione also claimed his consolation race in the 100 backstroke in 1:00.05, helping Fletcher as he swam to third place in 57.27 seconds.
Speidel returned to shine in the 100 breaststroke. This time, he won, nipping Fulton’s Anthony Walrath at the wire with a time of 1:01.39 to Walrath’s 1:01.42. Russ Farchione gave J-D/CBA yet another consolation victory in 1:06 flat.
With one race left, the 400 freestyle relay, J-D/CBA led West Genesee by just four points. Knowing it had to close strong, Speidel, Daley, Jorgensen and Scott Thieke posted a third-place time of 3:19.80 as the Wildcats finished eighth, giving the Red Rams the sectional title.
