Fallsnewspress.com - Tigersharks three-peat as NEO swim league champs

The Cuyahoga Falls Riverfront YMCA Tigersharks won their third consecutive YMCA Northeast Ohio League Championship on March 6, beating 23 area YMCA swim teams.

Tigersharks swimmers broke six meet records on their way to winning the League Championship. Giovanna Cappabianca, 8, of Stow, beat the championship meet record for the 25 breaststroke (19.34).

Lauren Heller, 12, of Stow, now holds records in the 100 free (55.00) and the 200 free (1:57.87).

Ross Palazzo, 13, of Hudson, swam a record breaking time in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.28).

Heller, Macy Trattner, Marcella Spann, and Kelsey Wenk broke the league record for the 11 and 12-year-old girls' 200 free relay (1:46.90), and Heller, Trattner, Wenk and Allison Hoffman set the new record for the 11 and 12-year-old girls' 200 medley relay (2:00.98).

Other winning relays included the 13 and 14-year-old girls' medley relay (Krista Sitler, Jenna Kassinger, Jenni Heid and Alyssa Heller; 2:01.43), the 10 and under girls free relay (Maggie Haas, Katie Rozsa, Paige Carmichael and Gaby Palazzo; 2:05.54), and the 10 and under boys' medley relay (Andrew Kurlich, Richie Kurlich, Braden Nold and Michael Heller; 2:23.10),

In the 10 and under age group, Gaby Palazzo, 10, of Hudson, finished first in the 100 Individual Medley (1:16.07). Braden Nold, 10, of Cuyahoga Falls, won the 100 Individual Medley (1:13.61) and 50 Fly (32.69).

The 13 and 14 year-old winners included Krista Sitler, 14, of Hudson, who placed first in the 100 Back (1:05.62). Cody Vantrease, 14, of Stow, won the 100 Free (51.75). In addition to his record-setting breaststroke performance, Ross Palazzo won the 200 IM (2:15.14).

Macy Trattner, 11, of Hudson, won the 50 Free (26.59) for the 11 and 12 year-old age group, in addition to Lauren Heller's record-setting swims.

Giovanna Cappabianca, 8, of Stow, contributed two wins for the 8 and under swimmers, with first place finishes in the 25 Fly (16.26) and her record-setting breaststroke.

"As two-time defending champs, our kids knew they were coming in as the team to beat," said Tigersharks head coach Dale Craddock. "They knew the bullseye was on their backs, and coaches challenged every one of our swimmers to swim their very best at Leagues.

"They really came through for us, as they have all year long." Craddock continued. "We're so proud of them all for stepping up in the biggest meet so far this year.

The Tigersharks will send 43 swimmers to the Great Lakes Zone Championships in Bowling Green on March 19 to 21. The meet features top YMCA swimmers from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan and West Virginia.

For more information on the meet, or the Tigersharks Swim Team, visit www.tsharkswimming.com.

-- From staff reports

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