Future looks Bright for MKA Swimming
The future looks bright for MKA swimming, as this year’s undefeated Middle School co-ed team concluded their phenomenal season with a highly successful showing at the Middle School Invitational Meet held at Ranney Prep School last night. Against Ranney, Pennington, Wardlaw Hartridge, Oak Hill Academy and Pingry, the boys’ team won the boys’ title with 360 points, (122 points ahead of their nearest rival), and the girls’ team, with only nine swimmers, came in fourth place.
On an individual level, the young MKA team had fourteen medal winners, including eleven first place finishers, as well as 23 top three finishes in the 22 events. Coached by Middle School math teachers Suzanne Zurcher and her assistant coach Debi Gordon, the team’s remarkable season also included the performance of two eighth graders, Arjun Arora and Carly Zurcher, who did not lose an individual race all season long.
“I think I speak for everyone,” says Middle School Head of Campus Dr. Randy Kleinman, “when I congratulate all of the swimmers and the coaches for a very special season and for a terrific performance at last night's swim meet. It's through this kind of commitment, hard work, talent and sacrifice that our students and faculty make such enormous contributions to our community.”
Individual medal winners:
Diana Arena:100 IM - 2nd place, 50 Breast - 1st place, 100 medley relay - 3rd place. Arjun Arora:100 Free - 1st place, 50 Fly - 1st place, 100 free relay - 1st place, 200 free relay - 1st place. Andrew Barrett:100 IM - 3rd place, 100 medley relay - 1st place, 100 free relay - 1st place. Jonny Crowther: 100 IM - 2nd place, 50 breast - 1st place, 100 medley relay - 1st place. James Flint: 200 free - 1st place. Elliot Furbert:100 free - 2nd place, 50 fly - 2nd place, 100 free relay - 1st place, 200 free relay - 1st place. Justin Gonsalves: 25 free - 1st place, 100 medley relay - 1st place, 200 free relay - 1st place. Phoenix Herring-Reina:100 medley relay - 3rd place. Matthew Henry Johnson: 100 free - 3rd place, 50 free - 3rd place, 100 free relay - 1st place, 200 free relay - 1st place. Dennis Kelly: 50 fly - 3rd place, 50 back - 1st place, 100 medley relay - 1st place. Sarah Sharbaugh: 50 back - 2nd place, 50 breast - 2nd place, 100 medley relay - 3rd place. Spencer Turkington:200 free - 2nd place. Zach Yanes: 25 free - 2nd place. Carly Zurcher:100 IM - 1st place, 200 free - 1st place, 100 medley relay - 3rd place.