Four Westfield Area YMCA swimmers recently traveled to Penn State University in State College, PA, to represent New Jersey at the Eastern Zone Long Course Swimming All-Star Championship Meet (“Zones”). Shannon Pyle, age 10, Stefan Crigler, age 10, Stephen Husch, age 12 and Aidan Donadio, age 12, qualified for the meet by attaining specific times in their respective events. The Zones qualifying times are set by USA Swimming and are significantly faster than the NJ Junior Olympic qualifying times. By achieving these qualifying times, these swimmers became members of the NJ Zone All-Star Championship team that represented New Jersey at Zones.

The four-day meet saw 12 different zone teams from various regions of the East Coast of the U.S. compete. The teams at the meet included Adirondack, Allegheny Mountain, Connecticut, Maryland, Maine, Metropolitan NYC, Middle Atlantic, New England, New Jersey, Niagara, Potomac Valley and Virginia. Overall, the New Jersey team placed sixth out of the 12 teams at the meet.

Stephen Husch excelled at the meet. He competed in six individual events, as well as was on three winning N.J. relay teams. The highlight of the meet for Stephen was in the 11-12-year-olds 200 meter breaststroke, where Stephen placed second and set a New Jersey state record of 2:39.89, surpassing the old record by over 2 seconds. Stephen also placed second in the 100 freestyle, 50 breaststroke and 50 backstroke. He placed third in the 100 breaststroke and 4^th in the 50 freestyle, and was on N.J.’s winning 400 Medley Relay team, 400 Freestyle relay team, and the 200 Medley relay team. It was a very impressive meet for Stephen, and a terrific end to what was a record-breaking summer swim season for him.

Aidan Donadio also participated in the meet, placing 23^rd in the 50 breaststroke and 27^th in the 200 breaststroke. Aidan posted a personal best time in his 50 breaststroke race, and a near personal best time in his 200 breaststroke race.

Stefan Crigler swam in the 10-and-under 50 breaststroke and 100 breaststroke races. Stefan placed 6^th in the 50 breast, and 9^th in the 100 breaststroke race, posting a personal best time in that race.

Shannon Pyle qualified for four individual events and competed on the N.J. 10-and-under 200 freestyle relay. She placed 32^nd in the 50 fly, and 39^th in the 50 breaststroke with near personal best times in each race. She also placed 41^st in the 50 backstroke, and 52^nd in the 100 breaststroke. The New Jersey 10-and-under 200 freestyle relay she competed on placed 13^th at the meet. 

Editor's Note: The preceding article was submitted by Patricia Pyle.