Y-Neptunes fare well at Zones

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

Alex Downie placed second in the senior men’s 50-yard backstroke with a time of 25.60 to lead 42 athletes from the Youngstown Y-Neptunes at the Great Lakes Zones championship meet at Canton’s C.T. Branin Natatorium March 16-18.

Other Neptune swimmers placing in the top 10 of their events were Joe Boniface, fifth in the senior men 50 fly (24.16), sixth in the 15-over men’s 50 free (21.99) and eighth in the 15-over men’s 100 free (48.84); Jordan Stackpole, ninth in the 9-10 men’s 50 fly (33.11); Gina Ungaro, 10th in the 11-12 women’s 50 free (26.60); Jessie Morrow, 10th in the 13-14 women’s 100 breast (1:12.58 ); and Mikayla Morrow, 10th in the senior women’s 200 breast (2:31.20).

Neptune relays that placed in the top 10 included the 13-14 women’s 200 medley relay of Maggie Beistel, Theresa Mikolay, Taylor Tofil and Jessie Morrow, sixth; 9-10 men’s 200 medley relay of Matthew DunLany, Noah Basista, Jordan Stackpole and Jacob Kountz, seventh; and the 11-12 women’s 200 medley relay of Jennifer Eich, Tess Emerson, Gina Ungaro and Logan Kountz, 10th.

This was the largest team the Neptunes has sent to Zones, which features YMCA athletes from Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan and West Virginia. Swimmers must qualify by achieving the cut-off times established each May.

“The times just seem to get faster and faster each year, and each year we have kids rise to the challenge and make the cuts,” said head coach Sue Nutter, whose team trains at the downtown YMCA. “This year we had a relay in every relay event at Zones, which has never happened before and which speaks highly of the caliber of swimmers making up this year’s Neptunes Zone team.”