The Gananda Blue Panthers made history on Thursday, February 13, winning the program’s first-ever Class D Sectional Championship in swimming and diving. The title came down to a dramatic final race, with Gananda holding a slim four-point lead entering the 400-yard freestyle relay. A win in the relay secured the championship, and the Panthers delivered dominantly, finishing 6.76 seconds ahead of the competition.
Gananda topped the final standings with 421 points, edging out Harley Allendale Columbia (411) in a closely contested meet.
Every member of the Gananda squad contributed to the victory, with all swimmers reaching the finals in their events. Seniors Cohen Kelley, Logan Potter, Matt Diebold, Grant Jacob, and Tyler Hellaby-D’Alessandro, along with juniors Peyton Conner, Owen Richards, Peter Jacob, and Justin Simpson, provided leadership. Sophomore Collin Phillips and freshmen Josh Diebold, Logan Foley, Eli Affronti, and Nathan Jacob also played key roles.
The Blue Panthers swept all three relay events, setting two school records in the process:
- 200 Medley Relay: Owen Richards, Cohen Kelley, Matt Diebold, Logan Potter (1:47.60)
- 200 Freestyle Relay: Cohen Kelley, Logan Potter, Tyler Hellaby-D’Alessandro, Peyton Conner – New School Record (1:33.27)
- 400 Freestyle Relay: Owen Richards, Grant Jacob, Tyler Hellaby-D’Alessandro, Peyton Conner – New School Record (3:28.19)
Gananda also produced four individual sectional champions:
- Cohen Kelley won the 200 Individual Medley (2:08.97) and set a new school record in the 100 Breaststroke (1:01.91).
- Peyton Conner dominated the 50 Freestyle, setting a new school record and achieving a NY State Cut time of 21.51. He also won the 100 Butterfly, setting new school and Class D sectional records while securing another NY State Cut time of 51.76.
Conner was named Class D Swimmer of the Meet. Gananda’s David Seither was honored as Class D Coach of the Year.
With a historic championship now in hand, the Blue Panthers have set the bar high for future teams.
FingerLakes1.com is the region’s leading all-digital news publication. The company was founded in 1998 and has been keeping residents informed for more than two decades. Have a lead? Send it to [email protected].