Panthers Make a Splash at FAA Championships

For the girls, JJ Fishman ’30 was the standout with a first-place finish in the 200 individual medley (2:14.48) and a second-place finish in the 100 backstroke (1:00.64). 

“I was really excited and happy to do well for Masters,” Fishman said of her performance. “I was really surprised I was able to do well this year since it's my first year on varsity.”

A competitive swimmer since the age of six, Fishman has compounded her experience to become a force for the Panthers. She set a trio of team records in the 200 IM, 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke this season. 

“JJ’s success at the FAA championships was a direct reflection of her composure under pressure, something she has developed through her training and racing experience with her club team, the Westchester Wolverines,” coach Cortney Grant said. “She entered the meet as the number one seed in both the 200 IM and the 100 backstroke.”

In addition to Fishman, there were a number of other strong performances for the girls. Reya Ziegler ’29 (200 freestyle), Annadele Dyott ’26 (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle) and Maddie Barnes ’26 (100 breaststroke) all recorded Top 10 finishes. The 400 freestyle relay placed fourth and the 200 medley relay took fifth. 

For the boys, Erez Erkal ’26 overcame a sickness in the days leading up to the event, persevering to earn a pair of top-five finishes in the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke.

“My plan going into FAA was to swim my best, get personal bests, and place well,” Erkal said. “However, that plan changed at the last minute, because two days before, I got food poisoning and was not even sure if I could even swim at FAA. Thankfully, I recovered quickly, but was still not at 100 percent. My plan then shifted to focus more on executing a good race rather than focusing on the result. For each of my swims, I broke them down into parts and concentrated on attacking each part of my race and playing into where I knew I was strong. Again, believing in my training despite the setback helped me the most.”

It was the final lap at Masters for Erkal, a four-year varsity swimmer for the Panthers.

“I really enjoyed swimming on the team and racing for Masters,” Erkal said. “I had a lot of fun getting to know some people I probably would have not crossed paths with if it wasn’t for the swim team. I hope to see the team continue to grow, keep working hard, and keep going after it!”

Tahl Ziegler ’27 was another bright spot on the boys side with a Top 10 finish in the 100 freestyle. Three boys relay teams (200 medley, 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle) also notched Top 5 finishes.