STATE CHAMPION in SCHOOL RECORD TIME!
Gabe Russell-Webster '27 of Amherst made CHS Swimming history as he won the 100-yard butterfly at the New York State Catholic High School Athletic Association Championships Sunday on Long Island.
Russell-Webster won the race in 50.10 seconds, breaking his own school record he set earlier this season and qualifying him for the New York State Federation Championships on March 6-7 in Ithaca.
It was an outstanding weekend for Canisius at the Nassau County Aquatic Center in East Meadow, Long Island as CHS finished fourth among 21 teams at the championships, which included 17 downstate schools.
Russell-Webster was also part of the 200 Medley Relay, which also set a school record and will be competing at the Federation meet.
Canisius – which set a record of 1:35.06 with Russell-Webster (backstroke),
Atticus Young '26 of Buffalo (breaststroke),
Andre Charlier '27 of the Town of Tonawanda (butterfly) and
Luca Alessi '29 of Clarence (freestyle) – was out-touched by Fordham Prep at the wall, finishing second by just 0.11 seconds.
However, Fordham Prep will not be attending the Federation meet, so Canisius will instead represent the NYSCHSAA in Ithaca. CHS currently has the third-fastest time in all of New York State. Also, CHS swimmers from the Medley Relay who achieved individual state qualifying cut times will also be able to compete in those events at the Federation meet.
Russell-Webster also finished first in the 100-yard backstroke race but he was disqualified for a violation of a rule regarding entering the water. Russell-Webster had the fastest time in Saturday's preliminaries by far as his 51.66 was more than 1.5 seconds quicker than the next-fastest time, the 53.19 by Peter Poggioli of Staten Island's Monsignor Farrell. Poggioli won the event in 52.82.
Other standout performances included:
• The 400 free relay took third in 3:16.53, the best CHS time since the school record was set in 2018 (3:08.43). The relay consisted of Young, Alessi,
Duke Neal '28 of Youngstown and Russell-Webster.
• Young took third in the 200 individual medley and fifth in the 100 breast, with both of those in NYS cut times.
• The 200 Free Relay was fourth behind
Jonathan Burroughs '26 of East Amherst,
Thaddeus Young '28 of Buffalo, Neal and Charlier.
• Alessi was ninth in the 100 freestyle.
• Neal was 10th in the 500 freestyle.
See more details from the championships, as well as the Crusaders' season results, roster and outstanding photo gallery at canisiussports.com
Students and families interested in CHS Swimming and the excellence only found in a Jesuit education at Canisius – ranked as the Buffalo area's "Best Catholic School" by Niche.com – can learn more by scheduling an on-campus experience at cansiushigh.org/visit
This place is special. Let us show you why.
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