Wissahickon girls, Plymouth Whitemarsh boys race to victories in double dual meet

LOWER GWYNEDD >> A season-best time by Carly Zlotnikoff in the 200-yard IM, a pair of victories by Karis Kim and Kelly Wild and wins in the first nine events overall helped the Wissahickon girls say goodbye to their soon-to-be-former home in proper fashion Tuesday, as the Trojans raced to a 99-71 victory over Plymouth Whitemarsh in their last ever home meet at Wissahickon Middle School.

Testament to the type of rivalry between the two programs, the PW boys rolled in and snagged a 90-78 victory over Wiss, providing a dual-meet split for the afternoon.

“We were excited, and excited for the new pool,” Zlotnikoff said of their new digs, set to be ready next year, “the new times and new records.”

In a tremendous finish, Zlotnikoff outraced the Colonials’ Hannah McGee (2:13.90) for first in the 200 IM, touching in 2:13.57.

The Trojan senior also clocked the top time in the 100 freestyle, going 54.68, and her anchor leg in the 200 freestyle helped powered Wiss to a winning time of 1:48.56. Kim, Julia Weiss and Liliana Xu swam the first three legs, as Wiss continues to close in on some impressive relay marks.

“Last year they were a little faster,” Zlotnikoff said of the relays, “but we’re still right there.”

Wiss opened the Suburban One League American Conference meet with a victory in the 200 medley relay and then got first-place points from Kim (200 free, 500 free), Kelly Wild (50 free, 100 back) and Katie Sapozhnikov (100 fly) to stay ahead of the Colonials.

Niles Rankin and Nick Fiddler, meanwhile, were the workhorses for PW, swimming the middle two legs of the winning medley relay and then pushing to first in each of their individual swims.

“Wissahickon’s a very good team — glad we got the win in our final dual meet,” said Fiddler, who won the 100 butterfly by four seconds and took the backstroke by five. “It’s neat that PW gets the final win, with PW and Wissahickon being rivals in every sport — football, basketball, baseball, swimming…everything.

“I felt like I can definitely go faster but I felt good in the water,” said Fiddler, who went 55.19 in the fly and 1:00.69 in the back. “In the backstroke I had a rough start but it’s definitely something I can drop a lot of time from.”

With the postseason closing in fast, the Colonials looked primed for a big one. Said Rankin, winner of the 200 IM and 100 breast: “I really like where I’m at in this point in the season.”

Both squads will now get ready for the SOL American Championships on Feb. 17 and 18.

Carly Zlotnikoff swims butterfly for Wissahickon in the girls 200 yard individual medley against Plymouth Whitemarsh on Tuesday, Jan. 31, 2017. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)