Northeast, Chesapeake Swimmers Represent At States

Pasadena had several athletes competing among Maryland’s best as both Northeast and Chesapeake sent swimmers to the 4A/3A state championship meet at the University of Maryland on February 24.

School record-holders in their events, Northeast’s Jordan Degruchy and Layla Tiberio both qualified for the state meet. Degruchy competed in the 100 butterfly, and Tiberio swam the 200 free and 500 free. Degruchy, a senior, is a four-time state qualifier. Tiberio, a junior, qualified for the state meet for the second year in a row.

Chesapeake sent six boys and four girls to the state championship meet after not having a state qualifier since the 2013-14 season. Chase Hall swam the 50 free and anchored Chesapeake’s 4x400 free relay team. Hall, Alexander Van Valkenburgh, Christian Chamberlain and Nathanael Freeman teamed to race in the 4x400 and 4x100 free relays, and Carlos Castillo and Jacob Hall were relay team alternates.

The Lady Cougars had four competitors in the meet. Natasha Paciello (100 fly and 100 breast) and Rayna Cicen (100 back) raced in individual events and also teamed with Thea Kellett and Madison Whitmore in the 200 medley relay. Cicen shaved four seconds off her personal best in the 100 back and broke a 2006 school record in the event. Paciello is a freshman and figures to be one of the county’s top talents over the next three years.

Northeast is coached by Anne Kidwell-Kreitzer, and Chesapeake is coached by head coach Brian Nelson and assistant coach Brenden Wicks.

Nelson swam at Chesapeake, while Wicks swam at Northeast.

The profile of the two programs — not known as swimming juggernauts in a county with traditional powers Severna Park, Broadneck, South River and Annapolis — was enhanced by their participation in the state meet. The teams likewise cheered for each other and bonded as representatives of their sport in Pasadena.

Both teams were excited to have state qualifiers heighten the reputations of the swimming teams at Northeast and Chesapeake.

“Overall I’m proud of the work all my swimmers put into this season and how respectful they were,” said Nelson of his Cougars. “I was truly lucky to have such a good, fun-loving group to coach. Next season, you might be hearing Natasha and Rayna getting a spot on the podium at states with records broken in even more events. The future is bright for Chesapeake swimming.”