Matt Salle won the diving competition during the Section 9 championships over the weekend after winning the OCIAA title two weeks earlier.

But that wasn’t really his goal after winning the event with 494 points.

“Winning sections isn’t my biggest goal. I want my team to win,” he said toward the end of the meet Saturday, “that what keeps me going.”

The Bushmen achieved the senior’s goal by winning the championship with 357 points. Valley Central was seventh with 127 points.

Valley Central’s Dylan Gillespie won the 200-freestyle with a time 145.09; Gillespie was third in the 500-freestyle, and qualified for the state tournament in both events.

Pine Bush’s Steve Lowe was third in the 500-freestyle.

Pine Bush’s Ron Lowe was fourth in the 50-freestyle, and Zach Comeau, his teammate, was seventh in the event. Steve Lowe and Ron Lowe went 3-4 in the 100-freestyle. Comeau and Jake Borkowski, his teammate, went 3-4 in the 100-butterfly. Comeau qualified for the state meet in the event. Borkowski was fourth in the 100-backstroke. Bushmen Milo Licata was sixth in diving

Keigan Thompson was fifth in the 100 breaststroke as Padraic Thompson and Henry Eisloeffel, his teammates, went 9-10, Valley Central’s Tyler Hoke was 11th.

Pine Bush was second in the 200 freestyle relay, qualifying for the state meet and Valley Central was fifth.

Pine Bush was fourth in 200 medley relay. Pine Bush and Valley Central went 6-7 in the 400 freestyle relay.

It was Hoke’s last meet and it took place at home as the Vikings hosted the Section 9 meet.

“I love the breaststroke, but I’m glad it’s over,” he said.

Hoke learned the breaststroke as a ninth grader and he said it’s proven to be physically challenging. Swimming may or not be in his future after high school. But rest is certainly in Hoke’s immediate future.

“I’ll sleep in Saturday mornings,” he said.

By Bond Brungard
sports@tcnewspapers.com

Section 9 Boys Swimming championships
Team scores: 1. Pine Bush (PB) 357; 2. New Paltz (NP) 340; 3. Monroe-Woodbury (M-W) 262; 4. Cornwall (C) 228; 5. Newburgh Free Academy (NFA) 223; 6. Warwick (W) 206; 7. Valley Central (VC) 127; 8. Middletown (Midd.) 125; 9. Minsink Valley (MV) 113; 10. Kingston (K) 110; 11. Washingtonville (W) 106; 12. Marlboro (Marl.) 4.
200-yard medley relay: 1. NP (Emile Kuyl, Jackson Beveridge, Aodhan Fogarty, Ben Nadareski) 1:40.48;
200 freestyle: 1. Dylan Gillespie (VC) 1:45.09;
200 IM: 1. Gregg Byrne (M-W) 1:57.92; 50 freestyle: 1. Dallan Treanor (M-W) 21.76;
diving: 1. Matt Salle (PB) 494.00; 100 butterfly: 1. Matt Hasbrouck (NP) 53.01;
100 freestyle: 1. James Crumm (MV) 47.95;
500 freestyle: 1. Byrne (M-W) 4:48.46;
200 freestyle relay: 1. NP (Hudson Carroll, Mark Strothenke, Ben Nadareski, Matt Hasbrouck) 1:29.10;
100 backstroke: 1. Hudson Carroll (NP) 53.19; 100 breaststroke: 1. Treanor (M-W) 58.91;
400 freestyle relay: 1. NP (Hudson Carroll, Emile Kuyl, Mark Strothenke, Matt Hasbrouck) and M-W (Jared Charleston, Gregg Byrne, Jack Jakubek, Dallan Treanor) 3:20.26.

Section 9 championships awards
Most outstanding swimmer: Gregg Byrne (Monroe-Woodbury)
Most outstanding diver: Matt Salle (Pine Bush)
Most outstanding coach: Kevin Blackwell (Pine Bush)