Montgomery Swimmers Shine at 19th Annual Cougar Invitational
The Cougar Invitational Swim Meet, held yesterday, brought together six schools for a spirited day of competition. Hosted by Montgomery, the invitational showcased swimmers who don’t often compete in varsity-level meets, offering them a chance to shine in their favorite events. Montgomery’s Coach Scarpa, who has been at the helm since the meet’s inception, described it as her “favorite meet of the year,” a sentiment echoed by first-year assistant coach Rob Parker.
“It’s an opportunity for our high school-only swimmers to truly enjoy the sport and compete in a championship-style event,” Scarpa said. “The energy is incredible, with everyone cheering for one another, no matter the team.”
This year marked the 19th Cougar Invitational, with a rich tradition dating back to either 2006 or 2007. Despite the extensive planning and effort from Coach Scarpa and Coach Noelle Keller, the meet is a celebration of hard work and camaraderie. The rest of the team also contributed, taking on roles as timers, award distributors, and event organizers.
Highlights and Records
Montgomery’s swimmers put on a fantastic show, setting numerous personal records (PRs) throughout the day.
Relay Triumphs
Women’s 200 Yard Medley Relay
- Montgomery A: Natasha Gold, Jessica Wang, Katherine Karam, Anita Balashova – 2:22.78
- Montgomery B (exhibition): Kira Posso, Rashi Gandhi, Kavya Iyer, Akshadha Reddy – 2:22.00
- Montgomery C (exhibition): Vedika Gupta, Rayna Patel, Grace Kurowski, Catherine Morris – 2:52.65
Men’s 200 Yard Medley Relay
- Montgomery A: Yusuf Shaikh, Avi Koubi, Advait Dambe, Monit Jain – 2:11.92
Individual Standouts
Men’s 200 Yard Free
- 1st: Siddharth Parambath – 2:09.81
- 5th: Cyrus Kia – 2:17.21
- 6th: Jerry Qiu – 2:19.70
Women’s 50 Yard Free
- 1st: Jacqueline Lu – 27.95
Other Notables: Akshadha Reddy (5th, 29.72), Natasha Gold (6th, 30.07), Kira Posso (8th, 30.26), Anita Balashova (9th, 30.29)
Men’s 50 Yard Free
- 3rd: Monit Jain – 26.10
Mixed 500 Yard Free
- 1st: Jason Lu – 6:18.48
- 3rd: Jacqueline Lu – 6:26.06
Men’s 200 Yard Free Relay
- 3rd: Montgomery A (Monit Jain, Siddharth Parambath, Jerry Qiu, Jason Lu) – 1:47.35
Women’s 400 Yard Free Relay
- 3rd: Montgomery A (Rayna Patel, Jessica Wang, Katherine Karam, Natasha Gold) – 4:53.50
Complete Results
Women’s 200 Yard Free
- 5th: Kavya Iyer – 2:27.31
Men’s 200 Yard IM
- 5th: Avi Koubi – 2:28.48
- 6th: Advait Dambe – 2:42.13
Men’s 100 Yard Free
- 4th: Siddharth Parambath – 58.41
- 7th: Jerry Qiu – 59.45
- 8th: Jason Lu – 1:00.52
Women’s 100 Yard Free
- 6th: Akshadha Reddy – 1:07.86
Women’s 100 Yard Back
- 7th: Jessica Wang – 1:20.46
Men’s 100 Yard Back
- 7th: Yusuf Shaikh – 1:13.21
Women’s 100 Yard Breast
- 7th: Vedika Gupta – 1:26.69
Men’s 100 Yard Breast
- 6th: Yusuf Shaikh – 1:15.28
Men’s 400 Yard Free Relay
- 2nd: Montgomery A (Cyrus Kia, Siddharth Parambath, Jerry Qiu, Jason Lu) – 4:10.67
The Community Spirit
While the competitive results were impressive, the Cougar Invitational stood out for its inclusive and supportive atmosphere. For swimmers not affiliated with club teams, this meet was a rare opportunity to race and experience the excitement of high school swimming.
“We had PRs all over the place yesterday,” said Scarpa. “It’s a feel-good meet, and the kids absolutely nailed it.”