Smithtown/Hauppauge boys swimming's Tyler Gallub, Christopher Sweeney earn Suffolk titles
Smithtown/Hauppauge’s Christopher Sweeney wins the 100-yard breaststroke during the Suffolk boys swimming championships/state qualifier on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2026 at Stony Brook University. Credit: Bob Sorensen
In the final local meet of their high school careers, best friends Tyler Gallub and Christopher Sweeney went out together on an incredibly high note.
Gallub and Sweeney combined to win three individual titles at the Suffolk boys swimming championships at Stony Brook University on Saturday. The two also helped the combined Smithtown/Hauppauge team win a pair of relays.
Gallub, a senior from Smithtown East, won the 50-yard freestyle in 20.67 seconds and the 100 free in 46.03. Sweeney, a senior from Smithtown West, won the 100 breaststroke in 57.81.
The two have been swimming together throughout high school, and the bond they have built over that time was on full display at the end of the 50 free. Shortly after the finish, Gallub and Sweeney — floating side by side in the third and fourth lanes — looked up at the scoreboard. Upon finding out they finished first and second, with Sweeney registering a 21.16, they embraced and shared the moment together.
“There were a lot of emotions,” Gallub said after the meet. “I was already really emotional, but just to see him finish second, next to me … it’s an indescribable feeling. I knew, even if I didn’t win, that he would be right behind me and win that for me. Just to be able to win that with my best friend since freshman year, it’s really a rare chance to get.”
The two began their day by securing Smithtown/Hauppauge’s victory in the 200 medley relay, with Gallub swimming the third leg and Sweeney anchoring to win it, along with Brennan Morelli and Noah Hutzler, in 1:34.69. Later, in the 200 free relay, Gallub led off and Sweeney anchored again to help win it for the squad, which also included Morelli and Hutzler, in 1:25.64.
Sweeney’s anchor legs in the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay went 21.05 and 20.57, respectively.
“This definitely meant a lot,” Sweeney said. “I was really nervous going into it, because I could not lose in my senior year. It definitely had me up last night worrying about it. Being the anchor of those relays, if we lost, I would’ve put it on me. Winning is definitely awesome, especially with the same guy I’ve been doing it with for four years.”
Smithtown/Hauppauge placed second in the team competition behind Half Hollow Hills/Kings Park, which won it with 209 points.
Elsewhere, Rocky Point senior Trevor Green won the 100 butterfly in 50.46 and the 100 back in 51.43. They were the fifth and sixth county titles of his high school swimming career, and it was his third straight season winning the 100 back.
Green, who is also a Newsday All-Long Island cross country runner, had his fall season disrupted by pneumonia for three weeks. After having what was supposed to be a fruitful cross country season spoiled by illness, he is in much higher spirits now.
“I’m honored,” Green said. “Coming off a rough fall, I’m glad I can be back to being a county champion. It feels great.”
Mike Anderson is a high school sports reporter who has covered 12 sports so far at Newsday. He was the sports editor of Stony Brook University's campus newspaper for two years.
