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By Bruce Adams
badams@21st-centurymedia.com
Ridley >> The Conestoga High School boys and girls swimming teams, who went through the dual meet season undefeated in the Central League (9-0 overall, 6-0 Central), got off to a great start on the first day of the two-day Central League Meet at Ridley High School Friday.
The Pioneer boys (9-0 overall, 6-0 league) were in first place at the end of the day Friday with 330 team points, followed by Haverford (232), Ridley (177) and Radnor (156). The Conestoga girls squad (12-1 overall, 7-0 league) were in first place Friday with 321.5 points, followed by Lower Merion (230) and Radnor (184).
The Conestoga boys earned three first-place finishes Friday and set several pool records. In the final boys’ event of the day, the 200 yard freestyle relay, the quartet of senior Jake Wang, senior Brock Whitaker, freshman Liam Haas and senior Can Yeniay finished first in the 200 yard freestyle relay with a pool record time of 1:23.53.
Wang, the 2022-23 Daily Local News Boys Swimmer of the Year, got the foursome off to a fantastic start with a 19.97 split.
“It’s not really my best time but it’s pretty close,” said Wang. “It was really a fun swim, as I got to race Shane Eckler.”
Eckler, a Ridley senior who won the 50 yard freestyle with a pool record and meet record time of 20.08 earlier on Friday, led off the 200 free relay with a 20.07 clocking.
Earlier in the meet, Wang, the PIAA defending champion in the boys 200 yard IM, finished first (1:50.72) in the 200 IM; and Yeniay set a pool record with a season-best 1:38.84, winning the 200 yard freestyle.
“I didn’t feel great today, but I swam a better time than I did at States last year, so now I feel great,” said Yeniay, who clocked 1:38.87 for a second-place finish at States last winter.
Whitaker, who finished second in the 100 yard butterfly (49.52) Friday, said, “My 100 fly was good but the highlight for me today was the 200 free relay, where we swam and won as a team. Without Jake’s 19.97, we wouldn’t have been able to break the pool record.”
In the opening boys event Friday, the 200 yard medley relay, the Conestoga quartet of junior James Oken, junior Stanley Cui, junior Hutch Wood and Haas finished third (1:39.23) and the Pioneer foursome of junior Aru Nayak, freshman Austin Zhang, senior Weston Clark and junior Justin Cuevas Reigo de Dios placed fifth (1:41.98).
In the boys 200 free for Conestoga, sophomore William Galef finished fifth (1:50.60), freshman Alex Muldowney placed eighth (1:52.82), junior Brandon Bacani was 11th (1:54.24) and sophomore Bradley Zhang 12th (1:54.47).
In the boys 200 IM, the Pioneers’ Henry Kogan finished fourth (1:59.38), David Ivory was sixth (2:00.28), freshman Jack Toscano eighth (2:05.45) and Zhang ninth (22:05.59).
In the boys 50 free, Haas finished fourth (21:29) and Cuevas Riego de Dios was seventh (21.89), Cui 10th (22.50) and Nayak 13th (20.03).
In the boys 100 fly, Wood placed fourth (52.90), sophomore Ivan Yan eighth (54.75), junior Harrison Wood ninth (54.97) and Clark 10th (55.07).
In the boys 200 free relay, the quartet of Ivory, Cui, Zhang and Cuevas Riego de Dios placed fourth (1:30.56).
“We had a great start to the meet but we’ve got to remember it’s a two-day meet,” said Conestoga boys swimming head coach Mark Tirone. “We’ve got to make sure that everybody shows up (Saturday) the same way they did today.”
The Conestoga girls were helped by the first-place finish by junior Avery Hillier in diving on Wednesday, as she posted a point total of 518.90, which is a Conestoga, pool (Ridley) and Central League record.
“I felt like I had to stay focused but also have fun, to be less stressed out about what was happening,” said Hillier. “A few teammates came (to the diving meet) in support, and my back dive and reverse dive were my two best dives that day.”
Hillier also contributed in the swimming events Friday, leading off for the Pioneers’ third-place 200 free relay team (1:40.08) with a 24.91 split and finishing fifth in the 50 free (24.46).
“Avery’s really a gifted athlete, and she’s fun to be around,” said Conestoga girls swimming head coach Rob Kirkby.
“I like swimming with my teammates, and we were having fun,” said a smiling Hillier, who has committed to Duke University for diving. “I like supporting the team and being there for them, and we cheer each other on.”
Conestoga diving coach Megan Hillier said, “This (swimming) is like a new discovery for Avery. It’s great to see her succeed in something she doesn’t normally do, and she (really) feels part of the entire team when she swims.”
The Pioneer girls did not win any events Friday, but their depth showed in plenty of top-three placings. In the opening event, the 200 medley relay, the Conestoga quartet of sophomore Maddie Fox, junior Hadar Miller, senior Jena Nowoswiat and freshman Paige Hedlund placed second (1:47.78) and the Pioneer foursome of senior Carys Collin, sophomore Reilly Dolan, freshman Joyce Chen and freshman Ashley Du finished sixth (1:52.66).
Conestoga finished 2-3-4 in the girls 200 free, with senior Sarah Fox (1:56.77), sophomore Olivia Tudge (1:57.25) and senior Mackenzie Nagel (1:57.59). Junior Juliana Yao finished 12th (2:02.12).
In the girls 200 IM, Conestoga finished 2-3 with Miller (2:09.61) and Nowoswiat (2:10.21). Dolan was seventh (2:13.28) and Chen placed eighth (2:15.84).
In the girls 50 free, Hedlund was ninth (25.28), Collin was 11th (25.52) and Du 12th (25.57).
Conestoga placed 2-3 in the girls 100 fly, with Maddie Fox (57.24) and Jena Nowoswiat (57.58).
In the girls 200 free relay, the quartet of Hillier, Tudge, Sarah Fox and Nagel placed third (1:40.08), while the foursome of Yao, Du, Collin and Chen finished sixth (1:42.56).
Kirkby said, “I’m really proud of all the girls, they all swam so well today. Sometimes in dual meets the girls get kind of broken-down and tired, and even without being rested this (Central League Meet) is such a great team event; (the swimmers) come here and do things they do things that they think they couldn’t do.”
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