'STOGA SWIM AND DIVE
Conestoga v. Malvern Prep/ Villa Maria - 12-20-19
The Stoga swimmers knew they would face their toughest test to date taking on Malvern Prep and sister school Villa Maria in a showdown Friday night, and the meet didn’t disappoint.
The Malvern boys made it clear that they were there to compete winning the 200 Medley relay, overcoming a strong start and early lead from Gary Wang. It was a 3 team battle as Ishau Jiang and then Stanley Kim hit the pool, with James Hughes strong freestyle leg securing 2nd for Stoga.
Luke Nagel and Matthew Pawlow jumped out to early leads in the 200 Free, but couldn’t hang on. Malvern took gold, with Raymond Welgosh coming off the pace for 2nd, as Nagel ended up 3rd and Pawlow placing 4th. Similarly, Stephen Graver had a slight lead after the 200 IM Butterfly leg, but was caught on the backstroke and despite a furious freestyle, ended up 2nd. Teammate Noel Park added valuable points coming in 4th.
Trailing for the first time all year, Stoga started gaining ground when James Hughes got Stoga’s first win as the Pioneers dominated the 50 Free, with Kim taking 3rd and Yash Ray 4th. But with both squads shorthanded on the boards, Malvern picked up 6 more points and took a 38-30 lead into the break, setting up an intense final 7 events.
Wang kicked off the 2nd half in style for Stoga with a strong 100 Fly, winning easily as teammates Kim took 4th and Ivory 5th. Stephen Graver and Luke Nagel continued the momentum as they had the lead halfway through the 100 Free. They were challenged down the stretch, but Graver got the crucial touchout win with Nagel getting edged for 2nd. Teammate Ray picked up a crucial two points in 4th. And we were tied at 50 heading into the 500.
And it stayed tied, with Park and Welgosh going 2/3, and Jack Semmer adding the tying point in 5th. Handicapping ahead, the relays were going to be critical, and Stoga struck first in the 200 Free relay. Graver kept pace with a strong opening leg, and Welgosh recovered quickly from his 500 run to keep it close at the midpoint mark. Yash Ray was undaunted by the tight battle, turning over a miniscule lead to James Hughes, who hammered home the win with a great anchor leg. With Pawlow, Miles Whitaker, Park and Nagel taking 3rd, Stoga had their first lead of the meet.
It wouldn’t last. Malvern went 1-2 in the 100 Back, as Ryan McDonough and Whitaker took 3rd and 4th respectively. And again Malvern picked up points in the 100 Breast, despite Wang’s second place showing. So it would come down to the final event, the 400 Free relay. Meet mathematicians calculated that a 1-2 finish from Stoga would win it, with a 1-3 finish resulting in a tie. Drama.
Graver and Welgosh built an early lead for the Stoga A relay, with Kim and Nagel staying close for the B squad, and there was hope for the needed 1-2 finish. But the excitement wouldn’t last… Pawlow and Wang stretched out to a solid lead to easily take 1st, but Malvern outpaced the Kim/Nagel/Ray/James Hughes foursome by a couple of body lengths to take 2nd. And we were kissing our sister…. 88-88 was the final.
The girls competition was almost as fun, even if not quite as tight. Stoga jumped out to an early lead leveraging a strong opening backstroke from Kalie Whitaker in the 200 Medley Relay. She handed off to Naomi Furman swimming Breast who extended the lead, as did Allison Yuan on Fly. Lily Robinson then cruised through the Free leg for an easy win. The drama here was for second, as the team of Madi Ritzenthaler, Adriana Bertolotti, Lucy Wydeven, and Audrey Laganelli came off the pace for silver.
Laganelli came right back in the 200 Free, taking the lead early in the final lap and extending for gold. Furman than used a dominating Breast stroke leg to win the 200 IM, and watched Bertolotti’s fast freestyle turn a tight battle for 2nd into a solid silver. And they weren’t done dominating…
A clean sweep in the 50 Free from Robinson, Yuan and Whitaker continued the momentum, as did Jamie Semmer’s first place effort in diving. Teammates Marley Duda and Paige Cutler took 3rd and 5th on the boards.
They would carry the momentum into the 2nd half, with Yuan winning 100 Fly as Keira Wiley and
Alyssa Totoro went 3-4. Robinson continued her strong day with an easy win at 100 Free, and saw teammate Collin use a late charge in the 2nd half to take 2nd. Ally McKenrick was touched out for 3rd.
After Delaney Burns, Ayala Miller and Lauren Verrelli went 3/4/5 in the 500, Stoga got back to their winning ways in the 200 Free relay. Whitaker and Yuan built an early lead allowing Laganelli and Robinson to cruise to a win, and the race was on for 2nd. But Keira Haas, Burns, Joyce Fung and Totoro were edged out and finished 3rd.
It was a four way battle in the 100 Back as three Stoga swimmers went stroke for stroke with a Villa opponent for the first 50, but they were outpaced down the stretch for a 2/3/4 finish from Ritzenthaler, Wydeven and Whitaker respectively. Adriana Bertolotti then used a strong start and dominant 2nd half to easily win 100 Breast, with Furman taking 2nd and Lilly Shui 4th.
And in the final relay, the girls got the result the boys needed. Laganelli followed Keira Haas and took a lead that teammates Furman and Collin wouldn’t relinquish as they cruised to a win. Similarly Totoro took the baton from Burns, reeled in her Villa opponent, setting up McLaughlin and Bertolotti for an equally comfortable 2nd place. Anna Baker, Emma Galef, Ally McKenrick and Miller finished a stress free 3rd.
It goes without saying, these girls are fast. It was a dominating week for the ladies heading into the holiday break and setting up what should be an exciting rest of the season.
Here is wishing all the Stoga swimmers, divers, coaches and fans a very happy holiday and a Happy New Year. See ya 2020!