​'STOGA SWIM AND DIVE

Swim Meet - Conestoga v. Radnor - 12-12-19 

Rival Radnor is typically the toughest test for the Conestoga swim team in the Central League.  With lots of swimming still to be done we will have to wait and see who else might challenge the Pioneers, but they passed this first test with straight A’s.

The boys were not interested in the drama from last season which came down to the final leg of the final relay.  Instead, in the kickoff 200 Medley relay, Gary Wang took over a close lead from Jack Hughes, then watched a great start from Stanley Kim setup James Hughes to close out a comfortable win.  More dramatic was the foursome of Ryan McDonough, Ishua Jiang, Yash Ray and Miles Whitaker touching out Radnor for second!  Similarly Raymond Welgosh touched out teammate Luke Nagel for 1-2 in the 200 Free.  The Stoga boys were off and “running”.

A tight 200 IM had Noel Park and Matthew Pawlow go 2-3, before a very fast clean sweep in the 50 Free from Hughes, Wang, and John Yu created a 47-15 halftime lead.  Patrick Hoey’s 2nd place diving then led into the second half.

Kim and Park promptly went 2-3 in the 100 Fly, then watched Stephen Graver dominate the 100 Free to extend Stoga’s lead, with teammates Whitaker and Jiang going 3-4.  Welgosh continued his strong night by winning, going under 5:00 in the 500 Free, while Aidan Brown touched out teammate Jack Semmer for 3rd.

Hughes, Ray, Graver and Wang teamed up to win the 200 Free Relay, with Whitaker, John Yu, Mantas Sevelis and Orsulak taking 2nd.  With the meet well in hand, the scoreboard was off before the final 3 events.  Any Pioneer recalling last year’s nailbiter was pleasantly surprised.

While not quite as dominant, the Stoga girls were never threatened either.  Caroline Famous handed Naomi Furman a body-length lead at the start of the 200 Medley Relay, then watched Allison Yuan and Lily Robinson stretch it out to a comfortable win.  The team of Madi Ritzenthaler, Adriana Bertolotti, Delaney Burns, and Kalie Whitaker had a strong showing for 3rd.

After a 2-3 finish from Audrey Laganelli and Ava Collins in 200 Free, Furman used a strong breast stroke leg to win the 200 IM with Bertolotti taking 3rd.  Robinson and Famous teamed up again to go 1-2 in the 50 Free, then watched Phoebe Hutton and Jamie Semmer also go 1-2 on the boards to extend Stoga’s lead to 52-26 heading into the second half swims.

Yuan and Laganelli went 1-3 in the 100 Fly to continue the momentum, before Robinson and Keira Haas posted a similar result in 100 Free.  Delaney Burns and Ayala Miller powered their way to 2-4 finish in the 500, then recovered while watching Haas, Laganelli, Robinson and Yuan cruise to gold in the 200 Free relay.

Like their male counterparts, the girls’ had made the scoreboard irrelevant as they cruised to win #2 on the year.  Both squads were flying Thursday night, with multiple District qualifying times and personal bests recorded.  Competition clearly brings out the best in these Pioneers!  

They will back in action Tuesday night in the first of 3 meets next week heading into the holidays.