Area high school swimming capsules
The 2013 swimming season was certainly eventful. Villa Maria won their fourth straight PIAA Class AA state championship, both Conestoga’s girls and boys teams went undefeated in the Central League, and the Ches-Mont League had many state qualifiers. 2014 should be just as thrilling. There are four first-year coaches, and all the teams look to be extremely competitive.
Coatesville’s boys team will look to catch Perkiomen Valley, after falling to them the past two seasons. Unionville’s girls team will return 10 District 1 qualifiers. West Chester Rustin’s boys team will try to make it a third-straight undefeated season.
Young programs like Oxford, and Sun Valley will try to make moves in the Ches-Mont League standings.
There will be many exciting things to look for in the 2014 swim season. Here is an outlook of the area swim beat…
Boys
Ches-Mont National Division
Avon Grove
Kelly Burk (6th season)
Last season: 6-4
Key Swimmers: Trevor Brinton, Sr., Justin Carey, Jr., Stephen Dow Jr., Vincent Santucci, Sr.
Outlook: The Red Devils will be led by their captain Trevor Brinton, who is their sprint freestyle specialist. They have some versatility with swimmers like Dow and Carey. Avon Grove is a young team, so they will need every part of Brinton’s leadership. “Our guys are in a little bit of a rebuilding year,’ Burk said. “We have some incoming freshman that will give us some more depth.’
Prediction: Brinton has a legit shot to qualify for states in 2014. For the team in general they are young and will use this season to gain experience. While on paper they probably won’t match their 6-4 record from a year ago, they have some freshman that could surprise some teams. “We are pretty diverse,’ Brinton said. “We just need to see where everyone’s area of strength is.’
Bishop Shanahan
Ray Lease (4th season)
Last season: 4-6
Key Swimmers: Brendan Dunphy, Sr., Andrew Gorr, Sr., Olivier Nguyen, Jr., Tom Powell, So.
Outlook: This is a team that will continue to improve. They are still in a little bit of a rebuilding process but their leadership will be an area of strength for this team. Watching their preseason practices you could see there was a strong level of focus, but they also keep a positive atmosphere. “This team has excellent leadership among the captains. They are always there helping others. I am so impressed with their politeness and maturity,’ coach Ray Lease said.
Prediction: The Eagles will have their hands full in a very talented Ches-Mont League. That being said there are intangibles that can give you an advantage over the competition and leadership is certainly one of them. Shanahan’s captains and leaders will need to keep a young team motivated and focused, if they do that they can definitely improve from last season’s record.
Coatesville
David Morris (21st season)
Last season: 10-1
Key Swimmers: RJ Hammond, Sr., Drew Furcon, Jr., Liam Schroder, Jr., Tyler Brown, Sr., Caesar Asadi, Sr.
Outlook: For the second year in a row the Red Raiders finished behind Perkiomen Valley for the Ches-Mont title. Their depth and experience will be their biggest assets. They have an extremely talented unit of seniors. The Vikings will be their toughest obstacle in winning the Ches-Mont, but if they can use their experience, and youth, they can definitely make it over that final hurdle and win the league title.
Prediction: It will really come down to Perkiomen Valley this season. Coatesville has an excellent and experienced coach in David Morris, who will get his team ready to compete. “This boys’ team has a lot of experience, and they are battle tested. They are eager to continue the success we have had this season,’ coach David Morris said.
Downingtown East
Janet Bright (11th season)
Last season: 5-5
Key Swimmers: Quentin Cody, Sr., Tommy Cestare, Jr.
Outlook: The Cougars are a dedicated group. It is not an easy task to wake up and go to a 5:30 a.m. practice, and then proceed to go to school afterwards. That is what this team has done, and it resembles their determination. They will be led by Quentin Cody, and Tommy Cestare who each competed in the District 1 Class AAA championships in 2013. “We will be pretty strong in freestyle,’ coach Janet Bright said. “We have a great group of guys who work hard, and they get along great.’
Prediction: They find themselves in a very difficult Ches-Mont League. While freestyle is one of their strengths, if happens to be one for many other teams. They were a middle of the pack team last year and there is a good shot they can move towards the top if they win all of the toss up meets on paper.
Downingtown West
Eric Snook (12th season)
Last season: 6-4
Key swimmers: Mark Miller, Sr., Billy Borda, Sr., Peter Herlihey, Sr., Matt Jung, Sr.,
Outlook: The Whippets area of strength is definitely their strokes, which consist of the backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. They have more than enough depth in those areas. They will need some of that to translate over to freestyle. What was extremely impressive about watching Downingtown West practice was their level of team unity. Whether you talked to coach Eric Snooks, or the captains, they all preached the same word, family. “It really is the one word we try to incorporate and foster. They approach it as a family, they work as a family, they go to meets as a family, and they build off of each other in that way,’ Snooks said.
Prediction: It really was remarkable how close the Whippets team was. Captains Pete Herilhey, Billy Borda, and Matt Jung all shared examples of how it has helped this team grow. “Two years ago we raced Downingtown East, and they definitely had a much better team, but everyone was cheering and standing beside the pool cheering and it set us on a roll and the meet was so close it came down to the final race,’ Herilhey. “It’s unbelievable,’ Jung said. “Normally they say you can’t really hear anything underwater but you can hear everyone screaming and it gives you that extra boost.’ When you hear those accounts from the captains, the sky is the limit for this spirited Downingtown West squad.
West Chester East
Bethann Carozza (1st season)
Last season: 5-5
Key Swimmers: Drew McQuiston Sr., James Kirkby, So., Lazlo Basko, Fr.
Outlook: The Vikings strongest asset is their numbers. They have had one of their largest teams in quite some time. That being said, they lost a lot of talented seniors to graduation. They are a young and hungry team. “I think this is a very unque team,’ Carozza said. “They have a lot of numbers which is good, because we lost a lot of senior swimmers last year.’
Prediction: The Vikings are one of the biggest teams in the Ches-Mont League. They have a chance to use that to their advantage. If they can gain some productivity from their younger swimers like Kirkby, and Basko, and tie that in with the experience of McQuiston they will be a competitive team this year.
West Chester Henderson
Jeff Bott (21st season)
Last season: 4-5
Key Swimmers: Jared Fruwirth, So., Brendan Smith So., Luke Pennington, Sr., Tommy Schmidt, Sr.
Outlook: The Warriors are starting to develop a strong balance between leadership and youth. They are strong in the diving portion, and return swimmers Jared Fruwirth and Brendan Smith who had strong freshman seasons. “We have guys that went to districts coming back, and we also have some young swimmers coming in,’ Bott said. “They are all coming together and really working hard. I am really looking forward to seeing how they do this season.’
Prediction: They will be better than last year. Their younger swimmers will continue to improve as the season unfolds. If they can stay healthy, and balanced in all of the different events they have a shot to be 6 or 7 win team. They have the coaching and the tools to do it.
Ches-Mont American Division
Great Valley
Joe Bradley (1st season)
Last season: 6-5
Key Swimmers: Gordon Hyduke, So., Alex Neff, Sr., Robin Zhang, Sr., Nick Cave, Fr.
Outlook: It will be tough for the Patriots to replace a swimmer like Colin McNamara but a strong freshman class is a great start. Their biggest areas of strength are probably the backstroke and the butterfly. They possess a lot of versatility. They are an athletic team, which means they can plug a lot of different swimmers in a lot of different events. They will certainly need it because they lack depth. “They are a seasoned group,’ coach Joe Bradley said. “They are really looking forward to the postseason. Medaling at Districts would be a great goal for this team.’
Prediction: The Patriots have the talent, and they have the youth too. It is always a scary situation when the numbers are not there. Swimmers can get injured, sick, etc. and it can leave teams in tough spots for meets. They make up for it with their talent. If they can stay healthy they have shot to make some noise come postseason time.
Kennett
Aaron Shepherd (5th season)
Last season: 2-8
Key Swimmers: John Libert Jr., PJ O’Sullivan, Sr., Jacob Goudie, Liam Warren, Emlis Jurcik, Fr, Aodhan Gorman, Jr.
Outlook: The Blue Demons are very thin in numbers. They do return John Libert who finished 7th in the state in the 100 meter butterfly last winter. They did not lose anyone to graduation, but they still face a tough task with such a limited roster. “They have a great ability to work together,’ Shepherd said. “They love to compete together, and they really thrive off of each other.
Prediction: They are going to be tested a lot over the course of the season. With tough teams like Unionville, and Rustin on the schedule, they will need to hang tough and stick together. If they can find a way to get passed the numbers issue, they can be a good team.
Oxford
Brandon Hargraves (5th season)
Last season: 0-9
Key Swimmers: Jeb Darhower, Fr., Mark Santangelo, Sr., Mikael Axelsson, So.
Outlook: Only having four swimmers in 2013 made for a challenging season for the Hornets. With more numbers this year this Oxford team will be more competitive. They will rely on the senior leadership of Mark Santangelo. “We have nowhere to go put up,’ Hargraves said. “This is a new program and we are starting to increase in numbers, we are getting better each day.’
Prediction: Hargraves is right, the good news they can only go up from the previous season. They will too. He is a coach that will turn their program around, and they have more than double the swimmers they had in 2013. They need to gain some production from their younger swimmers and they will grab a few wins.
Unionville
Bill Gordon (2nd season)
Last season: 6-4
Key swimmers: Greg Buckley, Sr., Liam Callahan Fr., Harrison Bass, Fr., Kyle Garvey, So., Nicholas Yang, So.
Outlook: The Indians are a very young team. 15 of their 19 swimmers are either freshman or sophomores. They will be led by senior Greg Buckley. “We are very young,’ Gordon said. “I am really looking forward to working with this team and seeing how they can develop.’
Prediction: They are a young team, but they do have some solid talent. The Indians picked up a very talented freshman class. They will find themselves in a tough Ches-Mont League but if they can develop ahead of schedule they can be as good as next year, if not better.
West Chester Rustin
Andrew Austria (1st season)
Last season: 9-0
Key Swimmers: Tyler Cummings, Sr., Brenden Yoo, Sr., Steven DeWitt, Sr., Brandon Hontz, So., Nick Villone, Jr., Dan Gress, Fr.
Outlook: The Golden Knights are coming off of their second straight undefeated season. With a core group of seniors made up of Tyler Cummings, Brenden Yoo, and Steven DeWitt they have an excellent chance of continuing their dominance in the Ches-Mont League in 2014. While they did lose some swimmers to graduation, they have a strong class of incoming freshman, ready to step in and contribute. “We lost a few guys last year, but we are picking up a couple freshman who are pretty good,’ Austria said. “I think we are pretty spread out in events that we can continue to have success, and hopefully win the Ches-Mont again.’
Prediction: As with a handful of other teams, Rustin has depth and they have a strong freshman class. That being said it is unknown just how fast they can step in and make an impact. Austria is a great coach and he will have his team ready to go. With great coaching, leadership, and youth, look for the Golden Knights to defend their undefeated record.
Central League
Conestoga
Mark Tirone (21st season)
Last season: 11-0, Central League Champions
Key Swimmers: Ryan McKenrick, So., Kevin Jay, Jr., Chris Wang, Sr., Alan Shen, Sr.
Outlook: The Pioneers lost three state-qualifying swimmers to graduation. It is no question they will have a tough time covering for them. They do have some upperclassmen swimmers returning, such as Chris Wang, and Alan Shen. “We lost some really good swimmers,’ coach Mark Tirone said. “We are still going to have some depth, that will be our strength this season.’
Prediction: Radnor will be their biggest challenge in the Central League. If they can develop some of their younger swimmers, they will have a great chance to win the league.
Inter-Ac
Malvern Prep
Jay Schiller (3rd season)
Last season: 9-0, Inter-Ac Champions
Key Swimmers: Brandon Fronczak, Sr., Billy Beard, Jr., Aaron Salinas, Jr., Zach Maher, So., Will Schaffer, Jr., David Laneppi, Sr., Dan Waterland Fr.
Outlook: The Friars lost a few swimmers to graduation but there is still a lot of talent on their roster. They return Ohio State bound Brandon Fronczak who will lead this unit his senior season. They have a good amount of depth, and should be covered in most events. They worked out in Florida which will help them get off to a fast start. “We have amazing team depth. We are very strong in every event,’ coach Jay Schiller said. ” We graduated a great class of senior that we will miss, so we will need to replace them in the championship meets. We feel good about our chances, and we’re excited to see what we can do.
Prediction: Malvern Prep should win the Inter-Ac again. Their only real threat is the Haverford School. They have a great core of seniors, and their younger swimmers seem to be coming along ahead of schedule. Look to see this team competing in the postseason, and being just as lethal as they were a year ago.
Girls
Ches-Mont National
Avon Grove
Kelly Burk (6th season)
Last season: 5-5
Key Swimmers: Carly Perkins, Sr., (fifth in states at diving) Emma Brinton, So., (states), Natalie Slupe, So.
Outlook: Avon Grove has a strong group of talent coming back. Carly Perkins returns for her senior season, she finished fifth in the state last season in diving. Emma Brinton also made states in her freshman season. She will be a huge piece to their success in 2014. They also added some depth with a strong freshman class. Most likely the toughest challenge they face is determining which race each swimmer can contribute in the most. “It is going to be about trying to figure out what events each swimmer will do, and figure out the best way to win meets,’ coach Burk said.
Prediction: The Red Devils have a chance to be the most improved team in 2014. They are young and talented. If their top swimmers can compete at a high echelon all season they will find themselves towards the top of the Ches-Mont League.
Bishop Shanahan
Ray Lease (4th season)
Last season: 7-3
Key Swimmers: Emily Fanning, Jr., Peyton Griffin, Jr., Megan Kowalski, Sr., Caitlin Stack, Sr., Julia Trudel, Sr.
Outlook: The Eagles lost a lot of swimmers to graduation, but their team will be replenished by a strong junior class. Their depth is a key reason why they are able to cycle through swimmers and not skip a beat from last season. They also will improve in the diving portion which is an area they have not been strong in the past. “This team has great team spirit,’ coach Ray Lease said. “I really think their camaraderie will help them and go a long way.’
Prediction: It is always tough to predict how a team will bounce back when they lose as many swimmers as Shanahan did to graduation. Their season really will rely on the junior class, and
if they can step up and take charge. Their solid team chemistry will definitely help take off any pressure of doing that. The warm and positive vibe of the team will give them just enough to excel in the Ches-Mont. Look to see them with a record close to 2013.
Coatesville
David Morris (21st season)
Last season: 2-9
Key Swimmers: Savannah Madonna, Sr., Alex Barnhart, Sr.
Outlook: The Red Raiders will be small in numbers this season. They had a bit of a rebuilding year in 2013, and it looks to carry over into 2014. They have some young talent that will help them compete. This is a year for their team to find themselves, and gain experience. Their area of strength will be their diving. If some of the underclassmen can step up, do not be surprised to see this team pull off an upset or two.
Prediction: There is a lot of good competition in the Ches-Mont this season. Wins will be hard to come by for this young Coatesville team, but they will continue to make progress and they are a scrappy team. “There is a lot of youth; there is a lot of hope. We are going to continue to rebuild this team so we can have a successful future,’ coach David Morris said.
Downingtown East
Janet Bright (11th season)
Last season: 5-5
Key Swimmers: Chase Umberger, Jr., Courtney Siverling, Sr.
Outlook: Graduation will be the Cougars worst enemy this upcoming season. Downingtown East roughly lost about half their swimmers to graduation last year. It will be very difficult to fill that void. But out with the old, and in with the new. This team is getting a very strong freshman class in 2014. It could not have come a better time. “We have about 10 new swimmers this year,’ Bright said. “That made me so happy to see because in the past we have not had that many numbers come in. Two years ago we only had two new swimmers. So this will be good for us.’
Prediction: This Cougars team will be one of the most unpredictable teams in 2014. They have a lot of new faces, and with them come a lot of unknown variables. How will they handle their first high school season? Can they stay healthy? Can they produce in high pressure meets? Bright is a great coach and she will have this young team ready to take on the season. If they can stay at 5-5 and continue to grow, it would be a successful season.
Downingtown West
Eric Snook (12th season)
Last season: 6-4
Key swimmers: Lexi Rauth, Jr., Meghan Keithly, Jr.
Outlook: The Whippets return state qualifier Meghan Keithly who will be a big part of their success. Just like the boys, the girls team possess quite a bit of depth. The only difference is they have it in freestyle too. They are a very diverse and athletic team, so they have a bunch of different swimmers who can do a bunch of different things. Also like the boys, they have great team camaraderie. Snooks and the captains have done a good job uniting the boys and the girls teams and making them one Downingtown West unit. Captains Madison MacQueen, Lauren Thatcher, Lexi Rauth, Hannah Ellingsworth really want to make sure this team stays confident and positive. “I think it is something we are getting respected for now,’ MacQueen said. “People know when Downingtown West comes they are always on the pool deck, cheering and pulling for our teammates.’ “I really noticed it my sophomore year when I was injured,’ Thatcher said. “You could see how positive the team was and how motivated we were for each other.’
Prediction: Depth is something that is hard to find these days. With swimmers getting injured, or racing for club teams, numbers are nothing to take for granted. When you combine the skill of swimmers like Keithly and the leadership of MacQueen and Thatcher, Downingtown West has a great chance to improve from their 6-4 record last season.
West Chester East
Bethann Carozza (1st season)
Last season: 6-4
Key Swimmers: Carolyn Metcalf, Sr., Amy Barrett, So., Ann Carozza, Fr.
Outlook: West Chester East has a great group of upfront swimmers. Between Metcalf, Barrett and Carozza, they will have a chance to win a lot of races. They will need their back end to pull through if they want to translate that into meet victories. The Vikings are solid in freestyle, backstroke and butterfly. “I think this team will be better,’ Metcalf said. “We have a lot of experienced swimmers coming into the season. I think we can be pretty good.’
Prediction: The biggest area for concern will be their breaststroke. If they can find that missing piece to the puzzle, they will be a top team in 2014. Regardless they have talent and the opportunity to take many first places in meets. Expect the Vikings to be better than there 6-4 record from a year ago.
West Chester Henderson
Jeff Bott (21st season)
Last season: 9-0
Key Swimmers: Rachel Hazard, So., Maddie Hendricks, Sr., Madeline Schaeffer, Sr., Abby Kosic, Jr., Olivia Cotellesse, So., Rebecca Fuller, Sr.
Outlook: Henderson’s swimming team resembles their track and cross country programs. Every time they lose a strong class to graduation, they have athletes who can step right in and fill their shoes. This team is no different. They have depth across the board and look to defend their Ches-Mont title. “I think for us it is going to be a work in progress putting depth together and trying to get scoring throughout the lineup, that is not easy,’ Bott said. “We lost a lot of experience swimmers, so we have some things we need to work on. But this is a really hard working group and I am really excited to see what they can do.’
Prediction: It is almost a given that the Warriors will be competing for the Ches-Mont crown. They have excellent senior talent in swimmers like Maddie Hendricks, Madeline Schaeffer, and Rebecca Fuller. They will be battle tested from some tough, scrappy teams in the Ches-Mont, but they are the odds on favorite to win the league.
Ches-Mont American
Great Valley
Joe Bradley (1st season)
Last season: 5-6
Key Swimmers: Courtney Cortese, Sr., Kelsey Bartlet, So., Erica Dougherty, So., Becca Choi, Fr.
Outlook: They best part of Patriots’ team comes in the fact that they only lost one senior to graduation. Essentially their entire team is returning. They picked up a few strong freshman to add to an already talented roster. “They are a very talented, young team,’ Bradley said. “We have girls who can win races in almost every event.’
Prediction: Patriots are definitely a top team in 2014. Between the experience from Courtney Cortese, and young swimmers like Kelsey Bartlet, Erica Dougherty, and Becca Choi, they can do some damage. The biggest question mark is will everything fall in place and the young swimmers meet the high expectations. Look for them to have a memorable 2014 season.
Kennett
Aaron Shepherd (5th season)
Last season: 3-7
Key Swimmers: Amalija Jurcik, Sr., Lauren Hauptfchion, Jr., Amanda Haid, Jr., Bailey Reigel, Jr., Jillian Baxter, Sr, Emily Becker, So.
Outlook: The Blue Demons have most of their talent returning in 2014. They suffered a few heartbreaking losses a year ago, but it has made them a better unit this offseason. They have a little bit more depth, and they have talent in all different strokes. “I see how hard these girls work together,’ Shepherd. “They really bring the best out of each other. They critique each other, they push each other, and it really makes them better swimmers.’
Prediction: They should definitely be better than they were a season ago. With a nice core of leadership and chemistry they will be a team that surprises a few schools over the course of the winter. They are much better than 2013’s record indicates. Look to find this team floating around the 5-5 mark.
Oxford
Brandon Hargraves (5th season)
Last season: 1-8
Key Swimmers: Morgan Curl (states) So., Kasey Busko, Sr., Maddy Anthony, Sr.
Outlook: The Hornets have a great cast of swimmers. Morgan Curl returns after coming off an impressive state qualifying freshman year. They will rely on the leadership of seniors Kasey Busko, and Maddy Anthony. “They are good kids,’ Hargraves said. “They really dedicate themselves and work hard. They are polite, display excellent sportsmanship. It is a team that is great in and out of the pool.’
Prediction: This is hardworking bunch who will give their Ches-Mont foes everything they can handle. Unfortunately for the Hornets they are stacked up against some really talented teams in their division. If they can gain some production from their younger swimmers they can build off of 2013.
Unionville
Bill Gordon (2nd season)
Last season: 9-1
Key swimmers: Laura Barthold, Sr., Molly Wentz, Sr., Kaite Garvey, Sr., Lauren Stabler, Sr., Maura Grimes, So., Caroline Mayks, Fr.
Outlook: There really is no other way to put it but this team is going to be really, really good. They only lost one meet in 2013, and they only lost two swimmers to graduation. They return 10 district qualifiers. They will be led by a great crop of seniors, including Laura Bartholdi, who made it to states in two individual events her junior season. “We are well covered in all of the events,’ Gordon said. “I think we have a really good team. They work hard, and I can’t wait to see what they can do this year.’
Prediction: They will be the team to beat in the Ches-Mont American, no doubt. They are experienced, talented, and have a really good base. The Indians will be a team that will be brought up a lot when the postseason comes around.
West Chester Rustin
Andrew Austria (1st season)
Last season: 7-2
Key Swimmers: Megan Koczur, So., Juliet McGlaughlin, Sr., Amber Hontz, Sr., Mollie Cholden, Sr., Madison Breiner, Fr.
Outlook: The girls’ team has a lot in common with the boys. They have a strong balance between their experience and their youth. They will be led by Juliet McGlaughlin, Mollie Cholden, and Amber Hontz but they also picked up a key freshman in Madison Breiner who swims the 500m, which is an area the Golden Knights were looking to improve. “Hopefully we can build off of last year’s record. I think we are spread out in a lot of different events. We have a lot of numbers, around 36 swimmers,’ Austria said.
Prediction: The overwhelming numbers will obviously be the Golden Knights’ strongest suit. They are pretty talented in the relays and sprints. There biggest issue will be picking up thirds, and fourths on top of their first and second place finishes so they can separate themselves in meets. Look for them to be a top contender of the Ches-Mont League.
Central League
Conestoga
Rob Kirkby (26th season)
Last season: 11-0, Central League Champions
Key Swimmers: Amber Zimmerman, Sr., Caroline Apathy, So., Laura McClintick, Sr., Madison Ledwith, Fr.
Outlook: The Pioneers are returning a great group of seniors. They have experience, and a history of winning. They have excellent coaching, and picked up a great freshman in Madison Ledwith. “We have a returning core of experienced swimmers, lead by Amber Zimmerman and Caroline Apathy, both State qualifying swimmers last year. Along with the other experienced upperclassman, we should have a great season,’ coach Rob Kirkby said.
Prediction: Unless something crazy happens, the Pioneers should win the Central League again. They have youth, and experience. They have talent in all different strokes. They should be just as good as they were in 2013, if not better.
AACA
Villa Maria
Cathy Hay (15th season)
Last season: 11-0, AACA Champions, Four-Time PIAA Class AA State Champions
Key Swimmers: Emily Cornell, Jr., Julie Dobson, Sr., Olivia Giamietro, So., Maura McManus, So.
Outlook: Emily Cornell is coming off of her second-place finish in 100 backstroke in the PIAA Class AA state championships a season ago. She also has an Olympic trial qualifying time. As the Hurricanes go for their fifth straight state title, they will be led by their sophomores and juniors. “We are very deep this year,’ coach Cathy Hay said. “We only lost one swimmer to graduation, we have great freshman class, and we are really excited to compete for a fifth straight title.’
Prediction: It is hard to say a team that won the state championship will be better than their previous season. However that is the case for this Villa Maria team. They are deep, they are balanced, they are skilled, they are well coached. Baring some wild upset, it is hard envision a scenario where this team does not make it five straight championships.
