Germantown Academy sinks against Malvern Prep
MALVERN — For years, the annual dual meet between the swim teams from Germantown Academy and Malvern Prep was one of the most competitive rivalries in area scholastic sports.
And the meet unquestionably is one of the oldest in the Delaware Valley.
For over 30 years, the teams have squared off in Inter-Ac competition. Whenever the Patriots and the Friars are in the pool together, they bring out the best in each other. However, close team scores have not been the norm in recent years.
Two years ago, GA won the showdown by 45 points. Last year, Malvern Prep emerged victorious with a 62-point margin of victory. This year, Malvern stayed on top. On Thursday afternoon, the Friars scored 35 more points than the Patriots when they logged a 106-71 league win.
The momentum was so firmly entrenched in the Friars’ camp that they didn’t allow a Germantown Academy swimmer to touch first in any event.
The Patriots’ top finishers were Kashta Davis, Andrew DeFriece, Tommy Whitman and Chris Hayburn. Davis led the way with a runner-up finish in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 22.79 and a second-place finish in the 100 freestyle with a clocking of 50.37.
“My 50 free was good — especially since I’m not feeling well,’ said Davis, a Patriot junior. “I’ve had the flu all week. We’ve been working on my starts and they felt good overall today. And, my walls were good. It’s a work-in-progress.
“I also swam a strong split in the 200 free relay and the 100 free felt really good. My time was all right. It’s up there with my best this season. I stayed with the Malvern kid (Magnus Sims) and then gave it everything I had in the last 25.’
DeFriece, who wasn’t swimming his main events, touched second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 57.14 and placed third in the 200 IM at 2:03.54.
“I’m leaving tonight for New Jersey because I’m competing in a big three-day meet with my club team,’ said DeFriece. “So I didn’t swim my main events today.’
DeFriece’s main events are the 200 and 500 freestyle races. He will be competing in both — and about six other events — from Friday to Sunday at Rutgers University in the Berkeley Aquatics Club’s 23rd Annual Winter Long Course Swim Meet, which also is known as the Cera Ve Invitational.
“My IM was all right today,’ said DeFriece, a sophomore. “It’s a decent time. My freestyle felt pretty good in it. In the 100 back, I had my fastest time in dual meets this season so I’m happy.’
Whitman was third in the 500 freestyle with a clocking of 5:02.49 and also placed fourth in the 200 free with a time of 1:54.21, while Hayburn touched third in the 100 backstroke at 58.22.
“My time in the 500 free was pretty good — just a little off my best,’ said Whitman, a GA sophomore. “I just tried to stay with the two Malvern guys (Chris Cary and David Lanetti).
“I hung with them and then I died a little at the end. With 100 left, I started to get tired. My race in the 200 free was OK. I tried to take it out hard and 1:54 isn’t a bad time.’
The Patriots also were third to touch in the 400 freestyle relay when Andrew Karr, DeFriece, Whitman and Davis combined for a time of 3:25.11.
Malvern Prep 106, Germantown Academy 71
200-yard medley relay – Malvern Prep (Schaffer, Salinas, Cary, Maher) 1:38.86; 200 freestyle — Beard (M) 1:45.99; 200 IM — Schaffer (M) 1:55.29; 50 freestyle — Salinas (M) 22.43; diving — Whitlock (M) 241.30; 100 butterfly — Beard (M) 52.10; 100 freestyle — Sims (M) 49.46; 500 freestyle – Cary (M) 4:55.40; 200 freestyle relay – Malvern Prep (Beard, Maher, Fronczak, Salinas) 1:92.91; 100 backstroke — Schaffer (M) 52.07; 100 breaststroke — Salinas (M) 1:00.66; 400 freestyle relay – Malvern Prep (Fronczak, Schaffer, Cary, Beard) 3:20.42.
