Martin, Resweber were record-setters at Strath Haven
In addition to Daily Times Swimmers of the Year Maddie Hart and Matt Haigh, the rest of the All-Delco team includes:
Summer Martin, Strath Haven: The premier sprinter from a crowded field this season, Martin displayed the breadth of her freestyle talents in the postseason. Instead of swimming in the 50 free like last year, Martin shifted to the 200, finishing fourth at the District One Class AAA Championships, then seventh at states, her time of one minute, 52.79 seconds second fastest in Delco. The 100 is where she really made her mark, though, three times tying or breaking the county record, which had stood since 1988. Her best time, 51.70 seconds, earned seventh at the PIAA Championships. Martin also anchored two relays that qualified for states.
Frances Resweber, Strath Haven: The junior two-time selection had already established herself as the county’s best distance swimmer, credentials she set in stone by claiming fifth at states in 1:51.37, upending Brenda Borgh’s county record from 1977. At districts, Resweber finished second in the 200 free and won gold in the 500. At states, she qualified for the A finals in both events. Her 500 time was slightly slower than last season, but she advanced her placement from 10th to third. Resweber also helped propel Strath Haven’s freestyle relays to states, both squads making consolation finals.
Sarah Baturka, Episcopal Academy: The junior and 2013 girls Swimmer of the Year reasserted herself this season, showing her depth at the Eastern Interscholastic Championships. She eschewed the 50 free in favor of the 200 individual medley, in which she finished second in 2:08.42. She added a silver medal in the 100 breaststroke, clocking in at 1:06.21, and gold as part of EA’s medley relay. Her prelims times in both individual events (2:06.28 and 1:06.06, respectively) stand as the fastest in Delco. Baturka’s relay split of 23.37 to anchor the 200 free relay that took third at Easterns was also fastest in Delco.
Emma Seiberlich, Episcopal Academy: The reigning girls swimmer of the year appeared on pace for a repeat performance before Hart’s stellar finish. Seiberlich won both the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke at Easterns. The latter downed the three-year-old county record of three-time Daily Times Swimmer of the Year Emily Baturka in 55.28 seconds, while she was within .02 seconds of Emily Rhodes’ county record in the 100 fly, winning that event in 54.80. (Both records were bested by Hart at states.) The sophomore, who has qualified for the 2016 Olympic Team Trials, also helped EA win the medley relay and earn bronze in the 200 free relay.
Julia Cullen, Radnor: The freshman burst onto the scene, returning from states with three finals swims and a medal. She announced her presence at the Central League championships, getting the better of eventual PIAA champ Hart in the 100 fly. She booked two tickets to states by finishing third at districts in the 100 fly and tying Martin for fifth in the 100 free in a Delco-record time of 51.94. Cullen would lower that time once en route to 11th at states, and she took home bronze in the 100 fly. Cullen was a big part of the Raiders’ undefeated run to a Central League title, and she helped the Raiders’ medley relay finish 13th at states.
Marin Bloise, Agnes Irwin: A three-time All-Delco, Bloise again proved herself to be the class of the diving field. She won the Inter-Ac title with a six-dive tally of 274.40 points, bettering her school record. At Easterns, Bloise claimed a fifth career medal and second straight title, accumulating a score of 459.45 that was 12 points ahead of her club training partner and classmate, Kara Madey of Episcopal Academy. Bloise will continue her diving career at Rutgers.
Ben Baturka, Episcopal Academy: A three-time All-Delco selection, Baturka honed in on his areas of specialty this season. His time of 1:42.67 in the 200 free won the B final at Easterns, then he took fourth in the 100 back in 51.44. Both times represent the second-quickest in the county. Baturka’s quick backstroke leg helped EA win the Easterns B final of the medley relay, while he brought home the 400 free relay in ninth.
Charlie Ryan, Haverford School: The sophomore was head and shoulders the county’s top individual medleyist. He finished sixth in the event at Easterns, clocking in at 1:53.95, the fastest time in the county. Ryan also finished fifth in the 100 back with a time of 51.87 seconds that was third-quickest in Delco. Ryan split a 47.00 on the Fords’ 400 freestyle relay, which placed fourth at Easterns in a Delco record of 3:06.34 that dashed by almost two seconds the record that had stood since 2012 and punctuated a second-place team finish for the Fords, the best in school history.
Alex Boratto, Haverford School: The freshman showed flashes of promise last season, but blossomed in his first high school campaign. Boratto claimed the 100 back title at Easterns, confidently swimming away from the field by over a second in recording a time of 49.85 that was easily the fastest in Delco. He also finished fifth in the 100 fly at Easterns in 51.06, the second-quickest time in the county, and medaled with the Fords’ medley (sixth) and county record-setting 400 free (fourth) relays. Testifying to his talent, Boratto, not regarded as a sprinter, posted the quickest 50 free time (21.74) in the county, as well as a stellar split of 45.49 seconds on the 400 free relay.
Waylon Jin, Episcopal Academy: The senior proved he could do a little of everything. At Easterns, he was eighth in the 100 fly in 51.53 seconds, the fourth-fastest time in the county, but he hit his stride in the 100 breast, where his time of 57.83 seconds was good for fifth at Easterns and the quickest time in the county by over two seconds. The Brown signee also turned in a stellar split of 47.79 seconds in the 400 free relay that finished ninth.
Eli Avart, Radnor: The only PIAA competitor on the boys team, Avart accounted for two of the three individual finals swims among Delco boys at the PIAA Championships. He medaled twice at the District One Championships, taking silver in the 100 fly and seventh in the 100 back. Avart claimed fifth at states in fly with a time of 50.74 seconds and 15th in back. Avart’s best fly time of 50.57 is the quickest in the county. His 100 back time is fourth, as is his flat-start 50 free time of 21.90 from states that helped the Raiders finish 12th in the 200 free relay. Avart will continue his career at East Carolina.
Josh Owsiany, Episcopal Academy: The four-time All-Delco capped arguably the most storied diving career in Delco history in style with his fifth Easterns title. In the process, Owsiany improved on his county record from last season with a ludicrous total of 596.35 points. He also downed Josh Bonner’s six-dive county mark by scoring 368.55 in a dual meet Jan. 20. Owsiany, who will continue his career at Duke, added a fifth straight Inter-Ac League title to start the postseason. Making those accolades all the more special is the fact that he finished 1-2 at Easterns with his younger brother, Andrew, a junior.
