Malvern survives tough test for fourth straight Inter-Ac title
MALVERN >> In forecasting Wednesday’s meet, Will Schaffer knew what could be at stake by the time the 100 breaststroke rolled around.
The Malvern Prep swimmer recognized the strength of Haverford School’s backstroke contingent and identified that bend in the journey toward victory as potentially hazardous if the Fords entered with momentum.
So when given the chance to close out his Inter-Ac dual meet career with a flourish, Schaffer delivered emphatically.
He and Aaron Salinas scored a 1-2 result in the 100 breast, Schaffer’s winning time a tremendously quick 57.79 seconds, to surge the Friars to a 98-88 win.
“We found the score was really close, so this was going to be dependent on the breaststroke,” Schaffer said. “So we looked at each other and were like, ‘We’ve got this. We can 1-2 this.’ We gave it all we got and we came out with 1-2.”
The meet was effectively sealed by that race, a 12-4 margin in the penultimate event that busted open a 78-all tie and delivered an eight-point cushion entering the 400 freestyle relay. The Fords had a chance to prevail by claiming first and second in the final event, but the Friars’ team of Zach Maher, Louis Franzone, Brett Mastrangelo and John Connors confidently handled a challenge from the Fords’ split squads to see out the win.
The victory seals the Friars’ fourth straight unbeaten Inter-Ac title, comprising 20 straight league wins and christening a generation of Malvern Prep standouts never to taste defeat in a league dual meet.
Wednesday’s was one of the closest calls in that stretch, something that wasn’t lost on Schaffer.
Malvern takes care of business win the relay in 3:14.57. Friars win 98-88 https://t.co/EFcppdGVuX
— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) January 27, 2016
“It’s a relief,” he said. “Every year, it got closer and closer. My freshman year, we won it by a lot against Haverford. And every year, it got closer and closer.
“We knew this was our last meet. We beat all the other Inter-Ac schools, so Haverford was our last meet. We knew that we could win it if we gave it everything we got.”
Befitting the speed on display, the second half featured an intriguing a back-and-forth of monumental swings, each team throwing haymakers. Malvern led by eight heading into diving, but the deficit was halved by the Fords’ diving contingent, led by Alex Tyminski’s win.
The Fords (5-1, 4-1) soon mounted their back-half charge. After the team scores were even for the first two events — Charlie Ryan winning the 100 butterfly decisively in 51.38 seconds, then Billy Beard doubling up on his sprint triumphs over Alex Boratto with a wickedly fast 45.88 in the 100 free — the Fords started gaining in the 500 free.
Matt Haigh took the victory, dominating the field and coasting home in 4 minutes, 51.81 seconds to compound his 200 free win. But the surprise was delivered by Brian Brennan, who jumped up to second place with a time of 4:55.22, a personal-best by some 16 seconds. That shift nudged the Fords in front by two, with Ryan waiting in the wings for backstroke.
“It was a morale boost for the whole team,” Ryan said. “We saw that we got 1-2 and we could be ahead.”
The lead was short-lived thanks to Malvern’s relay triumph, Beard holding off Boratto by a tenth of a second despite the latter’s very quick 20.88 split on the anchor leg. But Ryan restored parity, clocking in at 52.29.
That only set the stage for Schaffer and Salinas. The latter, coming off an injury, set the early sprinter’s pace, though by the 50 wall, he was only ahead by .01 seconds on his teammate. That gave Schaffer room to turn on the jets in the third 25, and he pulled away to challenge a pool record at 57.79, Salinas chugging home to top Harrison White by .98 seconds.
“I knew (Aaron) was going to be fast,” Shaffer said. “So we went out for it and we knew we could get 1-2 if we gave it everything we got.”
As historic as the triumph was Wednesday, so was the sentiment that informed it. Schaffer and company didn’t forget the feeling of the Fords besting them at the Eastern Interscholastic Championships last February to grab the second place cup.
And you can bet that in three and a half weeks, the Fords will recall the disappointment of watching the Friars — coaches and all — take a celebratory dip at their expense.
“We look at as, they get in the pool and celebrate (now), we’ll get in the pool at Easterns and celebrate,” Ryan said.
Also in the Inter-Ac:
Episcopal Academy 102, Springside Chestnut Hill 18 >> Ben Baturka set a school record in 50.89 seconds to win the 100 fly and also posted a very quick 1:01.02 in the 100 breast for gold.
Sam Hawke (500 free), Schuyler Sices (200 free) and Cole Whitsett (100 back) added wins for EA.
In the Central League:
Conestoga 88, Garnet Valley 84 >> James Greek and Alex Mitchell were credited with wins in the 100 back and 100 breast, respectively, but the Pioneers were just too strong.
Ridley 106, Marple Newtown 79 >> The Green Raiders surged after diving, which was won by Gene Gibbons. Donnie Taziole won the 100 fly and 100 back, and Brett Korn claimed the 100 free for Ridley.
Dylan Keer won the 200 and 500 frees, and Johnny Truax claimed the 200 IM and 100 breast, Ron Feinberg made it an individual event sweep in the front half for Marple.
Girls Swimming
Allison Lee won the 100 back, Hadley DeBruyn won the 50 free and Sally Stockett claimed the 100 free as Episcopal Academy scored a 101-48 decision over Springside Chestnut Hill to clinch at least a share of the Inter-Ac title.
Heidi Zirnkilton claimed the 200 IM for EA, which can clinch the outright title Thursday against Notre Dame.
In the Central League:
Conestoga 110, Garnet Valley 72 >> Marissa Register led a 1-2 with Ashley Kovatch in diving, but Conestoga prevailed.
Jordan Stansfield won the 200 IM, Alexa Hipp claimed the 100 fly and Noelle DiClemente was quickest in the 100 free for GV.
Ridley 108, Marple Newtown 76 >> Gab Rudy got to the wall first in the 100 free and 100 breast, and Kiera Wadsworth joined her as a double winner via the 200 IM and 100 back as the Green Raiders rolled.
