Shanahan’s Nguyen repeats at districts; Conestoga wins 2 golds

PHILADELPHIA >> There’s something so right about defending the crown.
One season after capturing a gold medal in the 100 butterfly on the opening day of districts, Bishop Shanahan senior Olivier Nguyen wasn’t quite ready to lose his title.

“I knew the competition would be a lot tougher this time around,” he said after posting a 53.62 Friday for first place. “So I kept my focus and worked really hard to get back to this point and be seeded where I was.”

Nguyen defended his title in grand fashion, bettering the field by nearly three seconds to take first place in the 100 fly at La Salle University’s Kirk Natatorium on Friday afternoon.

“I wasn’t focused so much on the guys around me,” he said. “My main focus was to better last year’s time and move on.”

But still, a gold medal never hurts.

“Winning this twice is really awesome,” he said. “To be able to go home and put this with last year’s medal — it’s special.”

Nguyen also swam a leg of Bishop Shanahan’s 200 medley relay (1:45.03) and the 200 free relay (1:30.85), which both placed fourth.

Both relays consisted of Nguyen, Tom Powell, Trevor Kern and Ryan Wilson.
As the waves settled on the opening day of districts, Bishop Shanahan sits in seventh place in the AA rankings with 105 team points. Lower Moreland leads the way with 242 while Upper Moreland is in second with 150.

In AAA action, Conestoga is in third with 110 points, sitting behind North Penn (156) and Upper Dublin (144). Downingtown East is currently in seventh with 64.5 team points while Coatesville sits at No. 10 with 57 points.

Conestoga produced two gold medalists in Brian McKenrick and Brendan Burns at the conclusion of opening day.

Burns captured the 100 fly with a 50.08 as the freshman earned his first trip to states. McKenrick took first place in the 200 IM where he posted a 1:52.17.

On the day, McKenrick took home three medals. Also dangling alongside his gold medal were a bronze in the 200 free relay (1:27.03) and a fourth-place finish in the 200 medley relay (1:38.08), which Burns anchored.

“I feel like I’m at a really good point on the season,” said McKenrick. “I’m not shaved or tapered for this one, so to know that I can come here and post a 1:52.1 in the 100 fly, I’m really happy about that.”

Those good feelings started to kick in on the final stretch of his 200 IM.
“I came up on the backstroke and saw that I had a half-body’s length on the kid behind me,” he said. “I was so excited and so happy. That gave me even more energy for the finish.”

West Chester Henderson’s Jared Fruhwirth captured an eighth-place medal with a 1:58.27 in the 200 IM. Unionville’s Liam Callahan just missed a medal, finishing up at 1:58.80, but dropped over four seconds off his qualifying time.

In his first try at districts, Burns admits it’s an eye-opening experience.
“I didn’t expect any of this,” he said. “This whole meet is really surreal for me. I’m sort of learning on the fly and working to keep getting better.”

Burns narrowly edged Avon Grove’s Justin Carey (50.30) while Kennett’s John Libert took fourth at 51.44. Downingtown East’s Christopher Hincks also qualified for states, placing fifth at 51.48.

NOTES >> Shanahan’s Powell also took bonze in the 200 free (1:47.14). In AAA, Downingtown East’s Tommy Cestare placed third in the 50 free (21.44).