State psych sheets don’t count out Radnor

Even for a veteran coach like Radnor’s Tom Robinson, Sunday involved a unique preponderance of fine-print regulations and haranguing.

The release of time qualifiers for the PIAA Championships triggered a confounding quest for the Raiders’ boys 400 freestyle relay squad.

The list of at-large qualifiers, which admits eight relays (or 16 individuals) per event with the fastest times outside of the automatic berths allotted for district placements, revealed Radnor to be on the wrong side of the cut. Its time of 3 minutes, 13.59 seconds was designated the first alternate in ninth.

That surprised Robinson, who meticulously monitors meets across the state to determine his swimmers’ standings. His math, accounting for each district meet, placed Radnor eighth, a message he shared at practice Sunday morning. The team of Greg Giannella, James El-Deiry, Steven Chen and Patrick Cullen finished sixth at the District One Championships, putting them first in line from the district to nab an at-large.

The PIAA’s findings differed. But a quick inspection revealed a mistake. The top time qualifier is McDowell, of District 10, listed at 3:09.44. That matches the automatic qualification time for Erie Cathedral Prep, also of District 10.

Also included in the at-large berths, occupying the seventh spot, is another McDowell of District 10 with a time of 3:11.67. Since there’s only one McDowell in District 10 and Pennsylvania, Robinson reasoned, it must be a duplicate pushing Radnor from its deserved eighth spot.

Armed with that information, Robinson assembled the evidence. McDowell and Erie Cathedral Prep did indeed tie for the District 10 title Saturday in Geneva, Ohio, at 3:09.44. More pertinently, they tied for the district’s lone automatic states bid. For how to proceed, we refer to the PIAA Championship Memorandum: “In the event of a tie for any Districts automatic qualifier,” it reads, “a swim-off shall take place at the District Meet to determine the advancer.”

Erie Cathedral Prep won that swim off in 3:08.83, McDowell coming in second in 3:11.67, as reflected by media reports that day. But the second time was erroneously entered into states consideration as distinct from McDowell’s official result. (Neither time is used for states purposes except as a tiebreaker.)

Swim off win by prep!! pic.twitter.com/DXmNLFbQwj

— Robert L Maholic (@Robert_Maholic) March 5, 2016

Those events left Robinson scrambling to prove Radnor’s case and assuage the concerns of his swimmers, whom he started preparing earlier in the day for states.

“We had practice this morning, so when I came home and got online, I’d already told them they’re in because I did all the research and homework,” Robinson said. “I was worried that they’re going to look at this and think they’re not in.”

Robinson passed his findings on to Bill Bartle, the Director of Athletics at North Penn High School and the District One Swimming co-Chair, and Bartle handed them off to the PIAA. Sunday’s psych sheets are unofficial until Monday at noon, normally filling this Sunday with minor maneuvering like swimmers scratching from races or weighing medal hopes in individual events vs. relays.

The relay wasn’t Radnor’s only tiebreaker quirk of the day, though the other was mercifully simpler. Giannella finished sixth in the 50 free at districts in 21.89 seconds. That put him level with Jared Byrne of District 3’s Penn Manor. But Giannella advanced via a quicker seed time, per PIAA bylaws. Giannella entered with a seed of 21.97, bettering Byrne’s 22.10.

Intrigue aside, 18 states swims were earned by Delco swimmers Sunday. Giannella qualified in two events, the 50 and 100 free. Penncrest’s teammates Daniel Rosenberger and Mike Paul both qualified in the 200 free, while distance specialists Will Resweber of Strath Haven and Collin Pettit of Haverford booked trips in the 500.

Both of Strath Haven’s girls freestyle relays sweated it out to make states, while Haverford did likewise with the medley and 400 free. Ridley’s Gab Rudy (200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke) earned two swims via at-larges, as did Delco Christian’s Alex McKeaney in the Class AA 50 and 100 free.

The PIAA Championships start next week at Bucknell University. Class AAA competes Wednesday and Thursday, March 16-17, with the Class AA meet following Friday and Saturday.

Full list of Delco states participants

Class AAA

Radnor boys 200 medley relay, 200 free relay
Mike Paul, Penncrest, 200 free*
Daniel Rosenberger, Penncrest, 200 free*
James El-Deiry, Radnor, 200 IM
Greg Giannella, Radnor, 50 free,* 100 free*
Will Canny, Haverford, diving
Collin Pettit, Haverford, 500 free*
Will Resweber, Strath Haven, 500 free*
Radnor girls medley relay
Frances Resweber, Strath Haven, 200 free, 500 free
Summer Martin, Strath Haven, 200 free, 100 free*
Hanna Blewett, Cardinal O’Hara, 50 free, 100 free
Claire Walsh, Penncrest, 50 free, 100 free
Maddie Hart, Haverford, 100 fly, 100 back
Julia Cullen, Radnor, 100 fly, 100 free*
Kyle Swanick, Cardinal O’Hara, 100 fly
Cardinal O’Hara girls 200 free relay
Julia Boyle, Cardinal O’Hara, 100 back
Julia Colizzo, Penncrest, 100 back*
Georgia Apostolu, Springfield, 100 back, 200 IM*
Haverford girls 200 medley relay,* 400 free relay*
Gab Rudy, Ridley, 200 IM,* 100 breast*
Camille Jablonski, Strath Haven, 200 IM*
Liz Olszewski, Strath Haven, 100 fly*
Strath Haven girls 200 free relay,* 400 free relay*

Class AA

Julia Dellaratta, Archbishop Carroll, 100 fly
Alex McKeaney, Delco Christian, 50 free, * 100 free*
Archbishop Carroll boys 200 medley relay
Luke McDevitt, Bonner & Prendergast, 200 free
John Ellis, Bonner & Prendergast, 200 IM
Sincere Gibbs, Archbishop Carroll, 100 fly, 100 back
Luke McDevitt, Bonner & Prendergast, 100 free
Bonner & Prendergast boys 200 free relay, 400 free relay

* indicates at-large time qualifier