Presenting the 2017-18 All-Main Line boys’ swimming teams

The 2017-18 Main Line high school boys’ swimming scene featured many strong teams this winter.
Conestoga (12-0 overall) was the Central League champion, followed by Haverford High (10-1) and Radnor (9-2).
Haverford School (6-0) won the Inter-Ac title and captured its first-ever Easterns championship. Malvern Prep placed fourth at Easterns and Episcopal Academy fifth.
In the Friends’ Schools League, Friends’ Central was champion for the 15th consecutive year. Shipley (5-1) also had some fine swimmers.
The All-Main Line high school boys’ swimming teams are selected by the coaches. Because Main Line Media News covers 19 high schools, the Main Line Media News sports staff limits the number of sports available to first team, second team and honorable mention – but follows the priority of the coaches’ selections.
What follows are the 2017-18 All-Main Line high school boys’ swimming teams:

FIRST TEAM
Brendan Burns, Conestoga – The PIAA state championship Swimmer of the Meet as well as the District 1 Swimmer of the Meet and the Chester County (Daily Local News) Boys’ Swimmer of the Year, Burns has earned 10 state medals to date, finishing first at States for the second year in a row in both the 100 butterfly (with a state-record 47.04) and 100 backstroke (school record 46.93). Also a member of the state medal-winning 200 medley relay and 400 free relay.
Kevin Ryle, Conestoga – Senior anchored the 400 free relay to a third-place finish at States; and was district medalist in 200 free (sixth) and 500 free (fourth) and was a member of the 400 free relay (fourth). Won the 200 free and 100 back at Central League Championships.
Oliver Brown, Conestoga – Senior was a key member of the state medal-winning 200 medley relay (third place) and 400 free relay (third). Was District 1 medalist in both 50 free (fifth) and 100 free (eighth). Was a consistent point-getter for the Pioneers, who went on to finish fifth as a team in the state, placing 14th in the 50 free and 17th in the 100 free in the PIAA 3A state championships.
Ivan Puskovitch, Episcopal Academy – Junior finished first in the 500 free at Easterns with an All-American and Delco record time of 4:27.35. Finished third at Easterns in the 200 individual medley, his time of 1:50.39 within a quarter-second of Brendan Hansen’s decades-old Delco mark. Also helped the EA 400 free relay finish fifth and the 200 free relay place eighth at Easterns, and was Inter-Ac champion in 200 IM and 500 free.
Cole Whitsett, Episcopal Academy – Sophomore placed fourth in the 100 fly (50.50) and eighth in the 100 free at Easterns. Also helped the EA 400 free relay finish fifth and the 200 free relay place eighth at Easterns, and was second in the 100 free and third in the 50 free at the Inter-Ac Championships.
Sam Wesley, Episcopal Academy – Sophomore finished sixth in the 200 IM and seventh in the 100 back at Easterns, and helped the EA 200 medley relay team place fourth and the 400 free relay team finish fifth at Easterns. Finished second in the 100 back and fifth in the 200 free at the Inter-Ac Championships.
Collin Pettit, Haverford High – Senior anchored the Fords’ 200 medley relay which finished 10th at the PIAA state championships with a school-record and All-American consideration time of 1:35.01. Placed 14th in 500 free (4:39.27) and 17th in 200 free (1:43.80) at the PIAA state championships.
David Abrahams, Haverford High – Junior finished fourth in 100 breast at the PIAA state championships with an All-American consideration time of 56.57. Swam breaststroke leg of the Fords’ 200 medley relay which finished 10th at the PIAA state championships with a school-record and All-American consideration time of 1:35.01. Was Central League champion in 100 breast.
Alex Boratto, Haverford School – Stanford University-bound senior captain was Fords’ MVP and the Delco Times Boys’ Swimmer of the Year (for the third consecutive year). The 12-time All-American holds 11 school records, has been undefeated in the 100 breaststroke since eighth grade. At Easterns, he won the 100 butterfly (49.20) and won the 100 backstroke by nearly two seconds in an Easterns meet record and All-American time of 48.01, then ensured the Fords’ team victory with his clutch performance in the anchor leg of the final event, the 400 free relay.
Brian Brennan, Haverford School – Sophomore finished third at Easterns in 50 free, and was the Easterns champion in 100 free (44.96), setting school records in both events, and led off the Fords’ first-place 400 free relay as well as the second-place 200 free relay. Was All-American in four events.
Antonio Octaviano, Haverford School – Sophomore broke four school records, and at Easterns finished second in the 100 breast (with a school-record 55.03) and sixth in the 100 fly. Octaviano also finished eighth in the 100 butterfly, and was a key member of two All-American relays – the third-place 200 medley relay (1:32.12) and the second-place 200 free relay.
John Nelligan, Haverford School – The versatile senior was a key member of the Fords’ drive to the Inter-Ac title and Easterns championship, finishing tied for fifth in the 200 free and sixth in the 100 free. He swam the second leg on the Fords’ title-clinching first place 400 free relay at Easterns (All-American time of 3:02.21) and anchored the silver-medal All-American 200 free relay squad (1:23.16).
Matt Magness, Malvern Prep – Junior was undefeated in dual meets in the 200 free and 500 free, and was named the Most Valuable Swimmer at the 2018 National Catholic Championship with wins in both events and two relays. A first-team All Inter-Ac pick, Magness was third in the 200 free and seventh in the 500 free at Easterns, and was a member of two All-American free relays.
John Connors, Malvern Prep – Senior was a quadruple winner seven times in dual meets this season, placed second in the 100 free and third in the 200 free at the National Catholic Swimming Championships, and was a member of two gold medal winning relay teams. A National Intercollegiate Swim Coaches Association Academic All American, and a first team All-Inter-Ac swimmer, Connors will swim for Colby College (Me.) next winter.
Patrick Cullen, Radnor – Junior finished fifth in the 50 free (with an All-American consideration time of 20.83) and 13th in the 100 free at the PIAA state championships; and was respectively third and fourth in those events at the District 1 championships. Was Central League champion and Delco champ in both of those events. Was a member of the Raiders’ 200 free relay that finished fifth at States.
James El-Deiry, Radnor – Senior finished 10th in the 200 IM and 14th in the 100 breast at the PIAA state championships, and placed seventh and sixth respectively in those events at the District 1 meet. Was a member of the Raiders’ 200 free relay that finished fifth at States that earned All-American consideration. As a junior, broke a 39-year-old Radnor record in the 200 IM, then broke it several times this season, finishing at 1:53.61.

SECOND TEAM
Conestoga – Thomas Noone, junior; Evan Zhou, senior.
Episcopal Academy –Jack Christian, freshman; Ben Wesley.
Friends’ Central – Billy Wilkerson, junior.
Harriton – Nick Anstadt, senior; Christopher Snyder, junior.
Haverford High – Matt Bochanski, senior; Jackson Graham, junior; Zachary Given, sophomore.
Haverford School – T.J. Brooks, senior.
Malvern Prep – Matthew Hopkins, junior; Lou Franzone, junior.
Radnor – Nick Moldzienski, junior; Wil Cosgrove, sophomore.
Shipley – Charlie Ryan, senior; Jamie Bruno, senior.

HONORABLE MENTION
Barrack Hebrew Academy – Mati Zeff, senior.
Conestoga – Owen Neuman, senior; Arjun Rao, senior.
Episcopal Academy – Vlad Puskovitch; Theo Vadot.
Friends’ Central – Galen Cassidy, senior.
Harriton –Anthony Borgese, senior.
Haverford School – Jack Deppen, freshman; JR Leitz, junior.
Malvern Prep – Ryan Maher, junior; Daniel Waterland, senior.
Radnor – Andrew Davis, junior; Brian Chettle, sophomore; Jack Undercoffer, freshman.
Shipley – Nate Moore, senior.

Archbishop Carroll did not submit a completed All-Main Line boys’ swimming nomination ballot.