Upper Dublin sweeps Hatboro-Horsham in the pool

HORSHAM >> January can be one, long grind for area swimmers, but the pool can provide pretty good group therapy.
“All of my teammates are very supportive. We’re all going through the same thing,” said Upper Dublin’s Elle Braun with a smile. “So we all just help each other. If one person cries, we all cry together.”
There was plenty of joy for the Cardinals on Friday, as both the boys and girls rose to victories over rival Hatboro-Horsham in a Suburban One League American Conference double dual meet. The Upper Dublin guys prevailed 110-75, while the girls packed away a 105-81 win.
“Winter training has been tough, but the team is looking very good,” Braun said. “We were all hyped for this.”
Glimpses of what the Cardinals hope to be at season’s end are starting to come into view. Braun powered her way to a victory in the 500-yard free style and also took the 100 backstroke, overcoming one of her close friends, Arielle Hammer of Hatboro-Horsham.
“My legs were tired after the 500, but they still worked, especially off the walls in the back, so it was good,” Braun said with a laugh.
Wins by Korinna Pesti (200 IM), Molly Braun (50 free), Mikayla DeMichele (diving), Aly Breslin (100 fly), Meghan DiMartile (100 free) and Abbie Amdor (100 breast) — along with the 200 medley and 200 free relays — propelled the Cardinals.
The Upper Dublin boys met their point total thanks in part to victories by Jake DiMartile (200 IM/100 back), Kyle Pro (50/100 free) and Michael Burke (diving), along with the 200 medley and 400 free relays.
Matt Jensen was on both of those relays and he also took home the 200 free and 100 fly.
“I’ve been swimming the 200 free and 100 fly a lot lately, so I’ve been getting used to them, and I’ve been holding pretty fast times,” said Jensen, who went 1:44.62 in the 200 free, 51.36 in the 100 fly. “Compared to where I was last year at this point, my 100 fly is a lot faster this year, consistently fast.”
Jensen is also coming off a Junior Natioals appearance in December.
“I got all best times and have been swimming well since then,” he said, “so I’m looking to go fast at states in a few months. There are so many fast swimmers (at Juniors), so many fast kids. And it’s really good to race against the best because then you see what’s out there and I get to see where I am — on the whole eastern side of the country.”
Hatboro-Horsham’s Hannah Parker continues to impress. She touched first in the 200 free — with her best time of the season — and also placed second behind Braun in the 500 free. Parker nearly had her fastest time of the season in the 500 as well.
“We talk a lot about pacing,” Parker said, “trying to take it out longer and then speeding it up at the end. I’ve been working on lengthening out my strokes so it makes it a lot easier.”
“Hannah’s been coming along really well,” Hatters coach Kip Emig said. “Her two and five are really nice, and her sprinting’s been getting a lot better too. She’s growing into the sport and growing into being a high school swimmer.
“Her training is great — she’s very consistent.”
Fast times decorated the Hatboro scoresheet.
“(I’m happy with) where we are right now, with how tired and sore everyone is,” Emig said. “We have a lot of sickness — we had a couple kids not swim, that were in the meet. They had a fever but still wanted to swim in the meet. Just gutsy kids.
“I couldn’t be more proud. They’re a good group.”