Unionville girls, Kennett boys prevail in Longhorn-Blue Demon swim meet

Kennett Square >> The Unionville girls and the Kennett boys each prevailed in the Ches-Mont League American Division swim meet Friday evening at the Kennett YMCA.

The Unionville girls (4-0) defeated Kennett, 102-63, and the Blue Demons (2-1) boys beat the Longhorns, 94-76.

“Our swimmers get very psyched up for this meet – this is the one [dual meet] they want more than anything,” said Kennett coach Cindy Millison. “I thought our spirit and sportsmanship tonight was over the top – we had a lot of effort, our swimmers were really psyched and they really wanted it.”

Unionville  coach Mike Mangan said, “Usually we have a crowd here [for Unionville-Kennett] and it’s a noisy meet, you have a lot of cheering, and there’s a lot of parents, fans and other students, but because of COVID it was a little subdued [no fans], but it was still a good meet.”

For the Unionville girls, sophomore Izzy Iwasyk won the 200 free (1:59.62) and the 100 free (55.98); senior Emily Albans won the 50 free (25.65) and the 100 back (1:01.40); and junior Madeline Braithwaite won the 200 IM (2:27.64) and posted the fastest time in the 100 breast (1:13.65).

“One of our big goals tonight was to make the district cut in the girls 200 free relay, and we did that,” noted Mangan.

The quartet of Albans, Lauren Dobie, Amelia Miller and Iwasyk won the 200 free relay (1:41.90) and posted the fastest time in the 400 free relay (3:59.17).

Also for Unionville, junior Devin Callahan won the 100 fly (1:08.01); junior Luscinia Quance won the 500 free (5:52.07); and the foursome of Jillian Murphy, Delaney Harlan, Callahan and Miller won the 200 medley relay (1:58.91).

Millison said, “I told our girls that their goal today was to drop time and go for PRs. Lily Perkins [who finished third in the girls 100 fly at 1:08.98] kept right up with the leaders, and her time is a five-second drop from a few weeks ago.”

For the Kennett boys, senior Liam Simmons won the 200 free (1:49.35) and the 100 back (53.96). Simmons, who was the Daily Local News All-Area Boys Swimmer of the Year last winter, posted a school record of 50.04 in the 100 back at states last year.

Kennett junior Erik Floren-Smith won the 50 free (23.08) and the 100 free (50:38).

“Erik Floren-Smith is a very gifted swimmer,” said Millison. “He was out last year with a shoulder injury and had to have surgery. He’s making a nice comeback and is almost down to the times he had before the injury. He’s got a lot to put out and I think he’s going to bring a lot to our team [going forward].”

Also for Kennett, senior Luke Silverstein won the 100 breast (1:09.44) and the Blue Demons won all three relays.

The quartet of Luke Myers, Luke Silverstein, Gabe Summa and Charlie Lesher won the 200 medley relay (1:44.45); Lesher, Tyler Tebo, Floren-Smith and Simmons won the 200 free relay (1:34.28); Alexander Fialkowski, Myers, Floren-Smith and Simmons captured the 400 free relay (3:27.21).

Millison noted, “Luke Myers (who finished third in the 100 back with a time of 58.36) is only .36 seconds from the District cut in the 100 back, and he’s chipping away at it.”

For Unionville, sophomore Mihir Sehgal won the 200 IM (2:12.43); junior Matt McLellan won the boys 100 fly (55.73) and freshman John Albans was victorious in the 500 free (5:22.98).