Conestoga boys, girls complete undefeated Central League dual meet season

By John Semmer
For MediaNews Group

The Conestoga High School boys and girls swimming teams each completed an undefeated Central League season with victories against previously unbeaten Springfield Monday.
The Pioneer boys triumphed, 101-77, and the Conestoga girls won, 92-84. Both Conestoga squads finish their Central League regular season with an 11-0 record.
It marked the fourth consecutive undefeated Central League season for the Conestoga boys senior class – Stephen Graver, Stanley Kim, James Manion, Ryan McDonough, Matt Pawlow, Jack Semmer, Mantas Sevelis, Gary Wang and Raymond Welgosh.
At Monday’s meet, Conestoga recognized the senior girls who have never lost a dual meet – Anna Bakker, Adriana Bertolotti, Delaney Burns, Marley Duda, Ella O’Shea, Lilly Shui, Alyssa Totoro, Lauren Verrelli and Kallie Whitaker.
Monday’s meet was originally scheduled for Feb. 4, but icy weather postponed the event to Monday, when Radnor loaned its pool to the two undefeated Central League teams. Radnor allows fans to its swim meets, so it was an enthusiastic group of parents and classmates creating a spirited atmosphere for the final dual meet of the year.
Stoga boys win
The Conestoga boys got off to a good start in the 200 medley relay, with Gary Wang, Jake Wang, Ryan McDonough and Stephen Graver finishing first.
In the boys 200 free, Raymond Welgosh was first, and Jack Semmer’s late sprint earned him second place.
Gary Wang was first in the boys 200 IM, and Brock Whitaker third. Jake Wang was second in the boys 50 free, and Ryan McDonough placed second in the boys 100 fly, with Brock Whitaker third.
In the boys 100 free, Jake Wang took a lead in the first 50, and never gave it back. Stephen Graver got third place.
While Conestoga’s John Yeniay was pulling away for a win in the 500 free, Jack Semmer earned a third-place finish.
In the boys 200 free relay, Jake Wang and Welgosh found themselves behind after two legs. Brock Whitaker, behind by a body length off the blocks, handed a similar lead to Stephen Graver by the time he was done. Graver held off Springfield by .01, as the Conestoga quartet posted a time of 1:27.12.
Gary Wang led all the way in the boys 100 back, and teammate Weston Clark earned bronze. Welgosh was equally dominant in 100 breast, swimming alone by the second turn. Derek Fung charged late to win a tight fight for second place.
In the boys 400 free relay, Graver, Yeniay, Welgosh, and Gary Wang posted the fastest time (3:14.16 – exhibition).
Pioneer girls on top
The Conestoga girls grabbed the top two spots in the 200 medley relay, with Keira Haas, Naomi Furman, Delaney Burns and Lily Robinson finishing first and the quartet of Audrey Laganelli, Adriana Bertolotti, Brianna Fan and Kalie Whitaker placing second.
Fan and Laganelli were back in a two-Pioneer battle in the girls 200 free, before Laganelli out-turned the freshman to earn first place in the 1/2 finish.
Again, it was all Stoga early in girls 200 IM. Sarah Fox used a powerful backstroke leg to battle Robinson through 100, but Robinson hit her freestyle jets to lead another 1/2 Pioneer finish.
In girls 1-meter diving, Conestoga’s Avery Hillier had another dominating performance off the boards (287.75). Marley Duda and Isabella Mason completed the Pioneer girls diving sweep.
Delaney Burns led the charge in the girls 100 fly, using a late charge to turn a tight battle with Alyssa Totoro into a two-body length win, and teammate Emma Galef took third. Then Jena Nowoswiat took over the girls 100 free in the second half to lead Kallie Whitaker and Juliana Yao in a 1/2/3 Conestoga finish.
Mackenzie Nagel dominated the girls 500 free. Swimming alone halfway through, she won by a pool length. Lily Shui easily took second place. In the girls 100 breast, Furman posted the fastest time of 1:06.04 (exhibition).
Stoga boys stop Rams
Four days earlier, the Conestoga squad defeated Harriton, with the Pioneers boys winning by a 102-73 score and the Conestoga girls earning a 104-69 victory.
For the Conestoga boys, in their first event of the evening, the 200 medley relay, the Pioneers’ Gary Wang and Raymond Welgosh established a huge lead early, allowing teammates Jake Wang and Stephen Graver to cruise to a pool length win. Anchor Stanley Kim hung on to earn silver for the team of Ryan McDonough, Chris Ivory, Hutch Wood and Kim.
In the boys 200 free, Conestoga’s John Yeniay won by a body length over Andrew Zhang.
The 200 IM was the first Stoga boys sweep of the night. It wouldn’t be the last. Brock Whitaker used a fine start in fly to build a two-body length lead over the field, and his backstroke leg was even better. He was swimming alone by breaststroke and cruised through the last 100 for the win. Teammates Jack Reinhart and Stanley Cui were stroke for stroke through 150, before Cui’s freestyle effort earned him silver.
In boys’ 50 free, Harriton’s Francis Fan and Charlie Nenchev were 1-2. The Rams’ Maxwell Colyer finished first in boys 1-meter diving.
In the boys 100 fly, Conestoga brothers Gary and Jake Wang took over early, and battled to the end. Stroke for stroke through 75, senior Gary Wang turned for home stronger to win by 0.30.
Conestoga’s Raymond Welgosh won the boys 100 free, with Harriton’s Francis Fan second.
In the boys’ 500 free, James Manion and Andrew Zhang were tight after 200 before Manion pulled away to win gold, with Zhang and Conestoga freshman Brandon Bacani completing the sweep.
In the boys 200 free relay, the quartet of Jack Semmer, Matt Pawlow, Brock Whitaker and Stephen Graver were first, with teammates Stanley Kim, Chris Ivory, Justin Cuevas Riego de Dios and Aspen Malstrom second.
The Pioneers’ Jack Semmer took a quick lead in the boys 100 back that he never relinquished. James Johnson and Mantas Sevelis were in a tight fight for silver before Johnson outpaced the senior in the Stoga sweep.
Pioneer girls defeat Harriton
The Conestoga girls took an early lead in their first event, the 200 medley relay, with Keira Haas, Naomi Furman, Delaney Burns and Brianna Fan finishing first and Audrey Laganelli, Hadar Miller, Juliana Yao and Jena Nowoswiat placing second.
In the girls 200 free, Conestoga’s Lily Robinson was first; and Hadar Miller won the girls 200 IM.
In the girls 50 free, Keira Haas and Adriana Bertolotti charged down the stretch stroke for stroke, before Haas won by a fingertip (and .01). Conestoga’s Avery Hillier posted 291.35 in girls 1-meter diving (exhibition). Laganelli won the girls 100 fly, with Harriton’s Sydney Levensten placing second.
Harriton finished 1-2 in the girls 100 free, by Kate Levensten and Sylvia Krieg, respectively.
In the girls 500 free, the Pioneers’ Mackenzie Nagel won by a pool length. In the girls 200 free relay, the Conestoga quartet of Keira Haas, Lilly Shui, Adriana Bertolotti and Alyssa Tortoro finished first.
Harriton’s Kate Levensten was the story in the girls’ 100 back, out early and never challenged.