All-Delco Swimming: Notre Dame’s Ashley Kolessar earns third All-Delco swimming honor
In addition to swimmers of the year Katya Eruslanova and Jake Kennedy, the rest of the All-Delco team includes:
Ashley Kolessar, Notre Dame: Kolessar makes her third appearance on the All-Delco team, the lone exception last year’s truncated season. The UCLA signee was outstanding as a senior, guiding the Irish to a fourth-place finish at the Eastern Interscholastic Championships. She finished second in the 200 individual medley in 2:00.24, the third-fastest time in county history and just .15 off Eruslanova’s top time. She won the 500 freestyle in 4:51.31. Both are automatic All-American times. Kolessar swam breaststroke on the 200 medley relay that finished second at Easterns in an All-American cut 1:43.48, just .08 off the Delaware County record set in 2012 by Episcopal Academy. She helped the Irish finish fifth in the 400 free relay. Kolessar won the 500 free and was second in the 200 IM at the Inter-Ac Championships. She is the second of three swimming sisters: Madison was a three-time All-Delco at Garnet Valley and Notre Dame now swimming at the University of Florida; Kaitlyn is an eighth grader who finaled in two events at Easterns. Ashley graduates with the Delco record in the 100 breast (1:03.62 from 2020).
Mary Kubiak, Springfield: The junior was the top sprinter in Delco, earning a pair of second swims at the PIAA Class 3A Championships. Kubiak won the B final in the girls’ 100 backstroke at Bucknell, with a time of 56.66 seconds. In the 50 free, she landed 14th, with a top time of 24.06 seconds in the morning. She had been 10th at the District 1 Class 3A Championships in the 50 and medaled in the 100 back in fourth. Kubiak finished fourth in the 50 free and third in the 100 back at the Central League championships.
Tori Abruzzo, Notre Dame: Speaking of Notre Dame swimmers that are part of illustrious lineages, the freshman is the latest in a long line of Abruzzo standouts. Older sister Mia was a three-time Swimmer of the Year/four-time All-Delco now at the University of Georgia. Younger sister Gabi made an A final and a B final as an eighth grader at Easterns this year. Tori is well worthy of the family excellence. She went 54.02 in the 100 back, finishing second at Easterns in an automatic All-American time, and was third in the 100 fly in 54.73. Both are the fastest times in the county in 2022. Abruzzo was a part of the A finalist 200 medley and 400 free relays. She finished third in the 200 IM and third in the 100 back at Inter-Acs.
Audrey Collins, Radnor: The senior delivered a magical first day at states. She swam fly on the Radnor 200 medley relay, which secured a medal in eighth. She then bulled her way into the A final of the 200 IM on the way to an All-American consideration time of 2:03.29 that earned fifth. She finished fifth in the 100 fly in 56.33, having gotten into the A final on fumes in the morning as the eighth and final seed. For good measure, Collins led off the Radnor 400 free relay the next day in 52.85, a time that would’ve qualified for the individual event in states, on the way to the Raptors winning the B final for ninth. Collins finished third in the IM and fourth in fly at districts, adding relay medals in third and sixth. She claimed the 100 fly title at Centrals and was the 100 breast runner-up, the second-fastest time in the county this year. Collins will continue her career at Colgate.
Devyn Sargent, Notre Dame: The sophomore is the latest off the conveyer belt of talent at Notre Dame, possessing the kind of versatility of stroke and distance which has typified the program’s resurgence. Sargent’s first foray at Easterns as a high schooler was fruitful, yielding four total medals. She went 55.43 in the 100 back, an All-American consideration time, and 2:04.49 in the 200 IM, in both cases fourth overall and second among the Irish swimmers. She led off the 200 medley relay that challenged a Delco record en route to third, then anchored the fifth-place 400 free relay in 52.36. She mixed up the events at Inter-Acs, finishing ninth in the 200 free. She helped Irish relays finish second in the medley, third in the 400 free and fourth in the 200 free.
Alexandra Pastris, Marple Newtown: The senior concludes her career as one of the most decorated divers in Delco history. A four-time All-Delco, the Delaware commit medaled at states all four years –eighth and fourth at the PIAA Class 3A championships as a freshman and sophomore before consecutive PIAA Class 2A golds. She repeated as state champ this season with a score of 431.65 points. She was also the District 1 champ by scoring 450.35. Both scores were higher than the 3A champion at the same meet. Pastris graduates in firm grasp of both Delco diving records: Her 11-dive total of 477.35 from her sophomore year (she scored 469.25 at Centrals this year, the second-highest in county history) and a six-dive score of 316.60 from a dual meet with Radnor in January the improved her own record.
Shane Eckler, Ridley: Another sophomore sprint star, Eckler had a successful and compelling postseason. He needed a swim-off at states to make the B final of the 100 free, going 46.80 on the way to jumping up to 14th place. It made up for a tough swim in the 50 free, in which he missed the wall and landed 31st. Eckler showed what he could do at districts, tying for fifth in the 50 free in 21.35 and tying for sixth in the 100 free. He set a best time of 21.06 in the 50 at Centrals and was second to Kennedy in both that event and the 100 free.
Max Marr, Haverford School: The Delco contingent on the boys side at Easterns skewed to the young side, but that youth is talented. Marr, a sophomore, is a prime example. He set the fastest time in the county in the 100 back at 52.65, good for a tie for 11th at Easterns. He won the B final in the 100 fly in 51.35 for ninth. Marr also laid down a split of 22.04 in butterfly to help the Fords finish sixth in the medley relay. He was fourth in the 200 IM and third in the 100 back at Inter-Acs.
Rhett Cosgrove, Radnor: For a second straight season, Cosgrove was the distance authority in Delco, the William & Mary signee earning two state medals. Cosgrove finished seventh in the 200 free, with a top time of 1:41.52. In the 500, he squeaked into the A final to secure a medal for eighth. His time of 4:35.11 was the quickest in Delco this season by more than nine seconds. Cosgrove also anchored the Raptors’ states-qualifying 200 medley. At the District 1 championships, he was 12th in the 200 free and seventh in the 500. He did the distance double at Centrals to go with a pair of relay bronzes.
Jacob Johnson, Springfield: Between Kennedy and his fellow sophomore Johnson, the future is blindingly bright at Springfield. Johnson’s performance in the 100 fly in prelims at states the most impressive among the Delco male contingent this season, by the NISCA power points. His time of 49.65 seconds was the third-fastest in prelims, and while he was slower at night, he still medaled in eighth place. Johnson helped the Cougars earn a pair of finals swims in relays, the 200 medley squad finishing 10th and the 200 free 11th. Johnson secured three medals at districts, with a silver in the 100 fly in 49.92, after winning the Central League title in the event. He helped the Cougars finish fourth in the 200 medley relay and fifth in the 200 free. He finished 12th at districts in the 100 free. Johnson’s 100 fly swim is also the lone All-American consideration cut among the Delco boys this season.
Henry Haupt, Episcopal Academy: The junior was decisively the top individual medley swimmer in the county this season, and he earned two medals at Easterns for his efforts. He finished fourth in the 100 breast in 58.30 seconds, the only Delco swimmer to crack the minute mark in the event. He finished sixth in the 200 IM, his best time coming in prelims at Easterns in 1:53.10. Haupt was the runner-up in the IM at Inter-Acs and fourth in the 500. He helped the Churchmen finish fourth in two relays at Inter-Acs.
AJ Rosenberger, Haverford School: For a second straight year, Rosenberger is the top male diver in Delco. He finished third at Easterns with an 11-dive score of 440.15. He was the runner-up at Inter-Acs with a score of 290.80. Both results are the highest in Delco this season, by 90 points and 65 points, respectively. Rosenberger is just a sophomore.
