Youth serves Nassau’s Reagan well at Intra-County Championships
MARPLE » Entering the summer championship season with an odd-numbered age presents a readymade challenge, always landing a swimmer on the young half of his or her age group.
Grace Reagan is excited by that challenge, though. Fresh off the domination of the 11-12 division last summer, Reagan looked forward to this season’s task of surprising the older establishment as a 13-year-old in the 14-and-under category.
“It’s not that bad,” Reagan said. “It’s just more challenging.”
It didn’t always look that way for Reagan Saturday as she won a pair of events at the Intra-County Swim League Championships at Drexel Swim Club.
Reagan started her day by eking out a win in the girls 100-meter individual medley, a strong back half of the race propelling her past Springfield Country Club’s Elizabeth Jones by 0.99 seconds to win in 1:19.92.
“Fly is not really my thing,” Reagan admitted. “And not really backstroke either. Breaststroke is usually where I can catch up on everything.”
Reagan proved that in the 50-meter breast, which she won by a handy margin of almost five seconds in 40.27.
Reagan will be going into eighth grade this fall at Our Lady of Angels in Morton. She swims for Ridley Rays on the national stage, placing her at a pivotal juncture for deciding her high school future and the direction of her swimming interest.
First, that will take her to Tuesday’s Elite Meet, against the best of the best from the Delco Swim League and the Suburban Swim League. But for Saturday, the focus was on the comfort in her specialty stroke.
“It’s just my favorite race,” Reagan said of breaststroke. “It’s easier and I know that it won’t be that hard for me.”
Reagan was one of two multiple winners for Nassau, joining Evan Beck, who won the same events in the 18U boys competition. Aquatic’s Ryan Schreiber won the fly and back in that division, while Taylor Rush of Folcroft claimed the girls 18U fly and free.
Saturday was a big day for the Enakhimion family. Ivie took advantage of the home pool to win the 8U girls fly, breast and free, while Emmy won the 10U back, free and relay. Drexel, which was crowned Blue Division champion in the regular season, won five of the 10 relays.
Ivie Enakhimion joined Jacob Johnson among the triple individual winners, with the Springfield Country Club 10U claiming the boys back, fly and free. His teammate Michael Huegel helped dominate the 12U category, winning the boys fly and IM while teammate Michael Brattini twice finished second in addition to claiming gold in free. SCC’s Brandon Decker won the 14U boys fly and free.
Primos-Secane’s Kevyn Daly won the 14U boys IM and free. But it was the 11-12 girls division where PSSC most thoroughly dominated. Erin DeStefano won the IM and fly, Kylee Herzig prevailed in breast and free and Payton Conaway triumphed in backstroke. For good measure, PSSC took the relay crown by a decisive margin.
Prospect Park, which won just two individual events, won three relays, including both in the 8U categories.
Delco Swim League
Carter Branigan won the 14U boys IM and fly, then teamed up with Lansdowne’s Donovan Hunt, Edward Lyon and Logan DeConti to upend a 35-year-old Springfield pool record for his third win of the Delco A Division Championships.
The relay clocked in at 1 minute, 42.32 seconds to down the long-standing mark.
The hosts enjoyed relay history via their 12U domination. Alexa Chung (IM and breast) and Mary Kubiak (back and free) carved up the girls competition before joining forces on a winning relay. But the boys set the mark against the clock, the team of Luke Kennedy, Tristan Ronayne, Jake Kennedy and Ben Kutufaris setting the pool record of 1:52.03.
Springfield notched three wins thanks to Thomas Murphy (8U boys back, breast, relay) and two individual triumphs from Nolan Murphy (10U boys fly and back, the former a pool record of 14.95 seconds).
Lansdowne’s Elise Olmstead won the 10U girls fly and free; she joined Jillian Rhyshek, Ashley Foppa and Velina Diguey to set a Springfield pool mark in the victorious 100 free relay at 58.99 seconds. Alex Chan (12U boys IM and fly) also won two individual events for Lansdowne. Both Springfield and Lansdowne won three relays.
The fifth pool record came via Knowlton 18U Madison Dickert, who clocked in at 31.55 seconds in winning the girls 50 breast. She also won the IM, and her Knowlton relay squad finished second to Karakung in a race where all four teams finished within a second.
Lawrence Park dominated the 14U girls category, with Allison Stewart winning the IM and breast and Laura Seavey claiming back and free before teaming up for the relay. LP’s Matthew Bochanski was quickest in the 18U boys IM, the only competitor to crack a minute, as well as breast and the relay.
In the C Division
Creekside’s Kate Blackburn won the girls 12U IM, fly and free, and Eric Tanzosh of Ridley Park joined her among the triple individual winners by prevailing in the same three events in the 14U boys division.
Tanzosh was one of the three Ridley Park boys to win two individual events. Tyler Mantash did the trick via the 10U fly and back, while Kevin Tanzosh was victorious in the 18U IM and breast.
Broomall’s Lake won eight of the nine relays, giving them an edge in the triple-winner category. Sabella Saulino won the 14U girls IM, breast and relay. Ruby Schwelm took part in the winning 10U girls relay after wins in fly and free. And Beppe Tangora won the boys 12U IM, free and relay. Championships:
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