ON THE DOUBLE
Jacob Johnson wins two events, sets two records at Elite Meet
PROSPECT PARK » The hoarseness of Carter Branigan’s voice after Tuesday’s Elite Meet indicated just how engrossed the Lansdowne swimmer was.
The wins that Branigan notched in the boys 13-14 100-meter individual medley and 50-meter butterfly, both replete with Prospect Park Swim Club pool records, testified to that fact. But the joy in Branigan’s voice eclipsed that of many others on deck.
“It’s all just about fun,” Branigan said. “A lot of kids come in and they’re worried, they’re anxious about the meet, they don’t know how they’re going to do. It’s really all about having fun. I come into this meet, I don’t know if I’m going to win or not. I just think, I’m about to have a fun time, going to see my friends, get to see other people from other teams. It’s just a lot of fun.”
Branigan is in a different boat than most at the Elite Meet. He has legitimate club credentials with Radnor Aquatic that allows him to train year-round. But the Lansdowne native who’ll enter ninth grade in the fall is home-schooled; even if he opted to swim for his district of residence, the William Penn School District, Penn Wood doesn’t field a team.
So when it comes to swimming for a team, Lansdowne Swim Club is the main outlet for his competitive juices. An event like the Elite Meet, which splices competitors from teams together to represent leagues, offers another chance for Branigan to acquire new mates.
“This really is the time that I swim for a team because in the winter, it’s all individual,” Branigan said. “If you make finals and your friend doesn’t, you’re the one going to finals. Your friend isn’t. But during summer swimming, even if you’re going to finals, it’s like your whole team’s going to be there.”
Branigan responded with a pair of pool records. His time in the 100 IM of 1:04.02 bested the field, as did the 27.58 he laid down in the 50 fly.
But the team aspect was most evident in his medley relay swim. The Delco League trailed the Suburban League when Branigan stepped to the blocks for the third leg, swimming fly. He mounted a charge, whittling the deficit to a mere touch when he handed off to Steve Woolery (winner of the 50 free) to bring it home in 2:01.09. The squad, which included 13-14 breaststroke winner Tommy Ronayne and Logan DeConti, finished .23 seconds ahead of Suburban, a vital race in helping Delco reclaim the title with 570 team points to Suburban’s 545.
The significance of that race wasn’t lost on Branigan.
“The relays are a lot a fun to swim, especially because
it’s kids from other teams and they’re all kids that I’ve swum against the rest of the season,” Branigan said. “Even though we’ve had a competition, we have a time that we all come together and we’re all like best friends during that relay. Get it or not, we know we’re all going to work together and go all out.”
*** Two years ago at this meet, Jacob Johnson’s win as an 8-and-under in the 25 free marked the Intra-County League’s only victory.
At age 10, Johnson is still in that rarefied air, adding a second win in the 25 fly to complement the 50 free, both in record time.
The Springfield Country Club swimmer was quickest in fly in 14.53 seconds, demolishing the record of Clifton swimmer Doug Scott that had stood since 1989 (15.76). Johnson’s 50 free time of 30.73 bested the field by nearly two seconds and trounced a record dating to 1991 by Mark Dyer of Clifton (32.70) by nearly the same margin.
“Jacob’s definitely a hard worker,” SCC coach Tara O’Prey said. “I think he puts 100 percent into everything that he does, and he’s the kind of swimmer that you know, he wants to be better. He prides himself on getting better for each race.”
O’Prey is impressed by Johnson’s teachability, relating several technique points that O’Prey had instilled just that morning in practice that she saw Johnson utilize in the meet Tuesday night. He’s quiet about his accomplishments, but interested in taking instruction.
Few are as well-equipped to hone Johnson’s sprinting mentality as O’Prey, a fourtime All-Delco at Episcopal Academy who just wrapped up a career at the University of Connecticut. O’Prey possessed the pure sprinting gene, and she sees Johnson following in that ilk.
“I was just talking to his mom earlier and I was telling her that I was a diehard sprinter, like I couldn’t even do the 100 free,” O’Prey said. “And she was like, ‘Oh yeah, that’s Jacob, a sprinter.’ I’m sure when he’s older. He’s going to be a true sprinter.”
Ivie Enakhimion of Drexel added a win for the IntraCounty by taking the 8U girls 25 free in 16.22 seconds, ousting Norwood swimmer Tina Horn’s record of 16.51 from 1981.
*** Johnson’s double-record feat was the only one of the day. Tori Abruzzo (girls 9-10 fly and back) and Alex Boeckx (boys 18U IM and breast) each won two individual events with one pool record. Alina Klaehn (12U girls IM, breast) and Velina Diguey (10U girls breast and free) did the same, augmenting the tally with a relay win each. Seth Turner won the 12U fly and back to go with a medley relay triumph.
Wallingford’s Mia Yancey won the girls 14U IM and back to go with a medley relay triumph, where she teamed with Gabrielle Vanderslice, who supplemented her 50 breaststroke win.
“I like it because I want to get that win,” Yancey said of the relay. “I think it’s pretty cool because we all won those events.”
The 18U girls medley relay was similarly distinguished, the winning Delco League squad comprised of Sophie Oberdiek (winner in back), Madison Dickert (breast), Julia Curran and Grace Myers (free). Myers also anchored Delco’s 8-18 free relay, which included Rori Kennedy (winner of the 8U 25 fly in record
time), Gianna DePasquale (on two winning relays), Mary Kubiak (who won the 12U girls free by downing a 22-year-old record and medley relay) and Avery Barber.
The Suburban boys claimed the 8-18 free relay. That squad included Matthew DiAddezio, who won the 10U breast and was on a winning medley relay that included back recordsetter Noah Riches; Carter Marks, who won the 12U 50 free and two relays; and JR Leitz, who won the 100 free and two relays. The 18U boys medley relay included JJ Klein, winner of the 50 back.
Suburban’s victorious 8U girls relay featured back record-setter Anna Karpyn and breaststroke winner Rebecca Block. Delco claimed the 8U boys relay via fly winner Ryan McLaughlin and breast champ Oliver Brunner. Sarah Krissinger won the 12U fly to go with a medley relay victory.
In the records department, both 18U fly marks fell courtesy of Jenna Speicher (30.91 seconds) and Kyle Langan (26.51). Reilly Brennan also upturned the 14U girls fly mark (30.00), while Matthew Gray did the same for the boys 14U 50 back (29.88).