Mestre leading Gators in 500 free
Alfonso Mestre is one of the top distance freestyle racers on the ninth-ranked University of Florida men’s swim team.
Mestre, a freshman from Pottstown and a graduate of The Hill School, has the top time for the Gators in the 500 free (4:21.05) which he posted when he finished third out of 50 swimmers at the Georgia Tech Invitational on Nov. 22 in Atlanta, Ga. That’s an NCAA B qualifying time. He also ranks fourth on the team in the 200 freestyle (1:37.88) and sixth in the 1,000 freestyle (9:35.53).
He also competes in the 200 butterfly and the 200 and 400 IM and with the 800 free relay which finished fourth at Georgia Tech with a season-best time of 6:33.61.
“Alfonso has been doing well this season,” coach Anthony Nesty said. “Just like any freshman, there has been an adjustment from high school to college from a workload standpoint.”
The coach said that as the season has progressed, so has Mestre.
“We are looking forward to seeing his growth and for him to strive to be the best he can while he is a Gator,” Nesty said.
PAYTON MILES (THE HILL SCHOOL) >> The senior from Limerick and the Lehigh women’s swim team closed out its dual meet schedule at Jacobs Pool with a tough 166-132 loss to Bucknell last Saturday in Bethlehem. Miles had a standout meet in her farewell, winning the 50 freestyle in 24.41 and the 100 freestyle in 51.23. She also swam legs on a pair of winning relay teams – the 200 medley which was clocked in 1:45.96 and the 400 medley which touched the wall in 3:28.84.
“Payton was outstanding today,” coach Rob Herb told the media after the meet. “I think she is easily one of the best swimmers in the Patriot League.”
KATIE ARMSTRONG (PERKIOMEN VALLEY) >> The red-shirt senior scored a career-high 27 points to lead the Fairfield women’s basketball team to an 81-47 Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference victory over Manhattan on Jan. 23. She had 16 points and 14 rebounds in a 67-48 league win over St. Peter’s on Jan. 11. The Stags are 9-7 overall and 6-1 in MAAC play after dropping their first league game, a 76-62 setback to Quinnipiac last Saturday. Armstrong had 11 points and five rebounds in the game. On the season, she has started all 17 games and is second on the team in scoring (12.9), leads in rebounding (7.2) and has 27 assists, 18 steals and 12 blocked shots.
KEVIN BASCH (POTTSGROVE) >> The senior has kicked off the second semester with the Delaware men’s swim team with a big effort in the team’s last two meets. Basch won the 500 freestyle in a season-best time of 4:36.46 and the 1000 freestyle with a season-best time of 9:31.97 in a 154-140 victory over Seton Hall on Jan. 18. He came back to win the 500 freestyle in 4:40.09 and the 1000 freestyle in 9:40.01 in a 171-127 loss to Towson last Friday.
He has won four 1000 races this season.
DARNELL RANDALL (PERKIOMEN VALLEY) >> The senior had a big meet for the East Stroudsburg men’s indoor track team at Bucknell’s Gulden Invitational last Saturday in Lewisburg. He finished first in the high jump with a personal best mark of 6 feet, 8 ¾ inches. That is an NCAA Division II provisional mark and a PSAC qualifier. He also qualified for the PSAC meet by finishing first in the long jump with a lead of 23 feet, 2 ¾ inches. Randall rounded out the day by finishing 10th in the 60 meter dash with a personal best time of 7.18.
JORDAN WOOD (BOYERTOWN) >> The senior kicked off the second semester posting a 4-0 record at 285 pounds for the Lehigh wrestling team in Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association, the Mountain Hawks also going 4-0. He had a 6-3 decision in a 36-3 victory over Binghamton on Jan. 10, a 5-0 decision which clinched a 1914 triumph over Cornell on Jan. 11, posted a 16-3 major decision in a 33-8 win over American on Jan. 17 and scored a 4-1 decision in a 23-9 victory over Navy on Jan. 18.
TONEE ELLIS (METHACTON) >> The freshman finished second in the 197-pound class to help Alvernia finish fourth out of seven teams in the Middle Atlantic Conference Wrestling Championships on Jan. 18 in Williamsport. He gained the finals with a pin and a decision but was beaten 4-1 in the title match. Another Alvernia freshman, Chase Smith (Spring-Ford), helped the Golden Wolves by finishing fifth in the 174 pound class. He was beaten in the semifinals but came back to score a 7-5 decision in the fifthsixth place match.
MATT GNIAS (SPRING-FORD) >> The 6-foot senior guard is a key performer for the Muhlenberg men’s basketball team, the Mules 13-4 overall and 6-4 in the Centennial Conference after a 71-55 league victory over Gettysburg last Saturday. Gnias had 10 points and five assists in the game. He has started all 17 games and is second on the team in scoring with an 11.2 average. He’s also averaging 3.1 rebounds and is second in assists with 62 and leads in steals with 27.
JOSH ENDY (BOYERTOWN) >> The sophomore has been at his best the second semester for the Ithaca men’s indoor track team. On Jan. 11, he finished first in the 1,000 meter run with a personal best time of 2:34.22 at the Southern Tier Collegiate in Ithaca, N.Y. On Jan. 18, he posted another personal best when he won the mile at the Ithaca TriMeet with a time of 4:27.51.
Last weekend, he finished second in the 1000 meter run (2:35.93) and ran a leg on the winning DMR (10:33.43) at the Conference Challenge Cup in Rochester, N.Y.
AVERY CLOSE (PHOENIXVILLE) >> The 6-foot-6 junior forward scored a season-high and team high 20 points and pulled down seven rebounds, but it wasn’t enough as the Gettysburg men’s basketball team dropped a 77-71 decision to No. 15 ranked Johns Hopkins on Jan. 22. Close is third on the team in scoring (11.4), tied for first in rebounds (5.8) and has 31 assists, nine steals and 12 blocked shots. He’s connected on 9 of 22 3-point attempts (40.9 percent). The Bullets are 8-9 overall and 3-2 in Centennial Conference play.
ELISE SYLVESTER (POPE JOHN PAUL II) >> The 5-foot-2 freshman guard has played in all 17 games with 12 starts for the Gwynedd Mercy women’s basketball team, the Griffins 8-9 overall and 3-2 in Atlantic East Conference play after a 100-85 league victory over Immaculata last Saturday. Sylvester had 14 points, four rebounds and six steals in the game. On the season, she’s averaging 9.5 points and 3.1 rebounds and is second on the team in assists with 54 and leads the team in steals with 48.