Main Line swimmers sparkled at the PIAA Swimming & Diving Championships March 13-16 at Bucknell University, particularly those from Conestoga High School.
Conestoga senior Jake Wang was named the PIAA 3A Boys Swimmer of the Meet for the second year in a row, while the Conestoga boys team finished a best-ever second place in the PIAA 3A boys team competition.
Wang won the 200 yard IM (PR 1:44.20) and 100 breaststroke (PR 52.36) and was the leadoff swimmer for the Pioneers’ first-place 400 free relay and 200 free relay teams.
Asked what winning the Boys Swimmer of the Meet for the second year in a row meant to him, Wang responded, “It means a lot to me, and it is really amazing that I can end my high school career on such a high note. I’ve worked hard for this all season and am extremely excited to have the opportunity to receive the award again. My times were all personal bests for myself, and the experience was extremely rewarding. The fact that I had to go so fast to win the award only further highlights the competition for the award.”
Also for the Conestoga boys, senior Can Yeniay finished first in the 200 freestyle (PR 1:36.66) and 500 free (PR 4:20.60). The Pioneers’ winning 200 free relay (PR 1:22.03) was Wang, senior Brock Whitaker, freshman Liam Haas and Yeniay and the first-place 400 free relay (PR and school record 3:00.12) was the quartet of Wang, Whitaker, junior Hutch Wood and Yeniay.
Whitaker also won a medal in the boys 100 butterfly, finishing fifth (49.74), and he posted the fifth-fastest time in the 100 free (PR 45.55), finishing first in the B final Thursday.
At the end of the meet, Conestoga had 183 team points, behind perennial champion North Penn (204).
“Our three seniors (Wang, Yeniay, Whitaker) were really clicking these last two days,” said Conestoga boys’ swimming coach Mark Tirone, whose Pioneers finished third last year at States. “We have a core senior group that will be dearly missed. This has been an amazing season, winning gold medals in six events at States. It couldn’t be any better.”
Wang said, “(Our team’s finish) was a culmination of the amazing work and amazing season we’ve had as a whole season. It is truly such an honor that I can be a part of the team that leaves such a mark in Conestoga Athletics history. I’m proud of everyone and so grateful for everything that our coaches have done.”
Next winter, Wang will swim for Yale University, and Yeniay will swim for the University of Pennsylvania.
On the girls’ side, Conestoga junior Avery Hillier won the girls diving 3A state title with a total of 478.40 points.
Conestoga girls swimming head coach Rob Kirkby said, “Avery works so hard to be the best. She trains hard all year round, and it certainly pays off. She is the consummate teammate, and she has earned the respect from everyone around her.”
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Lower Merion senior Alexa Conner also had an outstanding showing at the PIAA 3A Swimming & Diving Championships, finishing second in both the girls 200 IM (1:59.95) and 100 backstroke (54.06). Other Main Line girls medal-winners were Lower Merion’s 200 medley relay of Conner, sophomore Iris Xiong, freshman Briana Klock and sophomore Katie Potts-Drew (sixth, 1:45.36), Conestoga sophomore Maddie Fox in the 100 back (eighth, 58.77) and the Lower Merion 400 free relay team of Potts-Drew, freshman Annabel Bailey, Klock and Conner.
Lower Merion finished ninth in the 3A girls team competition.
Other Main Line boys medal winners at the PIAA 3A Swimming & Diving Championships included Harriton senior Charlie Nenchev, who finished sixth in both the 100 butterfly (50.02) and the 100 backstroke (49.59).
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At the PIAA 2A championships, Villa Maria Academy’s 200 yard freestyle quartet of junior Keri Collison, freshman Meg Collison, freshman Gwen Devenney and freshman Hailey Rittenhouse and finished eighth with a PR clocking of 1:40.45. The same four Villa Maria girls finished sixth in the 400 free relay, clocking 3:38.26.
