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By STEVE SEMBRAT steves@leader.net
Sunday, March 02, 2003 Page: 3C
WILKES-BARRE – The Wyoming Seminary boys wanted to take advantage of the
opportunity of a lifetime.
The Bishop Hoban girls were looking to carry on a tradition of excellence.
Each squad on Saturday used different motivation to achieve similar
results, as the Blue Knights and Argents reigned as District 2 Class 2A
Swimming & Diving team champs.
The common thread between the two was that it was a collective effort
during the 11 swimming events at the King’s College pool that produced a
title. (Diving was held last week).
Seminary piled up 294 points to capture the boys team trophy, while Hoban
used a spirited effort to take second with 234.5 points. Dallas was third at
208 and Scranton Prep, last year’s champ, was fourth with 184.5.
“To my knowledge, Wyoming Seminary has never won a district title in
swimming,” Blue Knights head coach Jill Stretanski said. “It’s not like we
have a chance to win it every year. Other years there were dominant teams and
there was nothing you could do about it. This year we had a chance, and I
asked the kids, `Are you going to do it?”’
While it is the first time the Seminary boys have won the Class 2A title,
the Hoban girls repeated. The Argents have won the 2A team crown every year
since the District 2 championships were split into Class 3A and 2A meets in
1993, and they weren’t about to let this be the year that streak ended.
“I love how Hoban has so much tradition,” said Argent sophomore Caroline
Byron, the only individual to win four gold medals in the girls competition.
“It’s not short term, where we have a good year and a bad year. We always
come out with a good team.”
One record was set during the competition, as Scranton Prep junior Ashley
Bessoir broke her own District 2 and meet mark in the 200-yard individual
medley with a time of two minutes, 11.11 seconds.
The top two finishers in each event qualified for the PIAA Class 2A
Swimming Championships, set for March 14-15 at Penn State. Several other
qualified with their time.
Boys meet
The Seminary boys feature a senior-laden team, and its top stars did not
disappoint. Matt Kerns and Phil Mercatili led the way for the Blue Knights
with two gold medals apiece.
Kerns won the 200 and 500 freestyle events, while Mercatili took gold in
the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly. The two also qualified for states
in a pair of relays where Seminary took second.
The two teamed with William Gagliardi and Brendan Sinatro to earn silver in
the 200 medley relay. Scranton Prep’s Mike Eisner, Mark Esolen, Mark Lesak and
Eric Hayden took gold in that event.
Kerns and Sinatro combined with Gagliardi and Nadan Sehic to place second
in the 400 freestyle relay. Bishop Hoban’s Vince Ginocchetti, Andrew Potsko,
John Dougherty and Gerry McGroarty won that final event.
Gagliardi, a junior, won gold in the 100 breaststroke, but there was much
more to Seminary’s winning effort. The top 12 finishers in each event scored
points for their team, and the Blue Knights had a number of individuals who
enjoyed nice drops from their seed time to finish better than expected.
“Everybody worked really hard,” Kerns said. “Everybody wanted to win. We
knew we had a chance to win the meet and we really wanted it. Everybody went
their hardest and fastest.”
That kind of effort was necessary in a meet where many of the competitors,
both boys and girls, enjoyed excellent drops in time.
For Hoban, McGroarty qualified for states in two individual events, winning
the 100 freestyle and placing second in the 100 backstroke. Potsko qualified
for states as runner-up to Kerns in the 200 and 500 freestyle. Ginocchetti
earned PIAA berths by tying for second in the 100 butterfly, and with his
third-place time in the 50 freestyle.
Prep also will have a strong contingent at states. Eisner, Esolen, Lesak
and Hayden also won the 200 freestyle relay. Lesak took home four golds, as he
also won the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke. Hayden earned berths at states
as the runner-up in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke. Eisner
will go to states for taking silver in the 50 and 100 freestyle. Esolen gets a
state berth for tying Ginocchetti for second in the 100 butterfly.
Dallas qualified a relay for states for the first time in school history,
as Robert Murphy, Sean Gilroy, Mark O’Brien and Joe Stredney took second in
the 200 freestyle relay.
Girls meet
Byron shined the brightest in relays. After winning the 50 and 100
freestyle, she anchored the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. In each race, the
outcome was in doubt when Byron hit the water, but she lifted Hoban to gold in
each instance.
“Relays are the best part of a meet,” Byron said. “I love being the
anchor when the race is so close. I love it.”
Hoban qualified swimmers for states in eight of the 11 events. Byron,
Justine Grilz, Julie McLaughlin and Bryn Mesko won the 200 freestyle relay.
Byron, Mesko, Justine Grilz and Katelyn Ostopick captured gold in the 400
freestyle relay.
The Argents took silver in the other relay, as McLaughlin, Ostopick, Julie
Grilz and Kelly Dessoye helped set the tone for their team. The four came up
with a great drop in time, a trend that continued throughout the meet, not
just for Hoban’s top stars, but for most of their swimmers.
“That’s the stuff Bishop Hoban is made out of,” Pawlenok said. “That’s
why we win every year. We’re so proud of what they accomplished as a whole.”
McLaughlin repeated as champ in the 100 breaststroke, and finished
runner-up in the 200 individual medley. Justine Grilz will go to state as
silver medalist in the 200 freestyle.
Prep swimmers won gold in five events, highlighted by Bessoir’s
record-setting performance in the 200 individual medley. She also took silver
in the 100 breaststroke.
Bessoir, Alyssa Chiumento, Gabby Lucarelli and Elizabeth Manley won the 200
medley relay. Bessoir, Chiumento, Melissa McLane and Emly Pizzichemi won
silver in the 200 freestyle relay, as did Lucarelli, McLane, Pizzichemi and
Victoria Szumski in the 400 freestyle relay.
Pizzichemi won the 200 freestyle and finished second in the 100 freestyle.
Lucarelli won the 100 butterfly and finished second in the 500 freestyle.
McLane and Manley finished 1-2 in the 100 backstroke.
Berwick had three swimmers qualify for states. Julie Gunderson won the 500
freestyle, and made it with her third-place time in the 200 individual medley.
Rachael Blass goes as silver medalist in the 100 butterfly. Maggie Albertson
qualified with her fourth-place time in the 200 individual medley, as that was
the quickest race of the meet.
Jen Arthur of Dallas qualified for the PIAA meet as runner-up in the 50
freestyle.