ZfishInMason
Well-known member
Local swimmers are back in the pool in anticipation of the 2014/2015 campaign and ready-or-not, competition commences next week! The early season skirmishes may not tell us a lot, as most of the contenders for the league title will be short-handed until their club swimmers cross-over for high school competition in mid-December. Who are the teams to watch this year and how will your favorite GMC team fare? That’s what we’re here to discuss!
Starting with last year’s boys champions, Mason lost very little to graduation and is ready to prove that they are one of the strongest teams in school history. With a large, experienced senior class and a strong group of underclassmen, the Comets are heavy favorites to hoist the championship trophy again in February. The heart of this team is its powerful group of freestyle swimmers led by senior and defending conference champion Justin Hove (200 free, 500 free). The Comets look to place their stamp on the conference and the school record books with seniors Donald Bleasdale (free/breast), Pete He (free/fly), Adam Manguiat (back), Alex Mechler (free/fly) and Mpoki Mwalupindi (free) all looking to rack up big points in both the individual and relay events. Juniors Preston Bailey (fly/free) and Joel Thatcher (free/back) will make huge contributions, as will a strong group of underclassmen including Luis Carrillo (fly/IM), Sebastian Castillo (fly/free), Ethan Devyak (free/fly), Matt Helm (Breast/IM), Puran Kansakar (breast), Mike McDonald (back), and Terry Tao (breast/IM). Divers Allen Feng and Chad Peterson will provide valuable points for an unusually well-rounded Comet team. Expect Mason swimmers to be league championship threats in nearly every event come February and send a strong contingent into the post-season.
Sycamore will be led by conference Swimmer of the Year and 100 fly champion Mark Hancher (fly/free) and a contingent of solid upperclassmen including Eammon Bell (free), Isaac Goldstein (Fly/Free), John Heldman (fly/IM), Ethan May (free), Joe Moreno (free), Rick Niu (breast/IM), Matthew Schuetz (back), Chris Seger (fly/IM), Ben Thiss (Free), David Wang (breast) and Allen Zhou (breast). Underclassman who will make an impact this year include Jiho Choi (back/free), Brad Greenberger (free), Robert Schramm (Free), and Luke Tenenbarge (free/breast). No doubt a number of good freshman are also waiting in the wings as they always seem to be for the Aves. Sycamore should be solid in all three relays and they possess team depth second only to Mason, a formula that is likely to keep them in the runner-up spot again this season.
Coming off a third place finish last year, Lakota East should be strong again this season with a very good senior class and a sophomore phenom. Led by conference champion Matt McDonald (back/IM) and fellow seniors Eric Hills (free), Keith Jessee (Fly/Breast), Alec Linder (Diving), and Ben Schomaker (free), the Hawks should be strong at the top of their lineup. After an incredible freshman year, sophomore Josh McDonald will challenge the conference and states best swimmers in both the 200 and 500 freestyle this year. Other underclassmen that will make an impact include Junior Brad Barren (free), Logan Dennis (back), Keith Enrico (back/IM), Jacob Keith (free), and Alex Nucerino (fly/IM). Lakota East should score big in the relays as conference favorites in the medley and possibly second only to Mason in the free relays. This is certainly one of the best Thunderhawk teams in recent history but only time will tell if they have enough to overtake the conference leaders.
Lakota West should have enough to bring home fourth place in February with a quartet of seniors: Sean McCracken (free/back), Ben Pawlukiewicz (breast/fly), Robert Skoog (free), and Jackson Tinsley (breast/IM). They also boast last year’s conference runner-up diver (Taylor Mason) and should have solid showings in all three relays... enough to distance themselves from the rest of the field.
As is always the case, most of the talent in the GMC is concentrated in a few pools. However, there are a few individuals to watch out for on the other league teams as well. First and foremost among these is Middletown’s senior and conference champion Mark Andrew (100 free and 100 breast). You can expect to see him be a major factor at conference championships and beyond. Other noteworthy returnees from last year’s conference championships include Fairfield’s Mitchell Ellis (IM/breast), Princeton’s Riley Hinkley (back) and a pair of athletes from Oak Hills, diver Parker Dennis and freestyler Hunter Busken.
Starting with last year’s boys champions, Mason lost very little to graduation and is ready to prove that they are one of the strongest teams in school history. With a large, experienced senior class and a strong group of underclassmen, the Comets are heavy favorites to hoist the championship trophy again in February. The heart of this team is its powerful group of freestyle swimmers led by senior and defending conference champion Justin Hove (200 free, 500 free). The Comets look to place their stamp on the conference and the school record books with seniors Donald Bleasdale (free/breast), Pete He (free/fly), Adam Manguiat (back), Alex Mechler (free/fly) and Mpoki Mwalupindi (free) all looking to rack up big points in both the individual and relay events. Juniors Preston Bailey (fly/free) and Joel Thatcher (free/back) will make huge contributions, as will a strong group of underclassmen including Luis Carrillo (fly/IM), Sebastian Castillo (fly/free), Ethan Devyak (free/fly), Matt Helm (Breast/IM), Puran Kansakar (breast), Mike McDonald (back), and Terry Tao (breast/IM). Divers Allen Feng and Chad Peterson will provide valuable points for an unusually well-rounded Comet team. Expect Mason swimmers to be league championship threats in nearly every event come February and send a strong contingent into the post-season.
Sycamore will be led by conference Swimmer of the Year and 100 fly champion Mark Hancher (fly/free) and a contingent of solid upperclassmen including Eammon Bell (free), Isaac Goldstein (Fly/Free), John Heldman (fly/IM), Ethan May (free), Joe Moreno (free), Rick Niu (breast/IM), Matthew Schuetz (back), Chris Seger (fly/IM), Ben Thiss (Free), David Wang (breast) and Allen Zhou (breast). Underclassman who will make an impact this year include Jiho Choi (back/free), Brad Greenberger (free), Robert Schramm (Free), and Luke Tenenbarge (free/breast). No doubt a number of good freshman are also waiting in the wings as they always seem to be for the Aves. Sycamore should be solid in all three relays and they possess team depth second only to Mason, a formula that is likely to keep them in the runner-up spot again this season.
Coming off a third place finish last year, Lakota East should be strong again this season with a very good senior class and a sophomore phenom. Led by conference champion Matt McDonald (back/IM) and fellow seniors Eric Hills (free), Keith Jessee (Fly/Breast), Alec Linder (Diving), and Ben Schomaker (free), the Hawks should be strong at the top of their lineup. After an incredible freshman year, sophomore Josh McDonald will challenge the conference and states best swimmers in both the 200 and 500 freestyle this year. Other underclassmen that will make an impact include Junior Brad Barren (free), Logan Dennis (back), Keith Enrico (back/IM), Jacob Keith (free), and Alex Nucerino (fly/IM). Lakota East should score big in the relays as conference favorites in the medley and possibly second only to Mason in the free relays. This is certainly one of the best Thunderhawk teams in recent history but only time will tell if they have enough to overtake the conference leaders.
Lakota West should have enough to bring home fourth place in February with a quartet of seniors: Sean McCracken (free/back), Ben Pawlukiewicz (breast/fly), Robert Skoog (free), and Jackson Tinsley (breast/IM). They also boast last year’s conference runner-up diver (Taylor Mason) and should have solid showings in all three relays... enough to distance themselves from the rest of the field.
As is always the case, most of the talent in the GMC is concentrated in a few pools. However, there are a few individuals to watch out for on the other league teams as well. First and foremost among these is Middletown’s senior and conference champion Mark Andrew (100 free and 100 breast). You can expect to see him be a major factor at conference championships and beyond. Other noteworthy returnees from last year’s conference championships include Fairfield’s Mitchell Ellis (IM/breast), Princeton’s Riley Hinkley (back) and a pair of athletes from Oak Hills, diver Parker Dennis and freestyler Hunter Busken.
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