SOL Swimmers Star at Cardinal Carnival

SOL swimmers excelled at this year’s Cardinal Carnival. Check out the results. To view photos of Saturday’s action, please visit the Photo Gallery.

The Suburban One League cleaned up at this year’s Cardinal Carnival, hosted by Upper Dublin.

The Upper Dublin boys showed that they are a real threat to repeat as the District One Class AAA team champions, winning two relays and two individual events.

Chris Devlin won the 200-yard freestyle in: 1:47.06, and Bobby Bantley won the 100 freestyle (46.79).

Bantley, Cooper Tollen, Michael Jensen and Eric Jensen won the 200 medley relay in a pool record time of 1:34.91, lowering the previous standard of 1:37.52, set earlier in 2012 by Bantley, Tollen, Zach Brech and Eric Jensen.

Michael Jensen, Tollen, Eric Jensen and Bantley teamed up to win the 200 freestyle relay (1:26.25).

“So far the team’s been working really hard,” Bantley said.” We have a new head coach in Geoff Scheuer and he’s been nothing short of fabulous. He’s really pushing us as a team to a new level.

“This is a good meet for us to show Suburban One, District One and even the PIAA where we’re at and what we’re all about.”

Upper Dublin was fourth at the PIAA championships last year.

“We’re definitely looking to be in the top three at states,” Bantley said. “We’re putting the work in and hopefully that will pay off at the end. This meet is a great place for us to see where we are. La Salle (defending PIAA Class AAA champion) is here and other than Hershey they’re probably our main competition.  

“We finished fourth at states last year, and it’s been in the back of our minds that we’re gunning for the top three this year.”

Bantley, a senior, has committed to Penn State.

“They’re really moving the program forward,” said Bantley, who also considered Virginia. “Coach (John) Hargis is really pushing those guys.

“Four years ago they weren’t in the top 25 but recently they were in the top 15. I hope I can add to the program.”

Hatboro-Horsham sophomore Michael Thomas won the 200 indiviual medley (1:55.93) and 500 freestyle (4:44.32).

“I train here at Upper Dublin for US Swimming so it was nice to see a lot of my friends,” Thomas said. “This was a fun meet and it was a nice way to end things before we have the holiday break.

“It’s nice to come here and swim some different teams, like La Salle, especially in the relays.”

Thomas is a sophomore this year.

“This year I really feel that I’m more knowledgeable and comfortable,” he said. “Last year I didn’t know how things worked and I didn’t know many people on the team but it’s going a lot better this time around.”

Council Rock North’s Brandon McCredie won the 50 freestyle (21.27).

“We’ve never been to this meet before and I was kind of expecting it to just be a fun meet, but I got all my best times here so it was really a great day for me,” McCredie said. “I feel fantastic after the way we swam today.

“Having so many different teams here like LaSalle made this meet feel like states all over again. There were so many good swims.”

Wissahickon freshman Amanda Zlotnikoff made a splash in her debut at this event, winning the 100 backstroke (1:00.59).

“The backstroke is my favorite event,” she said. “I haven’t been to any big meets yet so this is a great preparation for me and it was a lot of fun.

“This was a great meet and there were a lot of good swimmers here so I’m very happy with how I did.

“I’m really excited to see how I do this year. High school swimming is a big change, but I have a lot of friends on the team so it’s been everything I hoped it would be.”

The Upper Dublin girls had a pair of individual winners, as Julia Rodriquz won the 100 butterfly (1:00.98) and Casey O’Neill won the 100 freestyle (54.53).

Hatboro-Horsham won two girls relays.

The Hatters’ Nicole Pellecchia, Meghan Pellecchia, Haley Sutton and Liz Schmele won the 200 freestyle relay (1:41.78) and  Nicole Pellecchia, Perie Sumner, Meghan Pellecchia and Schmele won the 400 freestyle relay (3:44.92).

2012 Cardinal Carnival
Girls
200-yard medley relay: 1. Methacton (Sarah Lebold, Nicole Young, Corrine Blodgett, Kristen Groff), 1:53.56; 2. Hatboro-Horsham, 1:55.13; 3. Perkiomen Valley, 1:55.67.

200 freestyle: 1. Groff, M, 1:58.44; 2. Liz Schmele, HH, 2:01.13; 3. Becca Sykes, M, 2:07.34.

200 individual medley: 1. Allie Szekely, GMA, 2:01.48 (pool record, previous record 2:11.77 by Lauren Law, Villa Maria, 2011); 2. Allyson McHugh, LF, 2:09.16; 3. Sam Wheatley, UD, 2:13.03.

50 freestyle: 1. Young, M, 24.95; 2. Quinn MacMillan, CBW, 25.15; 3. Amnda Zlotnikoff, WIS, 25.32.

100 butterfly: 1. Julia Rodriguez, UD, 1:00.98; 2. Blodgett, M, 1:01.12; 3. Lindsay Anderson, WIS, 1:02.35.

200 freestyle relay: 1. Hatboro-Horsham (Nicole Pellecchia, Meghan Pellecchia, Haley Sutton, Schmele), 1:41.78; Methacton, 1:41.97; 3. Upper Dublin, 1:44.79.

100 freestyle: 1. Casey O’Neill, UD, 54.53; 2. N. Pellecchia, HH, 55.23; 3. Hannah Blaser, CBW, 55.43.

500 freestyle: 1. McHugh, LF, 5:11.93; 2. Groff, M, 5:17.22; 3. Ali McClure, WIS, 5:30.05.

100 backstroke: 1. Zlotnikoff, WIS, 1:00.59; 2. Sutton, HH, 1:02.08; 3. Maggie Bryner, PV, 1:02.48.

100 breaststroke: 1. Szekely, GMA, 1:02.86 (pool record, previous recod 1:07.29 by Megan Harris, Downingtown West, 2010); 2. Young, M, 1:07.01; 3. Blaser, CBW, 1:09.12.

400 freestyle relay: 1. Hatboro-Horsham (N. Pellecchia, Perie Sumner, M. Pellecchia, Schmele), 3:44.92; 2. Upper Dublin, 3:47.66; 3. Perkiomen Valley, 3:51.70.

Boys
200-yard medley relay: 1. Upper Dublin (Bobby Bantley, Cooper Tollen, Michael Jensen, Eric Jensen), 1:34.91 (pool record, previous record 1:37.52 by Upper Dublin, Bantley, Tollen, Zach Brech, E. Jensen, 2012); 2. LaSalle, 1:35.90; 3. Perkiomen Valley, 1:40.28.

200 freestyle: 1. Chris Devlin, UD, 1:47.06; 2. Curtis Sumner, HH, 1:47.66; 3. Kyle Finn, HH, 1:48.45.

200 individual medley: 1. Michael Thomas, HH, 1:55.93; 2. B. Bantley, UD, 2:00.43; 3. Devlin, UD, 2:01.15.

50 freestyle: 1. Brandon McCredie, CRN, 21.27; 2. Sean Regan, LS, 22.07; 3. Joe Maginnis, LS, 22.21.

100 butterfly: 1. Maginnis, LS, 52.30; 2. McCredie, CRN, 53.56; 3. Authur Yang, UD, 54.35.

200 freestyle relay: 1. Upper Dublin (M. Jensen, Tollen, E. Jensen, B. Bantley), 1:26.25; 2. Council Rock North, 1:27.78; 3. Hatboro-Horsham, 1:28.42.

100 freestyle: 1. B. Bantley, UD, 46.79; 2. E. Jensen, UD, 47.23; 3. Finn, HH, 48.96.

500 freestyle: 1. Michael Thomas, HH, 4:44.32; 2. Regan, LS, 4:46.46; 3. Ondrej Maxian, NHS, 4:54.03.

100 backstroke: 1. Colin Happ, LS; 2. E. Jensen, UD, 53.08; 3. M. Jensen, UD, 53.76.

100 breaststroke: 1. Wyatt Amdor, PV, 1:00.32; 2. Greg Walters, UD, 1:00.81; 3. Nick Stachel, LS, 1:02.31.

400 freestyle relay: 1. LaSalle (Gregory Rogers, Michael McBryan, Vince Everman, Evan Holder), 3:15.74; 2. Council Rock North, 3:15.77; 3. Hatboro-Horsham, 3:15.89.