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HS SWIMMING: Dunmore posts wins over Valley View with a little help from new friends, teammates

joby fawcett, the times-tribune, scranton, pa.
·8 min read

Jan. 11—SCRANTON — Swimmers huddled together and waited anxiously for the announcement of the final scores.

When they came, a loud cheer and celebration took place among those representing Dunmore at the Marywood University Aquatic Center on Wednesday. They are a unique collection of athletes from Dunmore and its rival school, Holy Cross, brought together and competing as one in a co-sponsorship agreement that kept one program afloat and strengthened another.

Dunmore edged Valley View, 79-75, in a girls meet that came down to the final three events. The Bucks defeated Valley View, 56-25, to earn the initial boys win for a team that did not exist for several seasons.

"We were all really nervous about this meet," Dunmore's Catherine Gilhooley said. "It was so exciting because it was neck-and-neck the whole way, and I think it was a one-point meet at the half, so it was exciting to get a win like this."

The girls meet featured some outstanding individual efforts and an exciting finish.

Dunmore received wins from Catherine Gilhooley in the 200-yard freestyle and Reagan Kearney in the 500 free and added a win in the 200 free relay.

"I felt really good, even though I haven't done that race in a while," said Gilhooley, who picked up the Lady Bucks' first win with a time of 2 minutes, 39.40 seconds. "I was kind of nervous, but when I got into the water, I felt good and was on a very good pace. I was surprised when I saw the clock, though."

Valley View's talented roster, led by Molly Hubal and Lily Nemeth, who are returning All-Region swimmers, and Della Noon won six of the individual races and joined with Reilly Speague and Brooke Tylenda to win a pair of relays.

Hubal won the 50 free (25.60) and the 100 breaststroke (1:09.98), Nemeth won the 100 free (57.44) and the 100 backstroke (1:07.03), and Noon won the 200 individual medley (2:38.26) and the 100 butterfly (1:13.95) for Valley View (2-3).

However, the Lady Bucks stayed within striking distance and made one final push to the finish. Kearney earned the win in the 500 with a time of 6:52.28.

"I know that race was so important for my team," Kearney said. "I really wanted to help the team win, and I put everything I had out there and was able to win it. That really boosted the team."

Then, Rylie Heusner, a former Holy Cross swimmer, Giulie Escobar, Gilhooley, and Sheets earned a win in the 200 free relay with a time of 2:01.27 as Dunmore had a 62-49 lead with three events remaining.

"It's been so great to be a team with Dunmore," said Heusner, who also finished second in the 50 free and the 200 IM. "With us struggling to find a team, we were all worried about not being able to swim, especially with this being my senior year. Everyone has been so welcoming, and coach John has been great and so nice to us.

"The relay wins are great, because now we have a bigger team and we have more chances to win."

Valley View closed strong with wins from Nemeth, Hubal and the 400 free relay team. Dunmore had Giovanna Matrone and Colleen Blockberger finished second and third behind Nemeth in the 100 back, Sheets picked up a second in the 100 breaststroke behind Hubal, and the Lady Bucks had two relay teams finish second and third to secure the win. Heusner, Matrone, Gilhooley and Sheets were second, and Kaiya Daube, Brynn Kochis, Blockberger and Escobar finished third in the 400 free relay.

"That was a great win, because we had all of our best swimmers on that team," Gilhooley said. "That was really exciting."

In the boys meet, Luke Healey turned in an all-around effort to lead the Bucks to the win.

An All-Region swimmer and PIAA qualifier at Holy Cross last season, he feared he might have to swim as an independent this winter when Holy Cross couldn't secure a coach for its varsity program. The co-sponsorship saved his season and created a Dunmore boys team that hadn't competed in the Lackawanna League in several years.

Healey won the 200 free (1:58.68) and the 100 free (54.10) and teamed with Garek Petraitis, Simon Madrone and Anthony Bonavoglia to win the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay to spark the Bucks to their first win of the season.

"I am just glad that we had somewhere to swim," Healey said. "Everyone at Dunmore has been great. We are thankful to have them, and they are thankful to have us. We have enjoyed competing together. It's nice to see all of our hard work that we are putting into practice earn us a win. I have been dropping times a lot, so hopefully I can continue to do that the rest of the season."

Bonavoglia also won the 50 free (27.88) and the 100 fly (1:06.88), and Petraitis won the 200 IM (3:02.76) and the 100 back (2:25.89) for Dunmore.

Cameron Morgan won the 500 free and Yuanchang Ou won the 100 breaststroke to lead Valley View (0-5).

Girls

Dunmore 79, Valley View 75

200 Medley Relay: Valley View (Nemeth, Hubal, Noon, Speague) 2:07.56. 200 Free: Catherine Gilhooley (DUN) 2:39.40, Tylenda (VV), Daube (DUN). 200 IM: Della Noon (VV) 2:38.26, Heusner (DUN), Kearney (DUN). 50 Free: Molly Hubal (VV) 25.60, Heusner (DUN), Takach (DUN). 100 Fly: Della Noon (VV) 1:13.95, Matrone (DUN), Gilhooley (DUN). 100 Free: Lily Nemeth (VV) 57.44, Sheets (DUN), Daube (DUN). 500 Free: Regan Kearney (DUN) 6:52.28, Tylenda (VV), Blockberger (DUN). 200 Free Relay: Dunmore (Heusner, Escobar, Gilhooley, Sheets) 2:01.27, DUN, VV. 100 Back: Lily Nemeth (VV) 1:07.03, Matrone (DUN), Blockberger (DUN). 100 Breast: Molly Hubal (VV) 1:09.98, Sheets (DUN), Ancherani (VV). 400 Free Relay: Valley View (Nemeth, Noon, Tylenda, Hubal) 4:16.18, DUN, DUN.

Records: DUN 2-2, VV 2-3.

Delaware Valley 99, Elk Lake 86

At Elk Lake, Anaya Ruiz and JoAnn Jagger each had two individual wins and were part of two relay wins to lead Delaware Valley.

Olivia Cruz had an individual win and two relay wins for Delaware Valley.

Brenna Decker had two wins for Elk Lake.

200 Medley Relay: Delaware Valley (Sussman, Cruz, Prior, Bogusta) 2:12.58, Elk Lake, Elk Lake. 200 Free: Anaya Ruiz (DV) 2:10.64, Bauman (EL), Howell (EL). 200 IM: Brenna Decker (EL) 2:39.2, Cruz (DV), Noldy (EL). 50 Free: JoAnn Jagger (DV) 27.87, Smith (EL), Warriner (EL). Diving: Leanne Walter (EL) 222.3, V. Willson (DV), Oliver (DV). 100 Fly: JoAnn Jagger (DV) 1:07.69, Grosvenor (EL), Prior (DV). 100 Free: Hannah Howell (EL) 1:03.12, Warriner (EL), Zakharova (DV). 500 Free: Anaya Ruiz (DV) 6:03.15, Grosvenor (EL), Bauman (EL). 200 Free Relay: Delaware Valley (Jagger, Cruz, Bogusta, Ruiz) 1:51.34, Elk Lake, Elk Lake. 100 Back: Brenna Decker (EL) 1:12.94, Sussman (DV), Smith (EL). 100 Breast: Olivia Cruz (DV) 1:22.49, Bogert (DV), Roberts (DV). 400 Free Relay: Delaware Valley (Zakharova, Jagger, Bogusta, Ruiz) 4:13.81, Elk Lake, Delaware Valley.

Records: DV 4-0, EL 2-2.

Boys

Dunmore 56, Valley View 25

200 Medley Relay: Dunmore (Petraitis, Healey, Bonavoglia, Madrone) 2:12.08. 200 Free: Luke Healey (DUN) 1:58.68, Morgan (VV). 200 IM: Garek Petraitis (DUN) 3:02.76. 50 Free: Anthony Bonavoglia (DUN) 27.88, Madrone (DUN), Ou (VV). 100 Fly: Anthony Bonavoglia (DUN) 1:06.88. 100 Free: Luke Healey (DUN) 54.10, Bekele (VV). 500 Free: Cameron Morgan (VV) 8:29.64. 200 Free Relay: Dunmore (Healey, Madrone, Petraitis, Bonavoglia) 1:54.52. 100 Back: Garek Petraitis (DUN) 2:25.89. 100 Breast: Yuanchang Ou (VV) 1:59.72. 400 Free Relay: No event.

Records: DUN 1-3, VV 0-5.

Delaware Valley 134, Elk Lake 46

At Elk Lake, Alexander Corcoran and Liam Fass each had two individual wins and were part of two relay wins to lead Delaware Valley.

Matthew O'Connell, Eddie Nieves and Keith Sublett each had an individual win and two relay wins for Delaware Valley.

200 Medley Relay: Delaware Valley (L. Fass, Sublett, Nieves, Corcoran) 1:53.24, Delaware Valley, Elk Lake. 200 Free: Alexander Corcoran (DV) 2:09.24, Jacobs (DV), Buffington (EL). 200 IM: Liam Fass (DV) 2:21.19, Grosvenor (EL), Lockwood (DV). 50 Free: Matthew O'Connell (DV) 24.86, Manning (DV), Lincoln (EL). Diving: Sebastian Zakiewicz (DV) 136.62, Peerebom (DV), Dolaway (EL). 100 Fly: Eddie Nieves (DV) 1:01.3, O'Connell (DV), Lincoln (EL). 100 Free: Alexander Corcoran (DV) 55.53, Manning (DV), Jones (EL). 500 Free: Liam Fass (DV) 5:40.64, Grosvenor (EL), Finelli (DV). 200 Free Relay: Delaware Valley (Sublett, Corcoran, O'Connell, Manning) 1:41.28, Delaware Valley, Elk Lake. 100 Back: John Lockwood (DV) 1:16.53, Buffington (EL), Matyushin (DV). 100 Breast: Keith Sublett (DV) 1:05.66, Nieves (DV), Smith (DV). 400 Free Relay: Delaware Valley (O'Connell, L. Fass, Nieves, Manning) 3:49.17, Elk Lake, Delaware Valley.

Records: DV 4-0, EL 1-3.

Contact the writer: jbfawcett@timesshamrock.com; 570-348-9125; @sportsTT on Twitter