Bishop Eustace Crusaders
Swimmers to watch:
Junior Matt McGough has been one of the top swimmers at Eustace each of his first two seasons and has high hopes for this year. Last year he had top-five finishes in the 500 free and butterfly at the SJISA Coaches Invitational, and he went on to compete at the Meet of Champions. The versatile McGough also swims the IM, 200 free and backstroke. Anthony DiCarlo is strong in the fly and 200 IM and will provide senior leadership for the Crusaders. Sophomores Evan Raiken (50 and 100 free) and Cory Gaulrapp (500 free) will both look to build on solid freshman seasons.
Outlook:
After a 5-6 season last year, the Crusaders have several talented returners and should stay competitive.
Camden Catholic Fighting Irish
Swimmers to watch:
Michael Keller (butterfly) and Julius Romero (50 and 100 free) both had promising seasons as freshmen last year and will be important swimmers for Camden Catholic this year. The coed squad also includes senior Mary Kate Hatch, who had top-25 finishes in both the 50 and 100 free at the SJISA Coaches Invitational.
Outlook:
The Irish will look to boost the numbers in the program and make steady progress throughout the year.
Cherokee Chiefs
Swimmers to watch:
Senior Carlos Obregon has been a tremendous competitor for Cherokee and will look to end his career with a bang. Last year he had top-10 finishes in both the butterfly and backstroke at the SJISA Coaches Invitational and swam both events at the Meet of Champions. He also contributes in the IM and 500 free. Junior Nic Montesanti also had a pair of top-10 finishes at the South Jersey meet, taking seventh in the breaststroke and 10th in the IM, while senior Nick Masciandaro placed 11th in both the IM and backstroke. Other key returners for the Chiefs include senior Jeff Wood, juniors Ryan Carroll, Bryce Wagner, Andrew Van Dyk and Jack Bowne, and sophomore Matt Crysler.
Outlook:
The Chiefs advanced to the South Jersey Public A final and placed sixth in Division A at the SJISA meet last year. Many of the top swimmers from that team are back, so this is shaping up as another successful season.
Cherry Hill East Cougars
Swimmers to watch:
Despite the graduation of David Rowe (butterfly) and Ethan O’Neill (diving)—who both took second in the state—the Cougars are loaded with returning talent from last year’s state championship squad. Senior Pat Gillooly is one of the top freestyle sprinters in the area, as he took fourth in the state in the 100 free and won both the 50 and 100 free at the SJISA Coaches Invitational. Senior Duncan Brookover was the 200 IM champion at the SJISA meet and added a fourth-place finish in the 500 free. Senior Sean Finias placed sixth in both the 200 free and butterfly at the South Jersey meet, while other top-10 finishers were junior Kevin Gillooly in the IM, senior Zach Volm in the fly and senior Nick Rosa in the 500 free. East also brings back three members from its medley relay (Rosa, Brookover and Pat Gillooly) and three members of its 400 free relay (Brookover, Finias and senior Josh Mogil), which both claimed second in the state. Other important veterans include seniors Josh Bartel and Mike Funari; juniors Aaron Schiff, Kevin Murphy, Jacob Ropka, Noah Shepard and Mike Langmuir; and sophomores Anthony Moon and Justin Andersen.
Outlook:
The Cougars capped a 14-0 season with a thrilling 86-84 win over Westfield for the Public A state championship last year, their first state crown since 2002. They also captured their seventh straight sectional crown, won their division at the SJISA meet for the first time ever and finished third in the final state rankings. Look for this season to be another special one.
Cherry Hill West Lions
Swimmers to watch:
West brings back most of its top competitors from a year ago, including sophomore diver Dillon Hall, who burst on the scene with a terrific rookie season. Hall took second at the SJISA meet and ninth at states, and could be in the running for titles at both meets this year. Junior Alex Kousoulis leads the swimmers, as he had top-20 finishes in the 100 free and backstroke at the South Jersey meet. Other returners expected to contribute are juniors Andrew Robertson, Theo Kousoulis and Dillon Hoffman; and sophomores Ryan Mailahn, Jack Owens, Sean Hall and Will Marble.
Outlook:
The Lions posted a 4-6 record and reached the South Jersey Public B semifinals last year. They should be able to build on that success this winter.
Clearview Pioneers
Swimmers to watch:
Clearview has a strong core returning, and it starts with senior Matt Grubb, who specializes in the breaststroke. He took fourth in the event at the SJISA Coaches Invitational, and added second-place finishes in Gloucester County and the Tri-County Conference. Mike Avallone is another senior leader who was second in the county in the 100 free, and junior Pierce Burgin had second-place showings in the county (200 free) and conference (500 free). Sophomores William Lukens (200 and 500 free, butterfly), Owen McNamara (fly, IM), BJ Fuller (IM, fly, 200 free) and Kenneth Culbertson (IM, backstroke) are all coming off impressive rookie seasons, and Dylan Regan (50 and 100 free) is a key junior. Other returners include seniors Robert McMurray, Ryan Allen and Zach Kubler and sophomore diver Nicholas Kubler.
Outlook:
The Pioneers went 10-1 and reached the South Jersey Public B semifinals last year. Expect another strong season from this consistent program.
Eastern Vikings
Swimmers to watch:
The Vikings return a strong nucleus that is once again led by junior Jerry Joyce, who placed sixth in the breaststroke at the SJISA Coaches Invitational for his second straight top-10 finish in the event. Joyce also shines in the IM and expectations are high for his junior season. Sophomore Max Nowell took 10th in the backstroke at the South Jersey meet and is also a solid freestyler, while versatile senior Artur Barkan is a key competitor in the 50 and 100 free along with the butterfly. Senior Thomas Boisvert is a standout in the 500 free, and other returners include senior Josh Seigel and junior Mark Shekhter.
Outlook:
Eastern’s impressive season included a 7-1 record and a trip to the South Jersey Public A playoffs. The Vikings will remain competitive this year.
Gloucester Catholic Rams
Swimmers to watch:
The Rams return a strong core built around senior Max McCall, who took seventh in the 200 free at the Meet of Champions after placing fifth in the event at the SJISA Coaches Invitational and winning it at the Tri-County Conference Showcase. He also took sixth in the 500 free at the South Jersey meet and stars in the IM as well. He should end his terrific career with another big season. Junior Dino Buffetta (second in the 50 free), sophomore Greg Cann (third in the breaststroke) and sophomore Jack Ruggieri (third in the butterfly) all turned in impressive performances at the Tri-County meet, while sophomore Garrett Lugiano is another key returner.
Outlook:
The Rams had a great run in 2014-15, as they finished 7-1, reached the Non-Public B state final and took fourth in Division A at the SJISA meet. Despite the transfer of talented sophomore Connor Shenk to GCIT, they have a ton of potential with most of their top competitors back in the fold.
Haddonfield Bulldawgs
Swimmers to watch:
Haddonfield has several talented swimmers returning from last year’s state championship team, led by seniors Brendan Finnegan, Jared MacNeill and Tim Proctor, all state qualifiers. Finnegan took 17th in the state in the 100 free and also competed in the 200 free and butterfly. The versatile team leader also swims the backstroke and IM. MacNeill qualified for states in the 50, 200 and 500 free, while Proctor specializes in the 200 free and IM. Finnegan and MacNeill were also part of the Bulldawgs’ 200 free relay, which took sixth in the state. Conor Skelly is another returning state qualifier who is coming off a sensational freshman season. At the SJISA Coaches Invitational, Skelly took seventh in the fly and 14th in the 50 free. John Fenton also showed promise as a freshman, placing fifth in the 500 free and 17th in the backstroke at the SJISA meet. Haddonfield also returns one of the area’s best divers in junior Joseph Tully, who took first in Division B at the SJISA 6-Dive Championships. Other important returners include senior Brian McGrath and junior Daniel Brown.
Outlook:
The Bulldawgs, who were ranked 18th in the final state poll of 2015, capped their 8-3 season with the Public C state title, the program’s first state crown since 2010. They have the talent and depth to be contenders again.
Kingsway Dragons
Swimmers to watch:
A solid group of seniors leads the way for Kingsway, including freestyler Nick Zahniser, who took third in the Tri-County Conference and fourth in Gloucester County in the 200 free last year. The veteran core also features a pair of strong swimmers in the 500 free, as Nick Amorebella took third in the event in the conference and Chris Cook was fourth in the county. Walt Huder (breaststroke) and Joe Delmar (back) are other important seniors. Juniors Jimmy Knoll and Billy Appelbaum specialize in the 50 and 100 free and joined Huder and Zahniser on the 200 free relay team that had top-five finishes at the county and conference meets. Junior Jacob Nocentino (IM) and sophomore Jack Gable (butterfly) are other contributors.
Outlook:
The Dragons have notched at least six wins each of the last five seasons, including last year, when they went 6-3 and reached the Public B playoffs. They’ll look to continue that streak this season.
Lenape Indians
Swimmers to watch:
Lenape graduated the most accomplished swimmer in school history in Steve Shek, who took second at the Meet of Champions last year in the IM and breaststroke. But a lot of talent still remains, starting with senior Jacob Gray, a state qualifier in the butterfly and 200 free. Gray added top-10 finishes in the IM and 100 free at the SJISA Coaches Invitational, and was also part of Lenape’s medley relay and 400 free relay that both placed in the top eight in the state. Junior Alex Trauger also qualified for states in two events, the 50 and 100 free, and joined Gray on the 400 free relay. At the SJISA meet, he took seventh in the 50 free and 11th in the 100 free. Senior Michael Williams (200 and 500 free), junior John Thompson (500 free) and sophomore Jacob Haines (IM, fly) all placed in the top 20 in their events at the SJISA meet. Other important returners are senior Ryan Souter, junior Trevor Holroyd and sophomores Justin Parikh and Thomas Seeds.
Outlook:
The Indians gave Montgomery a major scare in the Central Jersey Public A final last year, falling just short in their quest for a sectional title. They finished with a 9-2 record and were ranked 16th in the final state poll. The loss of Shek and three other seniors will sting, but the talent is in place for Lenape to qualify for the playoffs for the sixth year in a row.
Moorestown Quakers
Swimmers to watch:
Moorestown has had its share of elite swimmers over the years, and senior Alex Martin is certainly near the top of that list. Last year, he repeated as the state champion in the backstroke and also qualified for states in the 50 and 100 free, two events he won at the SJISA Coaches Invitational. Martin went on to compete at the NCSA Junior Nationals in March and the Speedo Junior National Championships over the summer. A highly sought-after recruit, he has committed to Michigan, considered one of the best college programs in the country. Another key upperclassman is junior Tim Cheung, who had top-10 finishes in the breaststroke and 500 free at the SJISA meet. Sophomores Reid Greer and Thomas Schurer shined at the SJISA meet as well, as they took second and third, respectively, in the 500 free. Greer was also fifth in the 200 free and Schurer added a fourth in the backstroke. Other important returners include seniors Kyle Blaskovich, Matt Phillips and Matt Schaeffer, and sophomores Brad Pendino, Christian Wisniewski and Thomas Trasser.
Outlook:
The Quakers claimed their second straight Public B state championship last year—the 20th in school history—and also went undefeated for the second consecutive year, extending their winning streak in dual meets to 35. With Martin leading the way, they’ll shoot for a three-peat.
Moorestown Friends Foxes
Swimmers to watch:
The Foxes graduated top swimmer Brandon Beach, a Friends League first-team all-star, but have some promising returners to build around. One of those veterans is senior Edward Gelernt, who placed sixth in the 200 free at the Friends League Championships and also competes in the 500 free. Junior Connor Cronk also had a strong showing at the league meet, taking seventh in the 50 free. Other returners include seniors Josh Murdy and Jacob Schoifet; juniors Matthew Knowlton, Mateo Flores and Bradford Geyer; and sophomore Piercson Sheehan.
Outlook:
The Foxes will certainly miss Beach, but they’ll look to regroup and improve upon their 2-7 record.
Paul VI Eagles
Swimmers to watch:
The Eagles, who compete as a coed team, are led by senior Joanna Glanville, who shines in the 500 free, and senior Ann Foley, who went to the state tournament in the 50 free. Junior Taylor Marcinek and sophomore Grace Borchers are other key returners. For the boys, junior Connor Plaski is a strong returner who swims the 200 free, among other events. Senior Sal Murphy will also be counted on a major contributor.
Outlook:
The Eagles have solid numbers returning to the program and will look to improve as the season wears on.
Seneca Golden Eagles
Swimmers to watch:
Senior Will Medina, who specializes in the butterfly and freestyle, leads a solid list of returners for Seneca. Other important seniors include Mike Miller (butterfly, breaststroke), Brandon Hughes (backstroke, freestyle) and Nick George (breaststroke). Juniors Connor Fries and Jake Anderson and sophomore Zach Zoltowski are other returners expected to contribute.
Outlook:
The Golden Eagles have a solid core of swimmers and will look to make progress throughout the season.
Shawnee Renegades
Swimmers to watch:
Shawnee graduated several terrific swimmers, including Jon Burkett, who was last year’s state champion in the butterfly and took third in the backstroke; and James Elmendorf, who finished 10th in the state in the backstroke. Helping to fill the void will be sophomore Brenden Meagher, who is coming off an impressive rookie season. Meagher took fifth in the breaststroke and seventh in the IM at the SJISA Coaches Invitational, and also qualified for states in the breaststroke, finishing 13th. Another important returner is senior Jacob Fleisher, who was a state qualifier in the breaststroke and 500 free and took 10th in the breaststroke at the South Jersey meet. Senior Matt Boblenz (50 and 100 free) and junior Nick Zeltt (IM, butterfly) also have high expectations for this season. Other returners include junior Stephen Egan and sophomores Kevin DelGiorno and John Swift.
Outlook: The Renegades’ 7-4 season included a trip to the South Jersey Public B final and a fifth-place finish in Division A at the SJISA meet. They should remain a solid team with Meagher coming into his own.
Washington Township Minutemen
Swimmers to watch:
Hopes are high for the Minutemen as they bring back a number of tough competitors, including senior C.J. McAninlley. He was the Gloucester County champion in the 100 free and took 11th in the event at states. He also qualified for states in the 50 free and took fourth in both events at the SJISA Coaches Invitational. Two other county champs return: junior Matt Mills (500 free) and sophomore Scott Emerson (200 free). Mills also qualified for states in the 500 free, took seventh in the event at the SJISA meet and added a third-place showing in South Jersey in the IM. Emerson’s impressive freshman campaign featured a trip to states in the 50 free. Juniors Jason Wahl (second in the county in the IM) and Anthony Solitro (third in the county in the breaststroke) are other important returners. McAninnley and Solitro were also members of the 200 free relay that won the county title and placed 24th at states. The Minutemen also have two newcomers who are expected to help considerably in brothers Alex and Perry Chu. Alex, a freshman, swims fly, back and free and should also contribute in the relays. Perry, a junior, is an experienced club swimmer who swam for Township two years ago and is returning to the team.
Outlook:
The Minutemen reclaimed their Gloucester County team championship, earning the title for the 13th time in the last 14 years. They also advanced to the South Jersey Public A quarterfinals and finished with a 5-6 record. This year’s squad has a lot of potential.
Published (and copyrighted) in Suburban Family’s High School Winter Sports Preview, Volume 6, Issue 9 (November, 2015).
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