Dialog reporter
WILMINGTON – The Walnut Street YMCA was a busy place on the afternoon of Feb. 7, as the swim teams from Salesianum, Archmere, Padua and Ursuline gathered for three dual meets as the season nears its end. Salesianum bolstered its status as the No. 1 boys team in the state, while on the girls’ side, top-ranked Ursuline and No. 5 Padua each pulled out victories.
On the boys’ side, the Sals swept all 11 events on their way to a 95-67 victory over Archmere. Matt Otto and Andrew Halberg each won two individual events to lead the Sals. Otto took the 100 butterfly and the 200 individual medley, while Halberg was victorious in the 50 and 100 freestyle. In the other individual events, the winners were Joey Dickson (200 free); Brendan Lewis (500 free); Cameron Marion (100 backstroke); and Jake McFate (100 breaststroke).
They were just as successful in the relay events. Salesianum opened the meet with Marion, McFate, Dickson and Halberg winning the 200 medley relay. The 200 free relay team consisted of Anthony Marion, Sebastian Ciotti, Andrew Boyle and Halbert. The swimmers in the final event, the 400 free relay, included Boyle, Ciotti, Cameron Marion and Michael Portmann.
The Sals improved to 9-2 and are back at the Walnut Street Y on Thursday against Tower Hill at 3:30 p.m. Archmere (5-5) meets Conrad on Friday at 3:30 p.m. at McKean High School.
In the girls’ meet, both Ursuline and Padua were scored against Archmere but not each other. The Raiders, the defending state champions, took their dual meet by a 63-31 score.
The Dicksons, junior Heidi and senior Marie, each were double individual winners. Heidi touched first in the 200 freestyle and the 500 freestyle, while Marie won the 200 IM and the 100 fly. Eighth-grader Anna Garcia was the other individual event winner for the Raiders, taking the 50 free.
Ursuline won all three relay events. Abigail Poole, Grace Smith, Marie Dickson and Rylee McGonigle captured the 200 medley relay. McGonigle, Garcia, Allison Thomas and Heidi Dickson won the 200 free relay, and Marie Dickson, Poole, Thomas and Heidi Dickson ended the meet with a win in the 400 free relay.
Archmere swimmers took three events. They were Chelsey Liu (100 free), Lillian Quinn (100 back) and Sarah Mousley (100 breast).
Ursuline is now 7-1 and remains undefeated against in-state competition. They face a challenge on Monday, traveling to P.S. DuPont School to battle Mount Pleasant at 3:30 p.m.
Padua also defeated Archmere, but the score was much closer, 53-41. The Pandas took six events, while the Auks captured five.
Padua senior Emily Pfeifer was the lone double winner for the Pandas, in the 200 IM and the 100 breast. Other Padua individual event winners were Emily Stuebing in the 50 free and Lauren Mottel in the 100 fly.
Liu finished first in the 200 free and the 100 free for the Auks. Mousley took the 500 free, and Quinn the 100 back.
Padua won both the medley relay and the 200 free relay, and Archmere was victorious in the 400 free relay. Relay team members were not provided.
Padua (7-1) swims against Tower Hill on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. at the Walnut Street Y. Archmere (7-4) will try to end a two-meet losing streak at McKean on Friday at 3:30 p.m. against Conrad.
