Hatboro-Horsham’s Michael Thomas crushed two incredible swims and Michael Jensen (Upper Dublin) and Ryan Dudzinski (Upper St. Clair) each broke state records, but La Salle College powered away with the team title in Pennsyvania’s class 3A.
The PIAA meet is run on two separate days, with half the events swum prelims-finals on Friday, and the other half prelims-finals on Saturday.
Full results:
Three of Pennsylvania’s very tough state records fell at the 2015 class 3A boys state meet, and perhaps the best swims were a pair that didn’t break records.
Hatboro-Horsham’s Michael Thomas absolutely crushed two swims but was denied state records – that’s because one of the best high school swimmers in history, current Stanford Cardinal Dave Nolan, set the bar so high.
Thomas first went 1:44.50 to win the 200 IM, an outstanding time and a lifetime-best by a full second. But Nolan still holds the Pennsylvania and National High School records down at 1:41.39.
Then in the 100 back, Thomas blasted a lifetime-best 46.19, missing Nolan’s mark by just over half a second. Thomas is one of the nation’s top high school seniors, and will join 2014 NCAA champions California next fall.
But Thomas wasn’t the only one tearing up Pennsylvania. Upper Dublin’s Michael Jensen tore down a big state record with a 1:35.31 in the 200 free, the meet’s first individual event. The junior would go on to win the 100 free in 43.29 on day 2, coming within a second of another Nolan record.
Upper St. Clair’s Ryan Dudzinski kept pace with Jensen in his own way, only winning one individual event but breaking two state records.
The first came in the 200 medley relay. Dudzinski led off in 21.32, a big-league opening split, and his relay held on for the state title and new PIAA record in 1:29.74. That team featured Kevin Liu, Fynn Minuth and Braedon Wong.
Later on day 1, Dudzinski came back to win the 100 fly in 47.26, breaking his own state record from a year ago. Dudzinski will swim for the Stanford Cardinal starting next season.
But despite all that great swimming, it was La Salle College that outlasted everyone for the team title. That was powered by a pair of session-ending relay wins.
La Salle ended night 1 by winning the 200 free relay in 1:22.70. That featured three 20-second splits and a 21.33 leadoff from Nicholas Stachel. He was followed by Vincent Everman (20.59), Jake Sannem (20.48) and Kyle Shurmur (20.30).
La Salle also won the 400 free relay on the final night in 3:00.93, just missing the state record by seven tenths. Individual swimmers on that relay were not available on official results, but it featured a blistering anchor leg of 43.73.
The most likely owner of that excellent split is junior Greg Brocato, who was 43.91 in the individual 100 free to take second behind Jensen. Brocato also won the 50 free, going 20.27, and split 21.0 swimming fly on the 200 medley relay.
Other event winners:
- Freedom senior Sam Magnan blasted a 4:23.92 to win the 500 free, rattling the state record in the event.
- North Penn senior Thanas Kountroubis went 55.16 to win the 100 breast in a narrow touchout of Upper Dublin’s Wyatt Amdor (55.26).
- Penn-Trafford’s Joe Ference took the diving crown, scoring 542.85 points to blow out the field.
Top 5 Teams
- La Salle College – 302
- Upper St. Clair – 221
- North Allegheny – 183
- North Penn – 170
- Hershey – 154.5
I believe Dudzinski only swam 1 event at states because he DQ’d at his district meet in the 100 bk. Called on his finish for being completly submerged. Would have loved to see him race Thomas in 100 bk at states!
That’s exactly what happened. I would’ve liked to see them fight it out too, since last year, I was in the pool racing them while they were going at it.
You are correct. However, that DQ did help Upper St. Clair tremendously in their 400 free relay by adding Dudzinskis 43 anchor split. Still a shame we didn’t get to see the showdown for the second year running.