Plainsmen look to repeat as section swimming champions

PHOTOGRAPHER: Jim Schiltz

It started with a trickle of points in last year’s meet-starting diving competition. Two days later, Shenendehowa swimmers flooded the scoreboard with six victories and six runner-up efforts on the way to a fifth straight Section II team championship.

A repeat could be in the works for the young Plainsmen, who’ll look for productive performances from Adam Bonk, Ben Hale and Matt Lenney in today’s diving segment at Ballston Spa before their No. 1-seeded athletes hit the water Friday and Saturday at their home pool.

All three of the Plainsmen’s relays are seeded No. 1, and sophomore Ryan Gordon comes in with the top times in both the 100 freestyle and 200 freestyle. Senior Taylor Nichols and junior Eric Tsui have the top entry times in the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly, respectively.

Nichols was a key point-getter at the 2011 meet, when Shenendehowa piled up 519 points and claimed the large-school title for the eighth time in nine years, with wins in the 200 individual medley and 100 back and strong legs on triumphant 200 medley and 400 free relays. Gordon took first in the 200 free and 500 free, and kick-started that winning 400 free relay.

Bethlehem’s Alex Lednev is seeded No. 1 in the 200 IM just ahead of Nichols, and is also No. 1 in the 100 breaststroke. Lednev took last season off after winning the 100 breast as a freshman in 2010. The Eagles’ other No. 1 seed is Gunnar Zemering in the 50 free, while Niskayuna’s Emerson Wells is No. 1 in the 500 free.

Josh Koppel is the large-school defending diving champion and No. 1 seed ahead of Josh Dodway of Niskayuna and the Shenendehowa trio led by Bonk.

Shenendehowa went 8-0 in winning the Suburban Council title and 11-0 overall in dual meets with a lineup that had 19 sophomores, freshmen and eighth-graders.

The small-school sectional field includes reigning state diving champion and Section II record-holder Manny Pollard of Albany Academy, and double No. 1 seeds in Antonio Lanzi of Amsterdam (200 IM, 100 fly) and Niko Brosnihan of LaSalle (50 free, 100 free). Lanzi did not swim scholastically last season after winning the 500 as a sophomore in 2010.

Two-thirds of the Christian Brothers Academy team, brothers Ryan Sharkey (500 free) and Dylan Sharkey (100 breast), are among the other No. 1 seeds. The Sharkeys combined for four wins last year when Gloversville beat out Albany Academy and Burnt Hills-Ballston Lake for its first sectional banner.

Niskayuna was the last large-school team titlist before Shenendehowa’s run.

Diving begins today at 4, and swimming preliminaries are Friday at 10:30 a.m. (small school) and 4:30 p.m.(large school). Saturday’s swimming finals are at 10 a.m. (small school) and 4 p.m. (large school).

Seeds

Large Division

200 medley relay — 1. Shenendehowa, 1:41.40; 2. Bethlehem, 1:42.62; 3. Shaker, 1:43.49; 4. Niskayuna, 1:46.18; 5. Ballston Spa, 1:47.02.

200 freestyle — 1. Ryan Gordon (Shenendehowa), 1:44.49 (NYS); 2. Timothy Buff (Shaker), 1:50.43; 3. Emerson Wells (Niskayuna), 1:51.47; 4. Quinn McDonald (Albany), 1:52.97; 5. Brian Stanley (Shenendehowa), 1:53.33.

200 individual medley — 1. Alex Lednev (Bethlehem), 1:56.14 (NYS); 2. Taylor Nichols (Shenendehowa), 1:58.61 (NYS); 3. Dave Gardiner (Ballston Spa), 2:04.62; 4. Evan Melby (Niskayuna), 2:04.87; 5. William Matz (Shaker), 2:08.62.

50 freestyle — 1. Gunnar Zemering (Bethlehem), 22.83; 2. Ryan Burke (Niskayuna), 23.12; 3. Mike Conley (Shenendehowa), 23.26; 4. Chris Vesic (Ballston Spa), 23.34; 5. Sam Boese (Schenectady), 23.38.

Diving — 1. Josh Koppel (Shaker), 341.25; 2. Josh Dodway (Niskayuna), 307.95; 3. Adam Bonk (Shenendehowa), 297.65; 4. Ben Hale (Shenendehowa), 239.70; 5. Matt Lenney (Shenendehowa), 233.65.

100 butterfly — 1. Eric Tsui (Shenendehowa), 55.92; 2. Gerhard Bosman (Niskayuna), 56.63; 3. Sam Boese (Schenectady), 56.68; 4. Thomas Kearney (Shaker), 56.91; 5. Kevin Flynn (Bethlehem), 57.72.

100 freestyle — 1. Ryan Gordon (Shenendehowa), 48.07 (NYS); 2. Gunnar Zemering (Bethlehem), 49.92; 3. Nikos Moisidis (Shaker), 50.69; 4. Ryan Burke (Niskayuna), 51.41; 5. Mike Conley (Shenendehowa), 51.66.

500 freestyle — 1. Emerson Wells (Niskayuna), 4:52.96 (NYS); 2. Brian Nolte (Shaker), 4:58.98; 3. Luke Gordon (Shenendehowa), 5:03.99; 4. Aidan Strayer (Niskayuna), 5:05.44; 5. William Matz (Shaker), 5:06.21.

200 freestyle relay — 1. Shenendehowa, 1:30.51; 2. Ballston Spa, 1:33.96; 3. Bethlehem, 1:34.58; 4. Shaker, 1:35.75; 5. Niskayuna, 1:35.93.

100 backstroke — 1. Taylor Nichols (Shenendehowa), 53.81 (NYS); 2. Dave Gardiner (Ballston Spa), 54.19 (NYS); 3. Timothy Buff (Shaker), 56.21; 4. Brian Negri (Bethlehem), 58.91; 5. Gerhard Bosman (Niskayuna), 59.45.

100 breaststroke — 1. Alex Lednev (Bethlehem), 1:00.08 (NYS); 2. Ryan O’Connor (Shaker), 1:03.35; 3. Thomas Kearney (Shaker), 1:03.91; 4. Evan Melby (Niskayuna), 1:04.43; 5. Luke Gordon (Shenendehowa), 1:04.76.

400 freestyle relay — 1. Shenendehowa, 3:22.28; 2. Niskayuna, 3:25.39; 3. Shaker, 3:26.42; 4. Bethlehem, 3:28.23; 5. Ballston Spa, 3:29.60.

Small Division

200 medley relay — 1. Queensbury, 1:44.97; 2. Albany Academy, 1:45.20; 3. Glens Falls, 1:46.45; 4. Gloversville, 1:48.48; 5. Amsterdam, 1:48.70.

200 freestyle — 1. Garret Frandsen (Glens Falls), 1:51.93; 2. Travis Blank (Taconic Hills), 1:52.10; 3. Ryan Sharkey (CBA), 1:52.65; 4. Jordan Gregg (Galway), 1:52.73; 5. Bennett Stahl (Albany Academy), 1:53.42.

200 individual medley — 1. Antonio Lanzi (Amsterdam), 1:57.98 (NYS); 2. Dylan Sharkey (CBA), 2:01.75; 3. Alex Dreisbach (Albany Academy), 2:05.52; 4. Greg Chocko (Queensbury), 2:06.48; 5. Chris Mosconi (Gloversville), 2:07.75.

50 freestyle — 1. Niko Brosnihan (LaSalle), 22.43; 2. Matthew Walton (Queensbury), 23.26; 3. Wyatt Pritchard (Albany Academy), 23.41; 4. Zacc Filanova (Albany Academy), 23.43; 5. Chris Fox (Gloversville), 23.46.

Diving — 1. Manny Pollard (Albany Academy), 378.70; 2. Josh Sturgess (Gloversville), 240.65; 3. Kristian Santos (Amsterdam), 219.50; 4. Raislan Aiken (Glens Falls), 215.55; 5. Andrew Beckham (Gloversville), 213.35.

100 butterfly — 1. Antonio Lanzi (Amsterdam), 53.47 (NYS); 2. Nick Wilkinson (Glens Falls), 54.01 (NYS); 3. Wyatt Pritchard (Albany Academy), 55.32; 4. Jordan Gregg (Galway), 57.83; 5. Tim Monaghan (Burnt Hills), 58.48.

100 freestyle — 1. Niko Brosnihan (LaSalle), 49.38; 2. Lucas Santiago (Amsterdam), 49.67; 3. Alex Dreisbach (Albany Academy), 49.70; 4. Matthew Walton (Queensbury), 50.70; 5. Anthony Franchi (Canajoharie), 52.08.

500 freestyle — 1. Ryan Sharkey (CBA), 5:00.00; 2. Garret Frandsen (Glens Falls), 5:07.03; 3. Bennett Stahl (Albany Academy), 5:14.40; 4. Brandon Beaudoin (Burnt Hills), 5:16.19; 5. Matthew Rolleston (Queensbury), 5:17.93.

200 freestyle relay — 1. Albany Academy, 1:34.04; 2. Glens Falls, 1:36.43; 3. Queensbury, 1:36.54; 4. Gloversville, 1:38.25; 5. Canajoharie/Fort Plain, 1:42.46.

100 backstroke — 1. Travis Blank (Taconic Hills), 55.97; 2. Nick Wilkinson (Glens Falls), 56.01; 3. Lucas Santiago (Amsterdam), 57.30; 4. Benjamin Rowley (Queensbury), 1:00.12; 5. Alex Hass (Albany Academy), 1:01.06.

100 breaststroke — 1. Dylan Sharkey (CBA), 1:04.11; 2. Matthew Rolleston (Queensbury), 1:04.42; 3. Greg Chocko (Queensbury), 1:04.95; 4. Chris Mosconi (Gloversville), 1:05.77; 5. Brandon Beaudoin (Burnt Hills), 1:06.67.

400 freestyle relay — 1. Amsterdam, 3:30.60; 2. Albany Academy, 3:30.64; 3. Queensbury, 3:32.17; 4. Glens Falls, 3:34.55; 5. Gloversville, 3:37.22.

NYS — state meet qualifier.