S. ABINGTON TWP. \u2014 As each race went off, Abington Heights swimmers attacked the water with a fierce determination and will to win.<\/p>\n
Their desired goal: to seize complete control of the Lackawanna League.<\/p>\n
With an emphatic performance that featured first-place finishes in all 12 events, the Comets powered to a 123-62 win over Delaware Valley on Wednesday afternoon at a loud Abington Heights High School Natatorium.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis was great,\u201d Abington Heights senior Jason Casper said. \u201cThe energy was great. We had a couple of meetings after practices to get pumped up for this meet. Everyone showed up, gave their all, and did awesome.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
Abington Heights dominated on its way to improving to 8-0 while handing Delaware Valley its first loss of the season. The Comets also ended the Warriors\u2019 league-winning streak at 39.<\/p>\n
Casper, last season\u2019s Times-Tribune Male Swimmer of the Year, Derek Williams, Geoff Stanton, and diver Micah White have each been named to the All-Region team in their careers. They earned a combined seven individual wins for the Comets, who avenged a 109-76 loss to Delaware Valley last season, a 115-71 loss in 2024, and a 107-78 loss in 2023 during this senior class\u2019 three previous seasons.<\/p>\n
The onslaught started with a win in the 200-yard medley relay by Lucas Allspaugh, Adrian Azar, Charles Voytek, and Alec Allspaugh. Azar and Voytek also added individual wins later in the meet.<\/p>\n
Stanton, then, pulled away to win the 200-yard freestyle in 1:56.72. The senior won the 100 backstroke (1:01.13) and was part of the winning 200 free and 400 free relay teams with Casper, Williams, and Judah Donnelly.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe have always had a strong team, and then we would get to that big meet and fall short,\u201d Stanton said. \u201cThis is something special. We have had a great year; we have practiced hard and had great times at invitationals.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were finally able to put it all together in a big meet, against a big rival. It\u2019s a special thing that I am just fortunate to be a part of.\u201d<\/p>\n
Casper took first in the 200 individual medley (2:00.92). A senior, he had a second win in the 100 butterfly (53.08).<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel like I am in a good spot right now,\u201d Casper said. \u201cLes Richards meet will kind of show where I am. I am excited for the end of the season.\u201d<\/p>\n
Williams, one of the dominant sprinters in District 2, cut through the choppy waters to win the 50 free (22.08). He overcame an early deficit to Delaware Valley\u2019s Ryan O\u2019Connell, who is also an All-Region swimmer, to win the 100 free (49.85).<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is surreal,\u201d said Williams, who contributed to wins in the 200 and 400 free relays. \u201cWe never thought it would happen like this. We just wanted to try a sport, and we chose swimming. We stuck with it, through all the hard practices, and here is where we are. We are all swimming great. It\u2019s been a great senior season.\u201d<\/p>\n
White, last season\u2019s District 2 Class 3A diving champion, won the event against Delaware Valley with a six-dive score of 280.40. Teammate Ryan Horutz was second.<\/p>\n
It was a total team effort by the Comets, one that will build momentum heading down the stretch of the league schedule and into the postseason.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are all very close,\u201d Williams said. \u201cWe have a special bond, and I will never forget these guys and all that we have accomplished.\u201d<\/p>\n
200 Medley Relay:\u00a0Abington Heights (L. Allspaugh, Azar, Voytek, A. Allspaugh) 1:52.57, DV, AH;\u00a0200 Free:\u00a0Geoff Stanton (AH) 1:56.72, Fisher (DV), Zaucha (DV);\u00a0200 IM:\u00a0Jason Casprt (AH) 2:00.92, O\u2019Connell (DV), A. Allspaugh (AH);\u00a050 Free:\u00a0Derek Williams (AH) 22.08, Azar (AH), J. Donnelly (AH); Diving: Micah White (AH) 280.40, Horutz (AH), B. Kruler (DV);\u00a0100 Fly:\u00a0Jason Casper (AH) 53.08, Calabria (DV), O\u2019Connor (DV);\u00a0100 Free:\u00a0Derek Williams (AH) 49.85, O\u2019Connell (DV), J. Donnelly (AH);\u00a0500 Free:\u00a0Charles Voytek (AH) 5:23.28, R. Donnelly (AH), Fisher (DV):\u00a0200 Free Relay: Abington Heights (Williams, Stanton, J. Donnelly, Casper) 1:32.75, DV, AH;\u00a0100 Back:\u00a0Geoff Stanton (AH) 1:01.13, Calabria (DV), L. Allspaugh (AH);\u00a0100 Breast: Adrian Azar (AH) 1:08.11, Zaucha (DV), Voytek (AH); 400 Free Relay: Abington Heights (Williams, Stanton, J. Donnelly, Casper) 1:32.75, DV, AH:\u00a0Records:\u00a0AH 8-0, DV 7-1.<\/p>\n
Holy Cross 65, Valley View 47:\u00a0Leo Cholish won the 50 free and 100 back, Ryan Monroe won the 200 IM and 100 fly, and each was part of two winning relays to lead the Crusaders.<\/p>\n
Rowan Castles (500 free) and Louis LaLonde (100 free) had wins for Valley View.<\/p>\n
200 Medley Relay:\u00a0No race;\u00a0200 Free:\u00a0Simon Madore (HC) 2:14.72, Canevari (VV), Domski (VV);\u00a0200 IM:\u00a0Ryan Monroe (HC) 3:05.86;\u00a050 Free:\u00a0Leo Cholish (HC) 23.14, Madore (HC), Castles (VV);\u00a0100 Fly: Ryan Monroe (HC) 1:18.23;\u00a0100 Free: Louis LaLonde (VV) 1:08.31, Scochin (HC), Rotell (VV); 500 Free:\u00a0Rowan Castles (VV) 7:45.93, Canevari (VV), Kennedy (HC);\u00a0200 Free Relay:\u00a0Holy Cross (Madore, Cholish, Scochin, Monroe) 1:49.56, VV;\u00a0100 Back: Leo Cholish (HC) 1:05.30, Domski (VV);\u00a0100 Breast:\u00a0Eric Scochin (HC) 1:35.76, LaLonde (VV);\u00a0400 Free Relay: Holy Cross (Madore, Kennedy, Monroe, Cholish) 4:28.86, VV;\u00a0Records:\u00a0HC 3-5, VV 1-7.<\/p>\n
Girls swimming<\/p>\n
Abington Heights took first place in every event in a 112-72 win over Delaware Valley in a Lackawanna League meet.<\/p>\n
The Lady Comets improved to 7-1 and tied Delaware Valley for second place in the standings. Scranton Prep leads with an 8-0 record. Delaware Valley will host the Classics on Feb. 12.<\/p>\n
Gianna Vachino (200 free, 100 fly), Kacey Johnson (200 IM, 500 free), Katie Giermanski (50 free, 100 breast), and Hadley Pallman (100 free, 100 back) had two individual wins each and contributed to relay wins. Sofia Mirza won diving for the Lady Comets.<\/p>\n
200 Medley Relay:\u00a0Abington Heights (Wimmer, Giermanski, Brown, Bannon) 2:11.23, DV, DV;\u00a0200 Free:\u00a0Gianna Vachino (AH) 2:10.54, Cruz (DV), Azar (AH);\u00a0200 IM:\u00a0Kacey Johnson (AH) 2:36.99, Bannon (AH), Moreira (DV):\u00a050 Free:\u00a0Katie Giermanski (AH) 26.30, Novikov (DV), Cady (DV);\u00a0Diving:\u00a0Sofia Mirza (AH) 146.50, Azar (AH), Jagger (DV);\u00a0100 Fly:\u00a0Gianna Vachino (AH) 1:07.51, Brown (AH), Moyle (AH);\u00a0100 Free:\u00a0Hadley Pallman (AH) 54.73, Novikov (DV), Cady (DV);\u00a0500 Free:\u00a0Kacey Johnson (AH) 6:07.88, Bailey (DV), Holderith (DV);\u00a0200 Free Relay: Abington Heights (Bannon, Giermanski, Pallman, Vachino) 1:47.05, DV, AH;\u00a0100 Back: Hadley Pallman (AH) 1:04.66, O\u2019Connell (DV), Adamsky (AH);\u00a0100 Breast:\u00a0Katie Giermanski (AH) 1:16.44, Cruz (DV), Bannon (AH);\u00a0400 Free Relay: Abington Heights (Bannon, Giermanski, Pallman, Vachino) 1:47.05, DV, AH; Records: AH 7-1, DV 7-1.<\/p>\n
Valley View 56, Holy Cross 32:\u00a0Miley Domski won two events and was part of two winning relay teams to lead the Cougars. Reilly Sprague and Gabby Zurn also had individual wins and competed on winning relay teams, and Alexandra Bacu was on two winning relay teams for Valley View.<\/p>\n
Ava Kochmer won the 200 IM and the 100 fly for Holy Cross.<\/p>\n
200 Medley Relay: No race;\u00a0200 Free:\u00a0Claire Polishan (HC 2:36.06, Bacu (VV);\u00a0200 IM: Ava Kochmer (HC) 2:37.41, Zurn (VV);\u00a050 Free:\u00a0Reilly Sprague (VV) 30.78, A. Polishan (HC);\u00a0100 Fly:\u00a0Ava Kochmer (HC) 1:19.58, Sprague (VV);\u00a0100 Free: Miley Domski (VV) 1:08.68, C. Polishan (HC);\u00a0500 Free:\u00a0Gabby Zurn (VV) 6:44.94;\u00a0200 Free Relay:\u00a0Valley View (Sprague, Bacu, Donski, Zurn) 2:13.25;\u00a0100 Back: Anna Polishan (HC) 1:32.96, Bacu (VV);\u00a0100 Breast:\u00a0Miley Domski (VV) 1:30.16;\u00a0400 Free Relay: Valley View (Zurn, Bacu, Domski, Sprague) 5:07.82;\u00a0Records:\u00a0VV 2-6, HC 1-7.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"S. ABINGTON TWP. \u2014 As each race went off, Abington Heights swimmers attacked the water with a fierce…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":105553,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[305,178,180,179,726],"class_list":["post-105552","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-scranton","tag-high-school-sports","tag-scranton","tag-scranton-headlines","tag-scranton-news","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105552","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105552"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105552\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105552"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105552"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105552"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}