Brentwood swimmers chasing section titles

By: HSSN Staff
Thursday, December 28, 2017 | 11:00 PM

The boys and girls swim teams at Brentwood share an objective.

“Both teams have one goal, and that is to win our school's section,” said Michael Casey, one of five seniors on the boys squad. “Last year, the sections were switched around; a new combined team (Carlynton) was placed in our section, and they won it in their first year.

“Last year was the first year the boys team had lost the section in two years, so this is a redemption run for us to take back the section. For the girls, they lost their chance.”

Brentwood's veteran coach, Mark Wroblewski, is assisted by his wife, Jan; plus two former elite student-athletes in Kelci Rullo and Adam Mackey.

Both Brentwood squads went into the holiday break with 4-1 records in nonsection action.

“Both teams are doing remarkably well in several ways,” Casey said. “From the number of seniors on the teams who graduated last year, there has been an equal number of incoming swimmers, freshmen or other grades.”

Wroblewski said the addition of Rullo and Mackey to the coaching staff has been beneficial for both teams. The assistants have been the driving force behind the athletes' focus on conditioning this season.

“They bring youth and a fresh energy to the program. They are the future,” Wroblewski said. “Without them, we would not be as good as we are this year.”

The Spartans have been sparked by freshmen Quilik Evans (sprints) and Mason Beauregard (back, breast, butterfly), junior Josh Gildea (distance events) and senior diver Brendan Donnelly.

Beauregard has qualified for the WPIAL Class AA meet in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley events and is close to qualifying in the 100 freestyle.

The girls team has been led by senior sprinter Cyrene Kephalogianis, junior Emily O'Shea (distance events), sophomore Stella Barker (stroke events) and senior divers Emily Vickless and Kylie Brunsell.

Vickless and Brunsell have qualified for the WPIAL diving championships. Both also were WPIAL qualifiers in 2016-17.

Other members of the girls squad are seniors Julie Boytim, Calista Dodson, Rachel Milcic and Sara Walas; juniors Shannon Milius and Julianna Winkowski; sophomores Akir Deng, Ava Durrance, Adels Sedlar and Paige Umbel; plus freshmen Brielle Woods and Willow Sandusky.

“Stella Barker is having a fantastic season,” Wroblewski said. “Stella, Emily O'Shea, Cyrene Kephalogianis and Akir Deng could be a WPIAL relay team this year.”

Seniors Hunter Consolmagno, Grant Davis and Mason Woods; juniors Simon Accamondo and Sean Way; sophomores Aiden Hoffman and Elliot Stypula; plus freshman Steven Bakowski round out the boys team.

Casey and Consolmagno, along with Kephalogianis and Dodson, are co-captains of their respective squads.

The boys team finished second in the section last year; the girls team placed fourth.

Ray Fisher is a freelance writer.

Tags: Brentwood