Congratulations to the following Central League Swimmers who were named to the All Delco Teams.
With their medals in the 100 backstroke at the PIAA Class 3A championships in March at Bucknell University, are from left, Springfield’s Jake Kennedy, Shane Eckler of Ridley and Penncrest’s Jonathan Hoole. (MATT DE GEORGE – DAILY TIMES)
First Team
Jacob Johnson, Springfield: Daily Times Swimmer of the Year.
Jacob Johnson’s pandemic-related aha moment waited until the spring of 2021. With the spring of 2020 diminished by COVID-19, he took stock of what he wanted out of the sport once he reached Springfield High School. He moved forward with more intentionality, then felt the sting of missing the PIAA Championships as a freshman, held with fewer participants in the name of social distancing. His classmate, Jake Kennedy, made the cut, which lit a fire under Johnson.
“I feel like freshman year, my head wasn’t really in it with swimming,” he said. “It allowed me to take a step back, take a good look at where I fit in the sport and where I wanted to be and not just have my head down about it. I feel like that gave me a lot of perspective about where I was and what I needed to do to get where I wanted to be.” Johnson has helped Springfield, which had never won a state swimming title before 2023, win six in the last two iterations of the PIAA championships.
Johnson entered rare company with three states golds this year. He went 45.70 in both prelims and finals of the boys 100 butterfly, his winning margin nearly 2 seconds. It cleaved nearly 2 seconds off his Delco record from 2023. Before him, no Delco high schooler had been lower than 48.74, a quantum leap.
Johnson also won his ostensibly weaker event, the 100 free, in 44.30. Both times are All-American cuts.
He split an insane 20.49 in fly in the 200 medley relay to team with Kennedy and All-Delco second-teamers Tristan Ronayne and Alex Chan to win gold in 1:30.04. The foursome was the runner-up in the 200 free relay to Conestoga. Both swims downed Delco records, the 200 free, axing .88 second off the mark Haverford School had set in 2018.
Odd as it was for the occasionally shy Johnson to get recognition with his teammates after states, they’ve irrevocably changed the trajectory of Springfield swimming. In a district with lots of athletic success and no shortage of community swimming infrastructure, the pieces for high school swimming excellence hadn’t come together until this storied generation.
“It’s really cool because there hasn’t been a good group like this in Springfield, ever,” he said. “I know with the lacrosse team, there’s a tradition of excellence, going to state championships, winning state championships, winning district championships, all of that. That hasn’t really been a thing for swimming in Springfield. I think there’s a sense of pride that we kind of put Springfield out there for swimming.”
Johnson had a hand in three of the eight Delco records set this year.
Ava Keller, Ridley: The senior diver completed a long climb to a PIAA Class 3A medal. One of four Ridley states qualifiers, Keller scored 420.95 points to finish fourth at states. It was her third states appearance, having finished 12th as a sophomore and 14th as a junior. Keller was the runner-up at the District 1 Class 3A Championships (447.80) and the Central League meet (466.30), both to eventual PIAA champ Avery Hillier of Conestoga. Keller will dive next year at La Salle.
Jake Kennedy, Springfield: Kennedy capped an outstanding career, which included four All-Delco honors and the 2021-22 Boys Swimmer of the Year nod, with four medals and two golds at states. Kennedy’s stellar anchor leg of 19.64 led the Cougars to gold in the 200 medley in 1:30.04. It lopped a half-second off the Delco record, set in 2020, and beat runner-up North Penn by 1.05 seconds. He went 19.54 to bring home Springfield’s states runner-up 200 free relay in 1:22.28, trouncing the county mark from 2018 by .88 second. Kennedy edged Jonathan Hoole by .01 second to win stats gold in the 50 free in 20.25. He medaled in fifth in the 100 back in 48.94. All four states results are All-American times. At the District 1 Class 3A meet, Kennedy won gold in the 50 free and silver in the 100 back, plus medley relay gold and 200 free relay silver. For his career, Kennedy has nine states medals, including four golds and two silvers. He will attend the University of Alabama in the fall.
Shane Eckler, Ridley: Eckler rebounded from a disqualification in the 50 free at districts to collect his third career states gold medal and third All-Delco nod. Eckler’s time of 20.07 seconds in season is still the fastest in Delco this year and an All-American time. He made the most of his single event at states by winning the 100 back in 47.81, an All-American time and part of the Central League’s sweep of all 11 swimming titles. He had won the 50 free and 100 free as a junior, en route to 2023 Swimmer of the Year honors. Eckler’s 50 free and 100 back times are automatic All-American cuts. His 45.37 off the front of the 400 free relay at states is a consideration time. Eckler won the 100 back, over Kennedy and Hoole, at districts. Eckler is a Notre Dame signee.
Jonathan Hoole, Penncrest: After two medals at states, Hoole has his second All-Delco nod. The junior was the runner-up to Kennedy in the 50 free in 20.26, just .01 from gold. He was third in the 100 back in 48.35. Both times are automatic all-American cuts. Hoole finished fifth at the District 1 Championships in the 50 and third in the 100 back. He will join Kennedy, his training partner at Ridley YMCA, in Tuscaloosa in the fall of 2025.
Second Team
Zoey Rogers, Jr., Garnet Valley
Addyson Despeaux, So., Springfield
Ayva Christie, Jr., Springfield
Tristan Ronayne, Sr., Springfield
Gavin Shifflett, Jr., Strath Haven
TJ Hayes, Jr., Haverford
Alex Chan, Sr., Springfield
Tyler Reeve, So., Ridley
Honorable mention
Garnet Valley: Peyton Goetz, Mallorie Jeremiah, Kayla Reasons, Walker Frey, Brandon Weaver,
Haverford: Winnie Hayes, Erin Kelly, Lilly Kent, Ellie Krissinger, Porter Shaw, Matt Casadei, Sam Graaf, Zach Koptyra, Jacob Muntz, Chase Rose, Jack Scholtz, Jeremy Sheau, Colby Whitney
Marple Newtown: Delaney Behl, Katie Snyder, Kaden Bothma, Pat Droesser, Dayton Fasbinder, Alex Koulas
Penncrest: Morgan Peterson, Amelia Reno
Radnor: Orlaith Dill, Nuala Dill, Alice Lake, Anne Lindgren, Ethan Chang, Luca Jones, Colin Mucksavage, Alex Safanou, Alexander Yu
Ridley: Kristin Barresi, Ella Deitz, Rori Kennedy, Mu’Nairah Saleem, Kamren Brown, Cody Hollenbach, Matt Murdock
Springfield: Riley Devlin, Kylee Herzig, Delaney McPeak, Colin Christie, Thomas Murphy
Strath Haven: Sylvie Bergstrom, Mira Gold, Julia Parker, Charlie Detweiler
Upper Darby: Elise Olmstead, Sebastian Valle
Processing your request, Please wait....
.png?v=1715217256){kind=logo}
