They beat rival Ocean City in finals after losing to Red Raiders in regular season
SEWELL — The Mainland Regional High School boys swim team earned the three-peat Feb. 13 when the Mustang swimmers beat rival Ocean City for their third straight South Jersey Group B sectional championship.
Mainland began its three-year run of sectional championships with an 87-83 win over Ocean City in the 2023 final and followed it in 2024 with a 95-75 win over Shawnee.
“I’m feeling phenomenal. There’s so much excitement going three in a row,” said Mustang senior swimmer Alex Savov, who won two individual events and was part of two winning relays at the meet. “It was phenomenal to do it the first time, the second and third. There is so much excitement with this group of guys. I love it.”
The Mustangs lost a close meet to Ocean City in mid-December, but things have changed since then.
“One of the crucial players was Liam (Kennedy) coming back from his injury. He came back and solidified his events, the 50 and 100 (freestyle), so that was really great. Overall we put in a lot of work. All of the guys got a lot faster and really improved throughout the course of the season,” Savov said.
Kennedy also won two individual events and was on two winning relays.
Mustang Dan Tracey said he was feeling great after the meet at the Gloucester County Institute of Technology.
“In sports the three-peat is a big deal. Most teams can never do it, so it feels really good that our team was able to pull through and do that,” he said.
Tracey acknowledged there was one three-peat most football fans in the area didn’t want to see happen — the Kansas City Chiefs winning the Super Bowl again this year. (The Philadelphia Eagles stopped the Chiefs in an overwhelming win less than a week earlier.)
“We were honestly getting a little nervous drawing that correlation (with the Chiefs), but it turns out it didn’t end up the same way for us, thankfully,” Tracey said, laughing.
Asked what it took to improve since that December loss to the Raiders, Tracey responded, “Just a lot of hard work. Winter break we had to put our heads down and get to work and we came out a better team.”
Head coach Brian Booth agreed with that assessment.
“I’m proud for the kids. It’s them working hard to get here and get better. It’s a testament to them,” he said. “They put the work in. I can only tell them what to do, but they have to work hard every day in practice and get better and they do.
“We had injuries in the beginning of the year that I think would have changed the outcome of that first meet (against Ocean City), but it’s just everyone working hard to get here. I can’t be prouder of them,” Booth said.
Ocean City standout swimmer and senior Tommy Armstrong was disappointed in the loss in the sectional final, but otherwise pleased with the Red Raiders.
“I thought it was an incredible season. I love my team this year. It was a big step up from last year,” he said.
“They were really good,” Armstrong said about the Mustangs. “I was very surprised, very surprised. They were great all season, they had some injured kids, but they set the tone for today and did a great job.”
Armstrong won the 200 individual medley in the meet and was part of the 200 freestyle relay that tied for first with the Mustangs. Armstrong broke his own school record in the 100 backstroke more than once this season.
“I think I swam really good and I’m excited. Coming up is the invitational meet and Meet of Champions. I’m going to leave it all on the table there.”
He’s hoping for some other school records.
“Next up, hopefully, the 200 freestyle, maybe even the 100 free. We’ll see,” he said.
MRHS 95, OCHS 73
The Mustangs jumped out to a lead in the first event and never relinquished it.
Savov, Justin Yon, Kennedy and Tracey won the opening 200-meter medley relay in 1 minute, 40.13 seconds and teammates Parker Sherwood, Robert Nirenberg, Marek Meyers and David Simpson took third for a 10-4 event score. Ocean City’s Wilson Stauffer, Arthur Flukey, Chris Garrabrandt and Matt Bell were second.
Brian Falk (1:41.52), Tristan Meyers and Sam Smith went 1-3-4 in the 200 freestyle for an 11-5 differential, putting Mainland up 21-9 after two events. Mihail Mosendz and Mitchell Zappone were second and fifth for Ocean City.
The Raiders narrowed the gap to 27-19 when Armstrong won the 200 individual medley in 2:00.22 with Stauffer second. Mainland’s Nirenberg, Sherwood and Yon were third, fourth and fifth.
Kennedy (21.41 seconds) won the 50 freestyle for the Mustangs with Tracey and Simpson fourth and fifth. Bell and Jack Scherbin were second and third for Ocean City.
Savov won the 100 butterfly in 53.26 seconds with Marek Meyers fifth, but Ocean City’s Garrabrandt, Flukey and Jason Chojnacki were second, third and fourth for a 9-7 event score, making it 43-35 in Mainland’s favor.
Armstrong, Bell and Scherbin cut the Mustang lead by taking second, third and fourth in the 100 freestyle. Mainland’s Kennedy won in 47.64 seconds and Tracey was fifth.
Mainland was up 50-44 and about to expand its lead again.
Falk won the 400 freestyle in 4:57 with Tristan Meyers and Sam Smith second and fourth, giving the Mustangs a 12-4 event score and new lead of 62-48. Zappone and Ryan Slaven were third and fifth for Ocean City.
The 200 freestyle relay was a battle. When the final swimmers hit the pads, the teams ended up tied for first, both with the identical time of 1:34.46.
Ocean City’s Armstrong, Cameron Mattern, Anthony Buonadonna and Scherbin tied Mainland’s Tracey, Yon, Simpson and Falk. Raiders Mosendz, Flukey, Jake Tracy and Colin Schweim were third.
With three events to go it was 66-56; the Mustangs just poured it on from there.
Savov (54.37 seconds) won the 100 backstroke with Sherwood third. Stauffer, Mosendz and Chojnacki were second, fourth and fifth, making it 75-63.
Nirenberg (1:02.08) and Yon went 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke to widen the lead to 85-69. Flukey, Neuman and Joe Mayan were third, fourth and fifth for the Raiders.
Mainland capped it off by winning the final 400 freestyle relay in 3:19.03 with Falk, Savov, Nirenberg and Kennedy and taking third with Sherwood, Nigel Davidov, Smith and Tristan Meyers. Ocean City’s Bell, Stauffer, Scherbin and Armstrong were second.
The Raiders, who beat Mainland in a close meet back in December, finished the season with a 10-3 record. They had a 7-6 record last season.
Mainland is now 10-2.
The Mustangs are facing No. 1 seed Chatham in the Group B state semifinal at 6 p.m. Feb. 19 in Raritan. Chatham is the defending state champion.
In the other semifinal, No. 2 Ridge is facing No. 3 Moorestown. The state final is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Rutgers.
Savov is one of only a few seniors on the Mainland team. He knows that bodes well for the Mustang swim team’s future.
“I know I had a lot of fun here as a senior, but looking at all of the younger guys I know they’re going to have a lot of fun in the future,” he said. “I see them all winning races and it inspires me so much. I know if I come back and watch them swim in a few years they’ll be doing what they’re doing right now.”
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
