LINWOOD — Coach Brian Booth’s boys swim team at Mainland Regional will be aiming to defending its South Jersey Public B title this season.
Although the Mustangs opened the season with a loss to St. Augustine Prep last week, two days later, on Friday, Dec. 6, they topped Clearview Regional by the same score, 119-51.
“We were pleased with where we ended up last year. I have a lot of my center lane kids back,” Booth said after Friday’s home meet.
“I lost a handful of seniors who were good swimmers, who were depth swimmers. They weren’t center lane so our job right now is to replace them,” he added. “We had our first meet last week against St. Augustine and they’re a step above us, obviously, but it’s still a learning process.
“We’re going to try to learn a little bit more today and hopefully continue to try to get better for the end of the year,” he said.
Mainland beat No. 1 seed Shawnee to win the 2023-24 Group B sectional title, 95-75. Mainland was the No. 2 seed, then lost to eventual state champion Chatham in the state semifinals. The Mustangs were a repeat champion after beating Ocean City 87-83 in the 2022-23 sectional final after a double disqualification in a relay helped Mainland come from behind to win. (Ocean City was the defending sectional champion that season.)
This year, some of Booth’s top scorers are expected to be Alex Savov, who swims the butterfly and backstroke, but “can do a little bit of everything.” The coach said it’s “the same deal” for Justin Yon. He also will be counting on Brian Falk and Robert Nirenberg.
Winning another South Jersey title “is one of the goals we set for us. We think we have a good chance, but it’s still early and a lot of things can happen and we just want to work and get better.”
MRHS 119, Clearview 51
Against Clearview, the Mustangs jumped out to a quick lead starting with the first event and never relinquished it.
In the 200-meter medley relay, Savov, Nirenberg, Yon and Dan Tracey won in 1 minute, 58.01 seconds with teammates Parker Sherwood, Liam Gerhardt, Marek Meyers and David Simpson third. Clearview’s Jake Rosenberg, Jack Dolan, Eddie Gabriel and John Maccarella were second.
Mainland swept the top three places in the 200 freestyle with Falk (2:03.13), Sam Smith and Tristan Meyers and then Nirenberg (2:26.68) and Yon went 1-2 in the 200 individual medley. Benjamin Weng was third in the IM for Clearview.
Tracey won the 50 freestyle in 26.52 seconds with Sherwood second and Clearview’s Maccarella third.
After four events, Mainland was up 46-16.
Savov won the 100 butterfly in 1:01.19. Clearview’s Gabriel and Rosenberger were second and third.
Falk took the 100 freestyle in 56.74 seconds followed by teammate David Simpson. Dolan was third for Clearview.
Weng won the 400 freestyle for Clearview in 4:43.56. Meyers and Smith were second and third for the Mustangs.
Tracey, Simpson, Smith and Falk took the 200 freestyle relay in 1:50.35 with teammates Rhys McFadden, Steven Wildman, Nigel Davidov and Meyers third, giving Mainland an 83-41 lead. Clearview’s Weng, Andrew Ofchinick, James Yanek and Maccarella were second.
Savov (1:01.21) and Sherwood went 1-2 in the 100 backstroke with Clearview’s Gabriel third.
Yon (1:13.01) and Nirenberg then finished 1-2 in the 100 breaststroke with Yanek third for Clearview.
The Mustangs wrapped up the meet by taking first and second in the 400 freestyle relay.
Falk, Savov, Nirenberg and Yon won in 3:57.52 followed by teammates Marek Meyers, Tristan Meyers, Smith and Sherwood. Clearview’s Weng, Gabriel, Rosenberger and Yanek were third.
Mainland (1-1) hosted Oakcrest on Tuesday after the Sentinel sports section went to press and host Cedar Creek at 4 p.m. Friday.
– STORY and PHOTOS by DAVID NAHAN/Sentinel staff
