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Jan. 8, 2015 Swimming
Woolf and Delakowski do their part in helping Steinert sweep Hightstown
By Rich Fisher
Fish4scores.com
Jan. 8: We all know
about the Horners and
Thayers and Walshes
and Kosowskis and
people like that, who all
had a big hand in the
Steinert boys and girls
swim victories at
Hightstown today.
But two of the younger
swimmers in the Steinert
program also played a
part in the key Valley
wins, and are being
counted on to contribute Chelsea Ackerson swims the backstroke portion of the 200 medley relay for Steinert during
down the stretch.
today's win over Hightstown. Ackerson was one of three Spartan girls with four wins on the
day (Photo by John Blaine/purchase photos at [email protected]).
Freshman Sam Woolf
was in the winning 200 medley relay and 400 free relay in the girls 97-73 win over the Rams. She also
took second in the 100 free and third in the 400 free.
On the boys’ side, sophomore Axel Delakowski won his first race of the year, taking the 100 breast in
the Spartans 101-69 triumph.
For Woolf, it was a continuance of what she has been doing all season.
“Sam’s an animal,” coach Caroline “Lady” Fling said. “I’ve got refs coming up to me saying ‘Who’s
that?’ She’s such a tiny little firecracker, fresh out of middle school but she just loves swimming so
much.”
Woolf swam club a few years ago before giving it up. When she entered high school this year, the
siren’s song was calling her back into the water.
“It was a really hard decision because there are so many extra-curricular activities that you can do in
high school,” Woolf said. “But I really wanted to do swimming because I really like the sport and I know
a lot of people on the team already.”
With Maddie Horner, Tess Dalton, Chelsea Ackerson and Hailey Thayer gobbling up the majority of
points, Woolf still manages to make her contributions in many different ways.
“She puts up points wherever she’s needed, she goes wherever she’s needed,” Fling said. “She really
likes her freestyle, she likes sprinting, she likes long distance. She does it all. I love her. I’m really glad
to have her.”
And Woolf is glad to be there.
“I really like the swim team” she said. “Everybody’s like a big family. Everybody takes care of one
another.”
Is it what she thought it would be?
“Yes,” she said with a grin, “And more.”
And Steinert got more than they hoped for today as they were looking for a tight meet but managed to
win handily by taking nine of the 11 events, including all three relays (top-three finishers listed below).
Thayer, Ackerson and Horner were all four-time winners while Dalton was in two relays and added a
second and third place. Fling and the Spartans looked at it as a big meet and got just what they
wanted.
The boys also felt the same way about their showdown with the Rams and came up big. Jacob
Kosowski and Stephen Walsh both won four times, while Edward Michalec picked up a first and
second (top three finishes below). The meet was already in hand when Delakowski came up with his
initial first-place finish of the year in the 100 breast.
The clock malfunctioned during his race and his hand held time was listed as 1:20.90, so it’s unsure of
what his actual time was.
“Axel had a 1:14 against Notre Dame Tuesday and it was his personal best time ever,” coach Emily
Summers said. “He said before this race ‘I’m gonna beat that time.’ I said ‘Go ahead and do it.’”
He may not have gotten the PR, but he did get a nice result.
“We’ve been working it for two or three weeks,” Summers said. “We kind of changed his stroke a little
bit. We have him gliding a little more, and it’s showing. He out-touched him, he glided in, the other guy
(Etienne Cossart) took another stroke and he out-touched him, so Axel has been working really hard
and it’s paying off.”
Delakowski said “I had a couple” first place finishes last year, and he had been getting a little
frustrated at not touching out first this season.
“Yeah, I don’t know what happened this year,” he said. “But I’ve been getting faster so that’s great.
Now it’s like a ton of energy in me and I’m going for that 1:14. I think I’m just starting to get into a
rhythm now. ”
Like most swimmers, Delakowski is more concerned with beating himself, as he says all he wants to
do is continue to lower his PR. But don’t think he wasn’t thrilled to pocket the six points today.
“I thought I was second because I’m usually in the fourth lane,” he said. “This time I was in the third
lane, and I didn’t know I won until I got out and my friend told me. I was so excited. It was great.”
Asked about his unique first name, Delakowski said there is no great story behind it.
“They just looked through all the name books and they chose Axel,” he said.
Does anyone ever ask if it’s his real name?
“Not really,” he said. “They just mix it up with Alex.”
But there’s no confusing what he and Woolf are doing in the pool, as they continue to provide key
points to complement the big guns.
TOP 3 GIRLS FINISHERS
200 medley relay: 1. Steinert (Ackerson, Dalton, Horner, Woolf) 2:13.15; 2. Hightstown 2:14.26; 3. Steinert 2:30.18.
200 free: 1. Ackerson (S) 2:15.37, 2. McDaid (H) 2:16.2; 3. Dalton (S) 2:29.73.
200 IM: 1. Thayer (S) 2:46.67; 2. Misuria (H) 2:53.49 (H), 3. Angelini (S) 2:56.53.
50 free: 1. Horner (S) 28.92; 2. Power (H) 30.72; 3. Sanchez (H) 31.31
100 fly: Horner (S) 1:10.37; 2. Misuria (H) 1:20.19; 3. Gulsby (S) 1:21.98
100 free: Power (H) 1:07.96; 2. Woolf (S) 1:08.20; 3. Sanchez (H) 1:10.83
400 free: 1. Ackerson (S) 4:48.68; 2. Zilocchi (H) 5:29.04; 3. Woolf (S) 5:31.16.
200 free relay: 1. Steinert (Angelini, Dalton, Gulsby, Thayer) 2:07.25; 2. Hightstown 2:12.62; 3. Steinert 2:20.79
100 back: Thayer (S) 1:16.17; 2. Walsh (H) 1:20.15; 3. Boundonna (S) 1:25.49
100 breast: 1. McDaid (H) 1:23.50, 2. Dalton (S) 1:31.19; 2. O’Brien (H) 1:36.09
400 free relay: 1. Steinert (Ackerson, Horner, Thayer, Woolf) 4:31.91; 2. Hightstown (n/t); 3. Steinert (n/t).
TOP 3 BOYS FINISHERS
200 medley relay: 1. Hightstown (Cossart, Kikta, Mehta, Osorio) 2:09.03, 2. Steinert 2:11.39, 3. Steinert 2:22.37
200 free: 1. Kosowski (S) 2:12.32; 2. Switsky (H) 2:36.06; 3. Nolan (S) 2:36.52.
200 IM: 1. Osorio (H) 2:41.81; 2. Shiarappa (S) 2:43.10; 3. Huie (S) 2:48.28
50 free: 1. Walsh (S) 26.39; 2. Cossart (H) 28.01; 3. Stinson (S) 29.30
100 fly: 1. Walsh (S) 1:05.85; 2. Huie (S) 1:13.21; 3. Kikta (H) 1:14.67
100 freestyle: 1. E. Michalec (S) 1:01.75; 2. Osorio (H) 1:02.44; 3. Shiarappa (S) 1:03.85
400 free: 1. Kosowski (S) 4:53.00; 2. Nolan (S) n/t; 3. Switsky (H) 5:52.00
200 free relay: Steinert (Kosowski, Michalec, Stinson, Walsh) 1:51.51; 2. Hightstown 2:03.92; 3. Hightstown 2:12.73.
100 back: 1. Mehta (H) 1:17.89; 2. E. Michalec (S) 1:19.28; 3. A. Michalec (S) 1:22.31
100 breast: 1. Axel Delakowski (S) 1:20.90; 2. Cossart (H) 1:21.03; 3. Stinson (S) n/t
400 relay: 1. Steinert (Kosowski, Huie, Shiarappa, Walsh) 4:07.95; 2. Hightstown 4:40.73; 3. Steinert 4:41.90.
Griffin Hutton just keeps making it tougher for the next guy.
The Hamilton West senior re-broke one of the seven school records he holds in today’s 107-63 loss to
Princeton. Hutton won the 100 fly in 1:00.22, which was a tad quicker than his former mark of 1:00.56.
He also took first in the 200 IM in 2:22.72.
Hamilton also won the 200 free relay behind Mitch Fechter, Hutton, John Novak and Valentine Perez.
It was a tough day for the Hornet girls against the powerful Little Tigers as they dropped a 133-37
decision.
Top-three finishes came from Sam Courtney (2nd, 100 fly), Shelby South (3rd, 200 free; 3rd 100 free)
and Vladia Trinh (3rd, 100 breast).