South Orange Dolphins splash to success this summer

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SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The South Orange Dolphins swim program enjoyed a successful summer.

The team finished with a 5-3 record, beating West Caldwell twice, Verona twice and New Providence.

The Dolphins had 235 swimmers in age categories 8U, 9-10, 11-12, 13-14 and 15-18.

They also did a great job at the Division IV Championships. They had 84 participants at the meet. Of the 84, the Dolphins had 39 qualify for individual events at the Meet of Champions (MOCs). When including relay swimmers, a total of 42 swimmers participated at MOCs.

Team captain Jordan Mann, 15, opted to give up an individual event in order to anchor two relays, both of which placed well at the division meet and the Meet of Champions.

In a pleasant surprise, 13-14 boy Mason Paul dropped two seconds in the 50 back, to become the first alternate for the MOC. After making it in the meet, following a scratch by a New Providence swimmer, Paul went on to drop more time.

There was a three-way South Orange tie for seventh place in the Men’s 15-18 50 SC Meter Backstroke, as Kristof Dowlin, Simon Maza and Joey Kerner, all 15, each clocked 35.38 seconds.

The first-place relays at the Division IV Championships were:

• Mixed 13-and-Over 200 Short Course Meter Medley Relay: Laya Dunston, female, 13; Luke Robinson, male, 17;  Lola Silver, female, 13; and Jordan Mann, male, 15.
• Girls 12-and-Under 100 SC Meter Freestyle Relay: Chloe Francis, 11; Cleopatra Autisio, 10; Hailey Dunston, 12; Aleena Dunston, 10.

At Meet of Champions, the individual highlights were:

• Haily Dunston, 12, won the Girls 11-12 50 SC Meter Freestyle.
• Lia Naranjo, 8, swam her best time to get third place in the Girls 8-and-Under 25 SC Meter Backstroke.
• Lola Silver, 13, won both the 13-14 50 SC Meter Backstroke and the 13-14 SC Meter Butterfly.
• Aleena Dunston took second in the Girls 9-10 25 SC Meter Freestyle.
• Blake Differt took third in the Boys 11-12 50 SC Meter Freestyle.
• Lilah Secher took third in the Girls 15-18 50 SC Meter Backstroke.
• Henry Herbst took third in the Boys 15-18 SC Meter Backstroke.
• Julia Feinberg took third in the 15-18 SC Meter Breaststroke.

South Orange Relays at MOCs:

• After a scratch by Luke Robinson, Will Spreeman, male, 18, filled in for the breaststroke leg on the Mixed 13-and-Over 200 SC Meter Relay and took second. The other relay members were Layla Dunston, female, 13;  Lola Silver, female, 13; and Jordan Mann, male, 15.
• Chloe Francis, 11; Cleopatra Aulisio,10; Hailey Dunston, 12;  and Aleena Dunston, 10;  won the Girls 12-and-Under 100 SC Meter Freestyle Relay.
• Joshua Naim, 11; Ada Riley, 10;  Blake Differt, 11; and Campbell Howard, 10; won the Boys 12-and-Under 100 SC Meter Freestyle Relay.
• Luc Garcia Dudek (boy, 13), Nayeli Lenochan (girl, 13), Penny Attock (girl, 13) and Jordan Mann (male, 15) took third in the Mixed 13-and-Over Freestyle Relay.

The South Orange Dolphins are made up of local swimmers from age 6 through 18. The mission is to provide young people with positive experiences through competitive swimming that will last a lifetime, and have a whole lot of fun!!

Photos Courtesy of South Orange Dolphins

  South Orange Dolphins swim