Seton Hall Prep swimming team begins 1-1 this season

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Seton Hall Prep swimming team went 1-1 last week to open the season. 

On Tuesday, Sept. 19, Seton Hall competed against St. Peter’s Prep of Jersey City in the opener, which was a great early-season meet between squads that should be in contention for the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Non-Public North title. 

The meet was tense throughout as the lead never exceeded six points and with both schools swimming very fast times, including a new school record for SHP senior Richard Poplawski, who swam 1 minute, 40.80 seconds in winning the 200-meter freestyle. 

Other Seton Hall victories were by Poplawski, 4:42.77 in the 500-meter freestyle and senior Cormac Rouse, who posted a sizzling time of 21.07 in the 50-meter freestyle. 

The Pirates also won both the 200 and 400 freestyle relays. In the 200, they won in 1:29.77, behind Rouse, Poplawski, junior George Peralvo and senior Owen Ripley. In the 400, they won in 3:16.04, behind Rouse, Ripley, Poplawski and junior Kype Phillips. St. Peter’s Prep won the swim meet 87-83.

Seton Hall rebounded to defeat Super Essex Conference opponent Montclair 109-60 on Thursday, Dec. 21. They were paced by Poplawski, who broke another school record, this time in the 200 individual medley in 1:50.75. The previous record was 1:51.99, set in 2020 by Jaeden Yburan. 

Poplawski also won the 100-meter backstroke in 51.04. The other SHP winners were senior Pat Miller, in the 200 meter freestyle in 1:53.84; Rouse, in the 100 butterfly in 54.88; junior Karl Burghardt, in the 100-meter freestyle in 53.49; Peralvo, in the 500 meter freestyle, 5:25.72; and freshman Ryan Pelosi, in the 50-meter freestyle, in 23.21. 

All three relays won their races. The medley relay won in 1:44.94, behind Ripley, Phillips, Burghardt and senior Francis Jaso. The 200 freestyle relay won in 1:36.24, behind Phillips, Ripley, Miller, and senior James Scannella, in 1:36.24. The 400 freestyle relay won in 3:29.38, behind Peralvo, Jaso, Rouse and senior Lucas Kopp.