VALLEY SPORTS REPORT: SAYRE'S McCLELLAND, WAVERLY'S ATANASOFF SHARE 'SWIMMER OF YEAR' HONORS - WAVERLY'S STREETER, ATHENS' GORSLINE ALSO EARN TOP HONORS (2019-03-20)

Valley Sports Report
THE VALLEY - Sayre senior Josh McClelland and Waverly junior Mike Atanasoff broke records, won state hardware, and will share the 2018-19 Valley Sports Report "Swimmer of the Year" honors.

Waverly junior Gage Streeter was also a record-setter this season and is the "Diver of the Year," while Athens freshman Kaden Gorsline has been tabbed the "Newcomer of the Year," and Waverly's 200-yard freestyle relay foursome is the "Relay of the Year."

McClelland finished third in the 50-yard freestyle at the PIAA Championships in a time of the 21.39 seconds. McClelland swam a school-record time of 21.31 seconds earlier in the day in a "swim-off" to reach the finals. He also finished 20th in the State in the 100-yard freestyle in a time of 48.84 seconds.

McClelland also won District 4 gold in the 50 free, and a silver medal in 100 free.

During the regular season, McClelland was a double-winner at the rugged Williamsport Coaches Invite, winning the 100- and 200-yard freestyles. He finished second in the 200-yard freestyle at the Waverly Invite.

Atanasoff finished seventh in the 50 free at the New York State Championships in a time of 21.61 seconds. He swam a school record time of 21.53 in the preliminaries.

He also finished 12th at States in 100 free in a time of 48.03 seconds. In the prelims, he swam a school and IAC record time of 47.82 seconds.

Atanasoff was also the MVP at the Waverly Invite, breaking the school, pool, and meet record in the 50 free, and the pool and meet record in the 100 free. He also swam fastest time on Wolverines in 100-yard breaststroke (1:03.12), and 200-yard IM (2:09.05) this season.

Streeter won gold at the Section IV, Class C Championships with a new school-record 11-dive score of 449.6 points - narrowly missing the state cut of 450.

Streeter also set the six-dive school-record with 273.45, breaking previous record of 252.5 points, which was set in 1995.

Gorsline finished fifth at the District 4 Diving Championships, and swam on a fourth-place 200-yard medley relay at districts.

Gorsline was a triple-winner at the NTL Championships. He won the 1-meter diving competition, and swam on winning 200-yard medley, and 400-yard freestyle relays. He also finished fourth in the 100-yard freestyle.

The Waverly 200-yard freestyle foursome of Atanasoff, senior Max VanDyke, and sophomores Ryan Bennett, and Collin Keefer won Class C gold in a time of 1:36.73 to earn "Relay of the Year" honors.

The 2018-19 Boys Swimming Super 7 are:
Josh McClelland, senior, Sayre: See above.

Mike Atanasoff, junior, Waverly: See above.

Collin Keefer, sophomore, Waverly: Keefer won four gold medals at the Section IV, Class C Championships,, winning the 200-yard IM (2:20.94), and the 500-yard freestyle (5:30.2). He also swam on the winning 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays.

He was sixth in the 500 free and ninth in the 200 free at the Waverly Invite.

Kaden Wheeler, freshman, Waverly: Wheeler won the 100-yard backstroke in 59.28 seconds, and finished second in the 100-yard butterfly (57.21) at the Class C Championships. He was on the winning 400-yard free relay, and on the second-place 200-yard medley relay.

He finished second in the 100 fly and 100 backstroke at the Waverly Invite

Max VanDyke, senior, Waverly: VanDyke finished third in the 100-yard freestyle in 55.36 seconds, and was also third in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:00.66 at the Class C Championships, and swam on the winning 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays.

VanDyke finished second in the 200-yard freestyle in 2:02.23, and third in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:03.42 at the IAC Championships.

Trent Neville, senior, Athens: Neville finished eighth in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:01.53 at the District 4 Championships, and was 13th in the 100 free in a time of 56.12 seconds. He also swam on fourth-place 400-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay teams

At the NTL Championships, Neville won the 100-yard butterfly in 1:02.39, and was third in the 50 free in 25.35 seconds. He also swam on the winning 200-yard medley relay team, and the second-place 400-yard free relay.

Mason Henderson, sophomore, Athens: Henderson finished 10th in the 100-yard butterfly in 1:01.53 at the District 4 Championships, and was 14th in the 100 free in a time of 57.37 seconds. he also swam on fourth-place 400-yard freestyle and 200-yard medley relay teams.

At the NTL Championships, Henderson won the 100 free in 58.01 seconds, and was second in he 100-yard breaststroke. He also swam on the winning 200-yard medley relay team, and the second-place 400-yard free relay.

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IN PHOTO: Sayre's Josh McClelland (left) and Waverly's Mike Atanasoff.

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PAST "Swimmer of the Year"
2009-10 - Jeff Mastrantuono, Waverly
2010-11 - Jeff Mastrantuono, Waverly
2011-12 - Jeff Mastrantuono, Waverly
2012-13 - Frank Chen, Athens
2013-14 - Frank Chen, Athens
2014-15 - Josh Mastrantuono, Waverly
2015-16 - Jeff Gao, Athens
2016-17 - Jeff Gao, Athens
2017-18 - Caleb McClelland, Sayre
2018-19 - Josh McClelland, Sayre / Mike Atanasoff, Waverly