IAC BOYS SWIMMING: WAVERLY LOOKS TO DEFEND IAC TITLE, CHALLENGE FOR CLASS B CROWN (2019-12-05)
Valley Sports ReportWAVERLY - Coming off an unbeaten season, Waverly will look to defend its IAC title in 2019-20, but won't get an opportunity to defend its Section IV, Class C crown after bumping up to Class B this season.
Longtime coach Dave Mastrantuono, who collected his 400th career coaching win last season, is undeterred by the move up in classifications.
"Our goal is to challenge for a team championship in Class B," he said.
The Wolverines, who were 15-0 last season, and are currently riding a 30-meet win streak, will have the majority of its team back this season, led by senior Mike Atanasoff, who has 181 career wins, sophomore Kaden Wheeler (116 wins), junior Collin Keefer (77 wins), and senior diver Gage Streeter.
Waverly also returns seniors Brandon Clark and Nick Janzen, juniors Ryan Bennett (57 wins) and Dillon Madigan, freshmen Oscar Williams, Ryan Clark, Jerrell Sackett, and Simon Stevens, and 8th-grader Liam Wright.
Senior Josh Lee, who has 56 career wins to his credit, returns after a year off, and 7th-grader Riley Pipher is the lone newcomer this season.
Mastrantuono says the swimmers to watch this season are:
"¢ Section IV champ Mike Atanasoff, who qualified the for the New York State Championships in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events last season. He is the school record-holder in both those events, and is the IAC record-holder in the 100 free.
"¢ Wheeler, who holds several 7th-, 8th-, and 9th-grade team records, and will challenged several sophomore team records.
"Kaden is looking to achieve the state cut time in the 100 fly and 100 backstroke," said Mastrantuono.
"¢ Streeter, who is the school record-holder in diving for both the 6- and 11-dive line-ups, and is looking to hit the state cut standard, after missing it by just 0.4 points last year.
"¢ Keefer, who was Waverly's only four-time Section IV, Class C champion at last year's sectional championships.
Waverly opens its 2019-20 campaign today when it hosts Dryden.
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IN PHOTO: From left: Mike Atanasoff, Kaden Wheeler, and Collin Keefer.
