In more ways than one, the Bradford High swim team will feature a mix of experience and youth.

The Owls have some familiar faces hitting the pool along with some new blood that figure to provide some surprises as the season goes along.

It represents a new challenge for second-year head coach Chelsea Schwab, who will look to build on the successes of last year while also setting some new benchmarks along the way.

“We’re definitely hitting our groove,” Schwab said, pointing to current assistant and former head coach Pam Digel as a big reason why she’s been able to adjust so smoothly. “Pam has so many years as a head coach, anything that I’m not thinking of, she’s always got the answers.”

The Owls lost their season-opening meet to Warren on Monday at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford by scores of 82-55 (boys) and 112-55 (girls). But despite the overall result, Schwab was extremely pleased with how well her team performed in their first competitive races of the year.

“We’re very excited with what we saw tonight,” she said. “We had kids nearing or matching their personal bests from districts last year. We’re setting the tone off right this year; we’re trying different things in practices, focusing on individual things.

“When the kids see the excitement that comes from being in a meet like this, it puts into perspective why they’re doing it, why they’re spending so much energy in practice.”

Karl Gangloff led the way with first-place finished in the 200 freestyle (1:52.94), 100 butterfly (58.41), and as part of the 400 freestyle relay with Frank Colosimo, Joseph Rettger, and Danny Fedak (3:55.87).

The Owls also got firsts in the boys 200 medley relay (Aedin Vetere, Julian Pearson, Colosimo, and Matt Stafford), and from Mackenzie Lucas in the girls 200 IM (2:35.57) and Rettger in the boys 500 free (6:19.57).

“Karl Gangloff tripled tonight, and we also got awesome performances from Abigail Szoke, Bailey Fedak, and Joe Rettger,” Schwab said.

Bradford will feature 12 boys swimmers this year, a deeper lineup than the Owls have had in years past.
“We’ve got a lot of new blood, which is great,” Schwab said. “We’ve kind of always lacked depth, so being able to field more events is great. Some of them have experience, some are brand new to swimming. The new kids are doing amazing.”

On the girls side, Bradford will feature 15 swimmers.

“We have a lot of new girls, but we also have a lot of returning swimmers,” Schwab said. “The girls are set up for a good season. We’re not really lacking anywhere.”

Improvement every day is all you can ask for, and it’s something that the Owls figure to display every time they exit the starting blocks.

“Every year they get a better idea of what they’re capable of,” Schwab said.

BOYS

Warren 82, Bradford 65

200 Yard Medley Relay: Bradford (Aedin Veter, Julian Pearson, Frank Colosimo, Matt Stafford); 2:14.87

200 Yard Freestyle: Karl Gangloff (B) 1:52.94, Cade Johnson (W), Ben Hampson (W)

200 Yard Individual Medley: Andrew Beyer (W) 2:12.55, Joseph Rettger (B), Marcus Bonavita (W)

50 Yard Freestyle: Stephen Ashbaugh (W) 23.96, Connor Guiffre (W), Danny Fedak (B)

100 Yard Butterfly: Gangloff (B) 58.41, Guiffre (W), Hunter Smith (W)

100 Yard Freestyle: C. Johnson (W) 55.68, Hampson (W), Fedak (B)

500 Yard Freestyle: Rettger (B) 6:19.57, Bonavita (W), Tommy Rice (W)

200 Yard Freestyle Relay: Warren (Beyer, Ashbaugh, Guiffre, C. Johnson); 1:40.39

100 Yard Backstroke: Beyer (W) 59.84, Vetere (B), no 3rd place

100 Yard Breaststroke: Ashbaugh (W) 1:09.56, Smith (W), Colosimo (B)

400 Yard Freestyle Relay: Bradford (Colosimo, Rettger, Fedak, Gangloff); 3:55.87

GIRLS

Warren 112, Bradford 55

200 Yard Medley Relay: Warren (Lydia Latimer, Paige Johnson, Sabrina Johnson, Gabrielle-Ellie Hahn); 2:09.22

200 Yard Freestyle: Cara Anderson (W) 2:15.19, Emily Savedge (W), Emilie Reilter (B)

200 Yard Individual Medley: Mackenzie Lucas (B) 2:35.57, P. Johnson (W), S. Johnson (W)

50 Yard Freestyle: Latimer (W) 27.52, G-E. Hahn (W), G. Hahn (W)

100 Yard Butterfly:  Anderson (W) 1:11.10, Abigail Szoke (B), Jasmine Rettger (B)

100 Yard Freestyle: Sarah Nugent (W) 1:05.95, Taylor Lucco (B), G. Hahn (W)

500 Yard Freestyle:  Savedge (W) 6:14.78, G-E. Hahn (W), Reilter (B)

200 Yard Freestyle Relay: Warren (Latimer, Anderson, G-E. Hah, G. Hahn); 1:55.57

100 Yard Backstroke: Latimer (W) 1:07.17, Lucas (B), Nugent (W)

100 Yard Breaststroke: P. Johnson (W) 1:17.08, Rylie Yeager (W), Sydney Rodgers (B)

400 Yard Freestyle Relay: Warren (S. Johnson, Anderson, Savedge, Nugent); 4:21.00