Haddonfield's Manion Wins State Championship

Before the boys' swimming NJSIAA Meet of Champions started Sunday afternoon, Haddonfield swim coach Bob Querubin spoke about how when Will Manion says he’s going to do something, he generally does it.

"Can’t wait to see what he does,” Querubin said.

He didn’t have to wait long.

After having led off the Bulldawgs’ 200 medley relay that finished third behind record-breaking Pingry School and St. Augustine Prep, Manion dove into the water for the 200 IM. He started fast and was second after the leadoff butterfly leg. Then he really separated himself from his competition on the backstroke, swimming a split that was two seconds faster than anyone else in the race.

He held his own on the breaststroke, then had a strong freestyle to win the race in 1:52.96, a second faster than second place Leo Lim of Tenafly.

Not only was it Manion’s best time but he became the first Haddonfield individual state champion since Matt Campbell won the 50 free in 1999.

So what exactly what did Manion tell Querubin he was going to do?

“I just told him I was going to take it out fast,” Manion said. “I said I was going to go 1:52 and try and win it. I am very pleased. That was my best time by about two-and-a-half seconds.

“I felt good taking it out. Backstroke is my best stroke so I really worked that. Breaststroke is my weakest stroke but I did a little better in that. Finishing up I just tried to hold on.”

Later in the meet, Michael Strand and Luke Papendick of Kinnelon both went under the meet record in the 100 backstroke with Manion taking third in 50.42 seconds.

“I wanted to go 49, but I’m happy to get top three,” he said.

Haddonfield’s relays had an exceptional meet. Seeded top three in all three for the first time in school history, the Bulldawgs finished third in the 200 medley, second in the 200 free and third in the 400 free.

In the medley relay, Manion was followed by Charlie Taffet, Greg Lee and Matthew Porter to finish with a time of 1:37.05.

“That was a great race,” Lee said. “We dropped a second off the school record. It was a really competitive race. We were in there with the school that broke the state record so it was a good race.”

Lee anchored the 200 free relay following Porter, Sean Stevens and Drew Proctor. They finished in 1:27.83, second to Pingry which set the second of its three meet relay records.

In the 400 free relay, Haddonfield again finished third behind Pingry and St. Augustine Prep, who both went under the meet record. Sam Tomlinson, Sean Stevens, Manion and Lee finished in 3:15.86, another school record.

“It’s exciting to break the school record,” Lee said. “It was 3:17. We went 3:16 yesterday. With Pingry and St. Augustine in the race, we knew it was going to be fast. “

Sam Tomlinson, one of the Bulldawgs’ seniors, put his spin on the afternoon.

“It was the best meet of the season.” Tomlinson said. “It’s a great way to go out, swimming with a great group of guys.”

Also for the Bulldawgs, sophomore Ryan Richards went 4:50.83 to finish 14th in the 500 free.

Andy Schuehler, swimming for Audubon/Collingswood, was extremely satisfied with his afternoon after finishing third in the both the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke.

In the 200 IM, he qualified with a time of 1:56.13 then bettered that with a finals swim of 1:54.40.

“My best time before that was 1:55.3 so I’m really happy with that,” he said. “I felt good all around. The kid next to me was a flyer, I didn’t realize it until after, but he took me out fast. In the backstroke I held on and the breast is my best stroke so I really went after it. I’m really pleased.”

Schuehler went 58.21 to take third in the breaststroke, a race that saw another meet record fall.

“My first lap wasn’t that strong so I was playing catch up the rest of the race,” he said. “I’m happy with the way it turned out. I’m right about where I want to be.”