They are the Fab Four.
Connor Mangan, Blaise Hofmann, Derek Feldman and Jimin Chung led the Central Bucks West boys swim team to new heights at this year’s PIAA Class 3A championships, held Wednesday and Thursday at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
The Bucks finished sixth in team scoring with 149 points, an all-time best for the program.
“This meet was everything we expected and more,” said Hofmann, a junior. “It was so much fun. We all did so well. We all got some crazy personal bests. I broke 1:50 in the 200 IM and broke 50 seconds in the 100 back. We had some crazy placements. Sixth place is the highest CB West has ever finished, and I couldn’t be happier or prouder of the team we brought here to states.”
Each of the four reached the podium as individuals.
Hofmann captured the silver medal in the 200-yard individual medley with his time of 1:49.87. He also placed seventh in the 100 backstroke (49.94).
“I broke 1:50 in the 200 IM and broke 50 seconds in the 100 back,” he said. “I’m very happy with how I swam this year, but I’m killing it next year. I’ve got goals. I know what I want, and I’m going to do it.”
Fellow junior Feldman also copped a pair of solo medals, placing fourth in the 50 freestyle (20.64) and sixth in the 100 freestyle (45.95).
“I did what I expected in the 50,” he said. “The 100 was not what I expected, but I pulled through and got sixth place, so I’m happy with that and happy that I was able to score those points for the Bucks.
“I think we have so much more potential for next year. I see good new people coming up to the team and I think this whole meet was a good experience for everybody. I feel like we really made a statement. We’ve never done anything like this before, and we’ll have more in store for next year.”
Chung, a sophomore, had a breakout meet. He finished third in the 200 individual medley (152.98). He was also 16th in the 100 butterfly (51.41). He was the busiest swimmer on Thursday, swimming both of his individual events and one relay.
“The fly was really tough for me,” he said. “I was just off the IM and I swam in the medley relay. I’m really happy with the IM. I was expecting to be fifth, sixth, around there. The competition was really tense. The next couple of years I’d like to move up.”
Mangan finished eighth in the 200 freestyle with his time of 1:41.07.
“I am so proud to have been a senior leader on this team,” said Mangan, who was also 19th in the 500 freestyle (4:41.63). “I was just talking to John (Foff the head coach) about all the guys I used to look up to, like (former teammate) Gabe Wingert, and now it’s me and Derek and the rest of the guys, and it’s really amazing.
“I’ve been sick the past couple of days so my times weren’t quite what I wanted, but I can’t complain. Our relays were amazing. I made the ‘A’ final in the 200 free and still scored some points for the team and we finished so strong with the 400 free relay. What a way to close the meet.
“I feel really good about leaving the program in their hands. I couldn’t be leaving it with better people.
“I’m going to miss CB West, and I’m so proud of what we’ve built here. Four years ago we didn’t win a meet, and now we’re sixth in the state.”
Mangan’s teammates will miss him.
“He’s going to be hard to replace,” Feldman said of Mangan. “We’re losing the heart of the team.”
The foursome also teamed up to take bronze medals in both the 200 medley relay (1:32.17) and the 400 freestyle relay (3:04.40).
Karl Linde, Nate Liang, Max McCloskey and Luke Tomlinson were 31st in the 200 freestyle relay (1:31.38) to round out the competition for CB West.
For Council Rock North, Connor Williams finished 19th in the 50 freestyle (21.59).
“This was my first state meet and I really had a good time,” said Williams, a junior. “I dropped time and I moved up in seeding. I won my heat. I was proud of that.
“It was amazing to see all the different swimmers from across the state. I’m a junior, and I’m excited to come back next year and hopefully do better.”
Teammate Sebastian Vradinskiy was 29th in the 100 breaststroke (58.84).
“I used to come here and watch my brother (Martin, 2020) swim and I really wanted to come here and swim,” said Vradinskiy, a sophomore. “It was a long road. A lot of meets, a lot of hard work. Last year I didn’t make it but I was really close. This year I was a little quicker.
“The facility is really nice here. The vibe is nice. All the kids are really fast. You just want to go faster. My goal for next year is to make finals and by my senior year get to the top eight.”
Sophomore Owen Hamnett of Council Rock South placed 25th in the 100 backstroke (53.01).
“It was a lot of fun,” Hamnett said of his first state competition. “There were a lot of really good people. It was definitely a great environment, but very intimidating.
“I feel like this was a good first experience for me. I’ll know better next year. I didn’t get my best time but I was pretty close. I’ve got two more shots at it, and I’m looking forward to that.”
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