Boyertown’s Escott, Lance score top-20 finishes
The PIAA Class AAA Swimming Championships commenced last Saturday and Sunday at Bucknell University.
On Day 1, Boyertown senior Ivan Escott posted a 15th-place finish in the 100 fly while SpringFord’s Noah Cancro was tied for 16th in the 50 free at the conclusion of day one.
Escott, hitting the water at Bucknell for the first time in his scholastic career, posted a 51.13 in the 100 fly, finishing just .02 behind Lower Dauphin’s Jace Fry for 14th. The Eastern Illinois University commit cut plenty off his qualifying time of 51.31. He also took 28th in the 200 free with a cut of 1:45.03.
Cancro touched dead even with Hempfield’s Gavin Mayo at 21.43 in the 50 free, cutting .27 off his seeding time.
Boyertown senior Patrick Lance took 20th overall in the 100 fly, touching the wall at 51.40, cutting .41 off his district qualifying time.
On Sunday, Spring-Ford senior Cancro made the most of his first and final shot swimming at states.
The Bloomsburg commit won his heat and placed 15th overall with a personal-best 58.71 in the 100-yard breaststroke. His time was right on the heels of State College’s Foster Heasley and Haverford’s David Abraham, who finished tied for 11th at 59.68.
“It’s hard going back-to-back tapers, that’s for sure,” said Cancro in reference to districts a couple weeks ago. “This was a great experience, especially with college coming up. Hopefully I set a good example for the guys coming up behind me.”
Boyertown senior Lance brought with him a similar approach.
As the team’s most experienced swimmer — a three-time state qualifier — Lance served as the anchor to the Bears’ 400 free relay (3:14.48), which finished 19th overall to close out the careers of Lance and classmate Ivan Escott.
“I wouldn’t want to end it any other way,” said Lance. “I love anchoring. I always get that drive once I look over and see who’s swimming ahead of us.”
Freshman Owen Miller and sophomore Oliver Tye swam the second and third legs, both soaking up their first state experiences.
Individually, Lance finished tied for 22nd in the 100 free with Cumberland Valley’s Logan Skiles at 47.50.
“There’s no doubt in my mind that this team will only get better with time,” said Lance. “I think every year, Boyertown will keep getting stronger.”
Safe to say, watching.
Girls
he’ll always be
Everything that the Twin Valley high school swimming team accomplished this season was earned. None of it taken for granted.
So when senior Hannah Schlegel — the team’s lone state representative — climbed onto the medal podium at the conclusion of the PIAA Class AAA Championships Sunday, it was a moment the entire community could share.
Schlegel, who swims for Boyertown YMCA in club competition, closed out her senior season with a bronze-medal finish in the 500yard freestyle at Bucknell University on a season-best 4:55.55. It was the team’s first trip back to Class AAA competition this season after spending the previous two years swimming in Class AA.
“Definitely an extra challenge,” said Schlegel, “but I was up for it. It was motivating all season.”
That mentality is certainly appropriate, given the fact that her high school career has provided no shortage of challenges.
The program, ultimately considered a club sport by the high school, has been run by the Twin Valley Aquatic Club over the past several seasons. All funds are raised by the swimmers and coaches throughout the season. The team’s home pool is in the Commons Building at the Stonecroft section of TelHai Retirement Community in Honey Brook.
Throughout her four-year career, Schlegel helped put Twin Valley on the map. The Ohio University commit has nine PIAA state medals to her credit, including a four-medal showing during last season’s Class AA Championships. She also got to join her older sister, Samantha Schlegel, on the medal podium during her sophomore year, when Twin Valley took fourth in the 100-yard medley relay in 2015.
“It’s been a lot of fun to be a part of it all,” said Schlegel. “We’re slowly getting bigger and bigger. The team aspect is definitely building and getting better each season. I’m sad I won’t be a part of it, but I can’t wait to come back and see what’s next.”