3 from PAC medal on final day of states
Upper Perk’s Kovalenko, Fresa, Pottsgrove’s Agnew reach podium
Kyle Kovalenko backed into the A final of the 100-yard breaststroke Saturday at the PIAA Class AA Swimming and Diving Championships at Bucknell University.
The Upper Perkiomen junior wasn’t just happy to be there in the final though, he was determined to climb.
“I wasn’t going to be satisfied. I wanted to move up and that’s what I did,” Kovalenko said.
Kovalenko, who qualified eighth, dropped nearly two seconds from his prelim time to log a 58.71 and place sixth place and earn a state medal in the 100 breast.
“I felt really good – just the right amount of strength and energy during the race. It was awesome,” Kovalenko said. “I broke my personal record and the school record once again.”
Upper Perkiomen sophomore Noel Fresa claimed her second medal of the two-day meet by placing fifth in the 100-yard freestyle. Her final time of 52.05 dropped nearly a second off her prelim time of 52.93.
Fresa found success by keeping it loose.
“I just wanted to have fun,” she said. “I was seeded eighth, so there was no doing worse. I figured I needed to have fun and try to finish higher.”
Pottsgrove senior Patrick Agnew closed his scholastic career by placing eighth in the 100 freestyle.
He made the A final with a 47.35 in the morning, and posted a 47.75 in the final.
“I was a little tired heading in but I didn’t let that stop me,” Agnew said. “I took it out really hard and gave it everything I had. I earned myself a podium spot before I even got into the water, so I had nothing to lose.”
Schuylkill Valley senior Colin Gwiazdowski won the race in 45.44.
“I feel pretty good,” Agnew said after winning his second medal of the championships. “It was definitely a goal of mine heading into the season. This was a good way to finish my high school career.”
Upper Perk’s Cameron Junk finished 20th in prelims in the 500 free (4:57.71).
The Upper Perkiomen girls’ 400 free relay of Fresa, Bailey McCausland, Jayme Fisher and Madison Modugno just missed advancing to the final, finishing 17th in prelims (3:45.05).
In the team standings, Lower Moreland was boys’ champion (207 points). Pottsgrove placed 25th (26), Upper Perkiomen finished 38th (13).
The Upper Perk girls placed 23rd out of 54 teams, the highest finish for the team in 20 years. Villa Maria won its eighth straight girls’ AA team title.