Maidens defend title with record in relay
PHILADELPHIA — North Penn’s record-setting finish in the 400 free relay put it all in perspective.
The Maidens not only defended their District 1-AAA crown, they were even better this time around.
North Penn racked up 250.5 points, winning a tough 3A field by 70.5 points to earn its second consecutive district championship at La Salle University’s Kirk Pool.
In the final event of the weekend, North Penn’s foursome of Kailyn Evans, Erin O’Neill, Aimee Baur and Tara Rogers raced to a gold-medal time of 3:28.99, replacing the previous record of 3:29.33, set by last year’s North Penn district title squad.
The Maidens’ meet victory made it a sweep for North Penn, following up the Knights’ title win earlier in the day.
“It’s special to do it two years in a row, but the most special thing to me is that we jumped into the pool (in celebration) twice today,” Maidens coach Matt Weiser said. “Over the last couple years, we really tried to stress that we’re one team — boys, girls, swimmers, divers. It’s such a big accomplishment for us as a program to have the boys win this morning and the girls win tonight. I’m so proud of everybody.”
Olivia DiStefano won her second individual gold medal and third overall with her victory in the 100 back (56.22), using a strong final push to edge Haverford’s Maddie Hart (56.47).
“It felt amazing,” said DiStefano, also a member of NP’s gold-medal 200 free team on Friday. “I definitely knew the competition. It was just shocking to find out I came in first.”
DiStefano broke her own school record in helping to propel the Maidens to another team title.
“I’m so happy for everyone,” she said. “We all deserved it - we all worked so hard. And I just can’t wait to see what we’re gonna do at states.”
The Maidens also got a bronzemedal finish in the 500 free from Tara Rogers, the lone returner on that record-setting 400 free relay.
“What a great way to go out,” Weiser said. “Leading off with a freshman, Kailyn, and she got us off to an awesome start. We set that record last year and then broke it again. It speaks volumes of the kids.”
Central Bucks West’s Quinn MacMillan began Saturday’s portion with a gold-medal finish in the 100 free (51.83), and over in Class 2A, Gwynedd Mercy Academy’s Allie Szekely raced to her second gold of the weekend, touching first in the 100 back in 55.26.
Szekely, chosen as the Meet’s Outstanding Swimmer in Class 2A, nearly broke the district record of 55.24, set by Villa Maria’s Sarah Hitchens in 2012.
Szekely also anchored the 400 free relay team a bronze, joining Mary Kate Curley, Kieragh McMenamin and Steph Szekely to go 3:37.88.
“I felt really strong,” Szekely said. “I wasn’t expecting to go almost my best time (in the back), so I was really happy with that. (The 400 free relay) was probably my most exciting race in a while because of how hard everyone worked. I’m excited to go back to states. I’m gonna do a couple hard days and then start tapering.”
The PIAA Championships get underway March 12 at Bucknell University, beginning with Class 3A on the 12th and 13th, followed by Class 2A on the 14th and 15th.
District One Girls Swim
Championships
Class 2A
Team scores 1. Villa Maria, 490 points; 2. Nazareth Academy, 304; 3.Springfield (M), 277; 4. Gwynedd Mercy 223; 5. Phoenixville, 190; 6. Upper Moreland, 141; 7. Villa Joseph Marie, 131; 8. Upper Perkiomen,
123; 9. Merion Mercy, 91; 10. Lower Moreland, 84.
Event results Class AA
100 freestyle: 1. Alexa Fabbri (Villa Joseph Marie), 51.64;2. Maura McManus (Villa Maria), 54.02; 3. Emily Messina (Villa Joseph Marie),54.49; 4. Kirsten Siwy (Upper Perkiomen), 55.04; 5. Amber Saint Clair (Upper Moreland), 55.12; 6. Shawna Moore (Phoenixville), 5527; 7. Margrethe Leis (Springfield (M), 55.54; 8. Katelyn Chick (Villa Maria), 55.83; 500 freestyle: 1. Grace Kowal (Nazareth Academy), 5:00.94;2. Madison Oster (Octorara), 5:02.18; 3. Steph Szekely (Gywnedd Mercy), 5:08.14;4. Mary Harrington (Nazareth Academy), 5:12.52; 5. Grace Carey (Villa Maria),5:12.71; 6. Emily Lund (Nazareth Academy), 5:13.79; 7. Mary Kate Curley (Gwynedd Mercy), 5:16.67; 8. Michaela Fallon (Springfield M), 5:21.08; 100 backstroke: 1. Allie Szekely (Gywnedd Mercy), 55.26; 2. Emily Cornell (Villa Maria), 56.27; 3. Amber St. Clair (Upper Moreland), 58.62; 4. HopeR eynolds (Villa Maria), 59.64; 5. Jules Marble (Springfield M), 1:01.05; 6.Lauren Belecanech (Nazareth Academy), 1:0153; 7. Michelle McCullough (Lower Moreland), 1:02.65; 8. Courtney Sheffer (Pottsgrove), 1:02.69; 100 breaststroke: 1. Maddie Cooke (Phoenixville), 1:04.62(meet record, previous record 1:04.74 by Allie Szekely, Gwynedd Mercy, 2013);2. Olivia Tierney (Villa Maria), 1:06.77; 3. Molly Kowal (Nazareth Academy),1:06.84; 4. Rachel Munger (Springfield M), 1:05.88; 5. Shannon Harrington (Nazareth Academy), 1:07.18; 6. Nicole Saladino (Villa Maria), 1:08.09; 7. Madison Oster (Octorara), 1:09.02; 8. Elizabeth Law (Villa Maria), 1:11.10; 400 freestyle relay: 1. Villa Maria (Julia Dobson, Maura McManus, Emily Cornell, Olivia Giampietro), 3:32.67; 2. Nazareth Academy,3:36.98; 3. Gwynedd Mercy, 3:37.88; 4. Springfield (M), 3:39.85; 5. Villa Joseph Marie, 3:46.65; 6. Upper Perkiomen, 3:47.39; 7. Merion Mercy, 3:51.59;8. Upper Moreland, 3:54.13.
Class 3A Team scores 1. North Penn, 250.5 points; 2. Conestoga, 180; 3. Upper Dublin, 150; 4. Strath Haven, 144; 5. Council Rock North, 122; 6. West Chester Henderson, 121; 7. Central Bucks East, 118; 8. Haverford, 109; 9. Methacton,101; 10. Hatboro-Horsham, 97. Event results 100 freestyle: 1. Quinn MacMillan (Central Bucks West),51.83; 2. Jenna Johns (Upper Dublin), 52.20; 3. Kirsten Groff (Methacton),52.88; 4. Lauren Mitchell (Council Rock North), 52.94; 5. Summer Martin (StrathHaven), 53.13; 6. Sam Wheatley (Upper Dublin), 53.32; 7. Kaitlin Benjamin (Conestoga), 53.41; 8. (tie) Megan Gray (Perkiomen Valley) and Laura Packer(Radnor), 53.70; 500 freestyle: 1. Tommie Dillione (Council Rock North),4:57.16; 2. Frances Reweber (Strath Haven), 5:00.90; 3. Tara Rogers (NorthPenn), 5:04.23; 4. Morgan Curl (Oxford), 5:04.33; 5. Maddie McNichol (WestChester Henderson), 5:05.69; 6. Laura Barthold (Unionville), 5:06.15; 7. Emma O’Neill (Abington), 5:06.60; 8. Amber Zimmerman (Conestoga), 5:06.82; 100 backstroke: 1. Olivia DeStefano (North Penn), 56.22; 2.Maddie Hart (Haverford), 56.47; 3. Nikki Bookwalter (Conestoga), 57.56; 4. Amanda Zlotnik off (Wissahickon), 57.78; 5. Hailey Sutton (Hatboro-Horsham), 57.88; 6. Kailyn Evans (North Penn), 58.10; 7. Tatyana Smolyansky (Radnor), 58.36; 8. Sahsa Smolyansky (Radnor), 58.82; 100 breaststroke: 1. Hannah Whitman (Central Bucks East),1:04.49; 2. Brittany Weiss (Pennridge), 1:04:54; 3. Gab Rudy (Ridley), 1:05.26;4. Emily Harris ( Downingtown West), 1:05.82; 5. Hannah Blaser (Central Bucks West), 1:05.86; 6. Emily Sykes (Methacton), 1:05.87; 7. Camille Jablonski (Strath Haven), 1:06.04; 8. Emily Hodges (Souderton), 1:06.13; 400 freestyle relay: 1. North Penn (), 3:28.99 (meet record, previous record 3:29.33 by North Penn, Tara Rogers, Olivia DeStefano, Emma O’Neill, Emily Kosten, 2013); 2. Conestoga, 3:32.72; 3. Council Rock North, 3:32.87; 4.Central Bucks East, 3:33.19; 5. West Chester Henderson, 3:33.23; 6. StrathHaven, 3:33.48; 7. Upper Dublin, 3:35.72; 8. Hatboro-Horsham, 3:36.01.