Berks athletes earn All-American honors

Eight individuals and seven relay teams from Berks high schools have earned All-American honors from the National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association for the 2019-20 season. In addition, two Berks athletes were named All-Americans in water polo.

Roanoke Shirk, a recent graduate of Muhlenberg, was named an AllAmerican in three events (200-yard freestyle, 1:38.91; 100 free, 45.49; 500 free, 4:32.47).

Earning All-American status in two events in boys were Daniel Boone’s Chris Guiliano, a rising senior, in the 200 free (1:35.81) and 100 free (44.55), and Gov. Mifflin’s Ben Gerhard, a rising junior, in the 200 free (1:40.11) and 500 free (4:30.25).

Girls being named All-Americans in two events were recent Muhlenberg grad Cameron Gring (200 IM, 1:59.50; 100 back, 54.59) and recent Mifflin grad Emma Steckiel (50 free, 22.88; 100 free, 50.90).

Aiden McCurley, a recent Mifflin grad, was an All-American in the boys 50 free (20.90).

In girls, Wilson’s Shelby Kahn, a rising senior, was an All-American in the 200 free (1:50.36) and Muhlenberg rising sophomore Sydney Gring in the 100 fly (55.01).

Three Wilson girls relays earned All-American status: the 200 medley relay of Savannah Snyder, Erin Moyer, Kaitlyn Bitting and Carolyn Pitorak in 1:45.03; the 200 free relay of Rylee Wenzel, Emily Cherrie, Kahn and Pitorak in 1:34.95; and the 400 free relay of Wenzel, Bitting, Kahn and Bradburn in 3:29.85.

Two Muhlenberg girls relays were All-American: the 200 medley team of Samara Eschelman, Cameron Gring, Sydney Gring and Maren Schermerhorn in 1:45.15; and the 200 free relay of Sydney Gring, Allison Brattley, Schermerhorn and Cameron Gring in 1:35.21.

Gov. Mifflin’s girls 200 free relay team of Steckiel, Connar Melcher, Courntey Novotny and Ellie Friedlander

earned All-American status in 1:36.15.

In boys, Wilson’s 200 free relay of David Meinhold, Malachi Eberly, Brody Heckman and Josh Cunningham earned All-American honors in 1:25.04.

In water polo, Pitorak was a second-team selection in girls and Gerhard was an honorable mention pick in boys.

In addition, seven Berks athletes were named Academic All-Americans in swimming and/or water polo. This recognition goes to seniors with a grade-point average of at least 3.75.

In boys, Eberly was named in swimming and water polo, Shirk in swimming, and Reading High’s Raphael Parisi in water polo.

In girls, Pitorak was named in swimming and water polo, Cameron Gring in swimming, Steckiel in swimming, and Muhlenberg’s Allison Brattley and Lauren Tanis in swimming.

Brattley, Tanis and Schermerhorn attended Fleetwood, but swam for the Muhls.