Muhls’ Gring wins gold in 200 free
Wilson's Takoda Heckman finishes second in the boys 200 IM
It was a long time coming for Sydney Gring.
The Muhlenberg senior finally captured the state championship that eluded her in the past, touching in 1:47.02 to claim gold in the 200-yard freestyle on Friday in Class 3A at the PIAA 3A Swimming and Diving Championships at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
“I’ve swam different events here over the years and I’ve gotten second multiple times, so it’s nice to finally win one,” she said. “It’s so relieving because I’ve been thinking about it for so long.”
Wilson’s Takoda Heckman finished second in the boys 200 IM as Berks swimmers won six medals on the first day of the Class 3A meet.
In girls, Exeter’s Megan Unruh finished fourth in the 200 free and Exeter’s 200 free relay came in fourth. In boys, Muhlenberg’s Brady Robidas was sixth and Reading High’s Trey Stricker eighth in the 50 free
Gring was the runner-up in the 200 free last year and the 100 fly in 2021 and ’20, and she was the top seed after the morning preliminaries.
Gring went on to anchor the 200 freestyle relay of Kathryn Tanis, Rachael Hess and Erin Smith in the consolation heat. The Muhls finished 11th place in 1:37.83.
The Muhls’ 200 medley relay of Leia Wolf, Makayla Yellets, Rachel Hess and Erin Smith was 25th in 1:51.09.
Unruh placed fourth in the 200 free in 1:49.81, the third straight year she’s won a medal in the event. She was third last year and second in 2021.
“It’s always nice to get a medal,” said Unruh, a senior who will swim next year at Houston. “It wasn’t a best time but it was my best time of the season so far.
“This is my last state meet and it’s so bittersweet. I swam the 200 free at this meet all four years so it’s my last time.”
Exeter’s 200 freestyle relay of June Grim, Lauren Ramsey, Gabrielle Istenes and Unruh was fourth in 1:36.64.
Ramsey, a senior, made the consolation heat of the 100 butterfly, finishing 16th (58.61), while Grim, a freshman, finished 24th in the 50 freestyle (24.90).
Wilson sophomore Emma Dougherty won the consolation heat of the 50 freestyle, earning ninth place (23.87).
The Wilson 200 freestyle relay of Madalee Roberts, Evelyn Quick, Katelyn Spann and Morgan Valeriano also touched first in the consolations, taking ninth (1:37.38).
The Bulldogs’ 200 medley relay of Lexi Stambaugh, Dougherty, Olivia Vecchio and Roberts reached the evening swim as well, taking 10th (1:47.43).
Wilson sophomore Vecchio finished 21st in the 100 butterfly (58.64), sophomore Roberts placed 22nd in the 50 free (24.79), senior Maddie Wilczynski placed 23rd in diving (151.70 points), sophomore Stambaugh finished 26th in the 200 IM (2:14.46), freshman Quick was 27th in the 200 free (1:57.55) and sophomore Sydney Strieb placed 30th in the 100 butterfly (1:01.21).
Ellie Friedlander, a senior from Gov. Mifflin, was 13th in the 200 free (1:54.72).
Shailla Meha of Daniel Boone, a junior, placed 18th in the 50 free (24.66).
For the boys, Heckman was the state runner-up in the 200 IM, touching in 1:49.17.
“I felt good coming into the race,” said Heckman, a senior. “I did the best I could. I got second last year so I guess that’s how it is for me.
“I felt really good about my freestyle. I think I brought it home fast. I think my backstroke could have been faster. Obviously he’s (Jake Wang of Conestoga, the winner) a great breaststroker so he’d be tough to beat in that. I’m swimming the 500 and the 400 free relay tomorrow so I’m looking forward to those races.”
Heckman sported a full beard at the District 3 meet but was clean shaven for the state meet.
“I decided to shave for states,” he said. “I think it’s more psychological. It feels lighter because the beard fills up with water.”
Robidas, a junior, finished sixth in the 50 free in 20.74, and Stricker, a sophomore, was eighth in 21.20.
Wilson’s 200 freestyle relay of Josh Woessner, Trentin Lechleitner, Thomas Houck and Isaiah Eberly won the consolation final in 1:25.30 for ninth place.
Three Wilson seniors reached the consolation heat in their individual events. Eberly finished 10th in the 100 butterfly (51.31), Ian Metzgar placed 14th in the 200 free (1:43.23) and Woessner ended up in 16th in the 50 free (21.75).
Houck, a junior, placed 20th in the 200 IM (1:57.26), Lechleitner, a junior, was 24th in the 50 free (21.75), and freshman Kai
Boyer was 28th in the 100 butterfly
(52.59).
The Gov. Mifflin 200 freestyle relay of Braden Weise, Matthew Drake, Matt Novotny and William Troy placed 13th (1:26.98) and the 200 medley relay of Drake, Novotny, Colby Orndorf and Owen Ziolkowski wound up 20th (1:39.24).
Also for the Mustangs, senior Troy was 26th in the 200 freestyle (1:45.86) and sophomore Weise finished 26th in the 50 freestyle (21.83).
Robidas, R.J. Schaffer, Cameron Burr and Alex Kissinger were 21st in the 200 freestyle relay (1:28.00) for the Muhls.
Two swimmers from Muhlenberg raced in the 100 butterfly, with Schaffer taking 21st (51.83) and Kissinger finishing 22nd (51.84).
Exeter’s William Fanning, a senior, was 32nd in the 200 IM (2:01.98).