2023-24 Mercury Girls’ Swimming Team-By-Team Previews
Boyertown
Head coach: Hannah Scheiry, 3rd season
Last year’s record: 5-5 PAC and overall Swimmers to watch: Tamara Engler, Sr. (100 breast)
Outlook: Engler won the 100breast at the PAC championships last year and qualified for the District 1-3A meet. … “We are excited for a new season,” said Scheiry. “The girls are excited for the new season and hopefully going to go 6-4 this year! Overall, as a team, we are excited for whatever the season may bring and the positive time together.”
Daniel Boone
Head coach: Amy Demberger, 3rd season
Last year’s record: 0-7Central Penn League and overall
Swimmers to watch: Shailla Mejia, Sr. (100back, 50 free, 100 breast)
Outlook: Mejia qualified for the PIAA Class 3A championships in the 100back and 50free last season. … The Berks League approved the addition of swimming and diving as varsity high school sports in March, bringing an end to the Central Penn League (at least in name), though the league’s member schools will remain the same.
Hill School
Head coach: Jay Spencer, 10th season
Last year’s record: 1-2 MAPL, 3-5 overall Swimmers to watch: Ella Grindle, Sr. (team captain, 100free, 200free); Paige Barnhart, Jr. (sprint free, 100back); Any May, Jr. (200free, 500free); Isa Bartolini, So. (sprint free); Hannah DeMarco, So. (200IM, 100back); Annabelle Lombardi, So. (200 IM, 500 free).
Outlook: Local swimmers include Grindle (Collegeville), who swam an Easterns qualifying time in the 200free in this year’s season-opening Hill Relays, DeMarco from Royersford and Bartolini from Pottstown… Blues graduated Summer Lam, the school record holder in the 100fly. … “Our team is young, with only four seniors (two of whom are divers) and four juniors (two of whom are not competitive swimmers),” said Spencer. “Our sophomore class is very strong, with three returning Easterns swimmers and at least three other strong competitors in the group. This is the first year in my 10years that we have the depth to compete in every event. We just lack the top-end swimmers in several events, most notably 100butterfly and 100breaststroke. The motivation level is high in the early season, and it is nice to have a great group of girls who want to compete and have fun. We are probably another year or two from having a breakthrough season, but we should be able to repeat last year’s results at least.” … Hill will hold a celebration in January to mark the 75th anniversary of its first team and opening of its pool and expects alumni from every generation and from around the country to attend.
Methacton
Head coach: Tori Rosa, 3rd season
Last year’s record: 8-2 PAC, 8-5 overall Swimmers to watch: Madison Wimmer, Sr. (200 free, 500free); Truly Sommer, Jr. (500free, 200 IM); Izzy Ketterer, Jr. (100breast); Lucy Michael, So. (50 free, 100 free).
Outlook: Wimmer, who will swim at James Madison next year, placed eighth in the 200free and 10th in the 500free at the PIAA Class 3A championships last season and also won the PAC 200IM and placed fifth in District 1in the 200 free. … Sommer is a two-time district qualifier in the 500free. … “We are on a rebuild year with not a lot of incoming freshmen,” said Rosa. “We have numerous new swimmers to the team who have not competed competitively in the sport. We are hoping most of the team will be able to qualify for PAC’s again this year and have a good showing. We have a small team, but looking forward to some big accomplishments by some individuals on the team.”
Norristown
Head coach: KaraLee Marconi, 2nd season
Last year’s record: 0-10PAC and overall Swimmer to watch: Lauren LeBendig, Jr. (200 IM)
Outlook: “We have a lot of new swimmers on the team this year,” said Marconi. “Over the last several weeks, they have picked up technique very quickly, from starts to turns and stroke work. With the combination of our experienced teammates and our new team members, I’m excited to watch them drop time, learn new strokes and work together as a team.”
Owen J. Roberts
Head coach: Kevin Bott, 23rd season
Last year’s record: 10-0PAC and overall, PAC champions
Swimmers to watch: Mackenzie Gorman, Sr. (back, fly); Madeline Lemke, Sr. (diving); Rowan Quinn, Sr. (diving); Emma Valbert, Sr. (free, fly); Collen Callahan, Jr. (diving); Olivia Cooper, Jr. (free); Lauren Hatt, Jr. (back); Jane Hummel, Jr. (fly, breast); Kaitlyn McGuire, Jr. (free); Kate Spencer, Jr. (fly, free); Eya Bierman, So. (breast, free); Layla Boghdadi, So. (diving); Chloe Lake, So. (free); Victoria Nguyen, So. (back); Audrey Schroeder, So. (free, back, fly); Addison Cooper, Fr. (breast, IM); Meredith Hummel, Fr. (back, free); Paige Lindenmuth, Fr. (free, breast); Samira McAllister, Fr. (back).
Outlook: Wildcats graduated PIAA Class 3A qualifiers Natalie Spencer (100fly) and Eliana Crew (100free) .... Eight district qualifiers return – Gorman, Quinn, Valbert, Callahan, Hummel, McGuire, Boghdadi and Schroeder. … McGuire won the PAC 100free title. …”The girls team graduated several talented athletes, many of whom were district qualifiers or played a key role in specific events last season,” said Bott. “While this year’s team has returning talent, they will need to fill those voids while continuing to progress in their desired events. The new athletes seem to be adjusting well, and the team seems excited for the start of the season.” ... Coaching staff also includes Colin Bauer (2nd year), Lindsay Staufenberg (7th year) and Rebekah Elliott (12th year,diving).
Perkiomen Valley
Head coach: Mitchell Zackowski, 7th season Last year’s record: 7-3PAC and overall Swimmers to watch: Carys Adair, So.; Laney Dittmar, So.; Claire Mages, So. .
Outlook: Aly DePalma is the team captain. “We have three returning sophomore swimmers,” said Zackowski. “All three had exceptional seasons last year and are looking to build on their success this season. With many swimmers returning and the addition of a strong freshman class, this will be an exhilarating season.”
Phoenixville
Head coach: Dan Weinstein, 12th season
Last year’s record: 6-4PAC and overall Swimmers to watch: Kenzie Padilla, Sr. (100fly, 200free, 500free); Maddie Deeney, Jr. (200free); Liza Barbash, Sr.; Brynn Lewis, Fr.
Outlook: Phantoms graduated Hadley Mardis, a member of the state qualifying 200free relay team. … Padilla, The 2022-23Mercury All-Area girls Swimmer of the Year, won the PAC 200 free and 100fly titles, placed third in the 100fly and sixth in the 500free at the PIAA Class 3A championships and is an All-American in the 200 free, 500free and 100fly... Deeney won the 500 free at the PAC championships and Barbash was a state qualifier with the 200free relay team. … “This year, the Phantoms boast Kenzie Padilla, Maddie Deeney and Liza Barbash,” said Weinstein. “They are joined by freshman phenom Brynn Lewis, who will bolster the Phantom relays and will be swimming everything this season. The girls expect to improve on last year’s record, and returning to district and state competition with even more qualifying events.”
Pope John Paul II
Head coach: Emily Thomas, 7th season
Last year’s record: 3-7PAC and overall Swimmers to watch: Shae Gonzales, Jr. (200 free, 200 IM, 100 back); Molly Houchins, Jr. (100 breast, 50 free); Sofia Munley, Fr. (100 breast). Outlook: Gonzales is a two-time District 1-2A qualifier in the 200IM. … “We have a very strong incoming freshman class and are looking to have more representation at districts this season,” said Thomas.
Pottsgrove
Head coach: Alex Diehl, 9th season
Last year’s record: 2-8PAC and overall Swimmers to watch: Bayley Richard, Sr. (100 back, 50free, 200IM); Kennedy Krock, Sr. (100fly, 200IM, 100breast); Elsa Lucas, So. (200free, 100 free, 100fly); Colbie Richard, Fr. (relays). Outlook: Bayley Richard was a District 1-2A qualifier in the 100back and 200IM last season. … “We are very excited for this season,” said Diehl. “Our girls team has a strong group of returners who we expect to be doing well in the post-season competitions.”
Spring-Ford
Head coach: Jack Graham, 3rd season
Last year’s record: 9-1PAC and overall, PAC runner-up, 6th in District 1-3A, 15th in PIAA Class 3A Swimmers to watch: Sydney Koehler, Sr. (100 breast, 200IM); Leah Koons, Sr. (free); Honor Davis, Sr. (free); Amelia Mullane, Sr. (free); Hannah Costello, Sr. (back); Maddie Colbert, Sr. (free); Lexi Elsner, Sr. (breast); Abby Koehler, Jr. (100fly, free); Kaia Griffith, Jr. (fly, free); Alex Parsia, Jr. (free); Eva Gibbons, Jr. (free); Jordyn Gutshall, Jr. (diving, back); Barcley Trotter (100breast); Gabby Metry, So. (free); Chloe Fennimore, So. (100breast, free); Nadia Karalius, So. (free, 200IM); Megan Curran, So. (100fly); Karina Figueroa, So. (100back, 100 fly); Austin Fallon, Fr. (100fly); Jessica Carlson, Fr. (200 IM); Mahi Chawla, Fr. (1200 breast). Outlook: Rams graduated Ashley Gutshall, who finished sixth in the 100free and seventh in the 50 free at the PIAA Class 3A championships, and PAC 100back champion Maris Sadowski. … “The girls have finished PAC runners-up the last two years, going 9-1in both seasons, said Graham. “They had significant loses due to graduation from last year’s team, losing All-American Ashley Gutshall (UMBC) and state qualifier Maris Sadowski (St. Bonaventure), who both are swimming in Division I. They will not have the same strength up top as last year, but Sydney and Abby Koehler are both two-time state qualifiers who will try and enable this team to get to states.”
Upper Merion
Head coach: Carson Bowes, 5th season
Last year’s record: 4-6PAC and overall Swimmer to watch: Maura Besz (200free, 100 breast)
Upper Perkiomen
Head coach: Brien Kalnoski, 11th season
Last year’s record: 1-9 PAC, 1-11 overall Swimmers to watch: Beatriz Santos, So. (100 back, 100 fly); Katie Kovalenko, So. (100 breast, 200IM); Ellie Smith, Fr. (sprint free, 100back). Outlook: Santos won the District 1-2A championship in the fly, finished second in the 100back and qualified for states in both events. … “It will be a smaller team this year, but with the returning starters looking to return to the District 1-2A championship swim meet,” said Kalnoski.