Evert thrives in leadership role for Liberty High team
He owns fastest times among District 11 boys in 50, 100 freestyle.
Jake Evert, a leg on all three of Liberty’s District 11 championship relay teams last season, was sad to see each of his three tag-team partners leave. Chris Chambers, Robert Negron and Jase Smith graduated from Liberty High School and are now in college.
That left Evert all alone. “I miss those guys,” Evert said, “and it’s definitely a lot different. But I’m trying to make the most of the new challenges this year.”
Evert, actually, is thriving. He has posted the fastest times among District 11 boys in both the 50 and 100 freestyle. His 21.00-second 50 in an Eastern Pennsylvania Conference competition vs. Parkland is secondbest time in the state, according to PA Swimming.com, and his 46.47 in the 100 is seventh overall.
He secured a district title in the Class 3A 100 last year, then picked up three state medals in the relays (and was ninth overall at states in the 100). This season, Evert is aiming for even more.
“Ideally, I’d like to win states,” he said. “I’m going to try my best. I’d like to clock in the 44s in the 100 free and 20-point in the 50 free. But I’m not sure what my districts events are yet; I’ve got to talk that over with my coach.”
Liberty coach Reik Foust credited Evert, who took an official visit to the U.S. Naval Academy on Friday, for his maturation as a student and swimmer through the years.
“Jake has shown himself as a leader and a worker,” Foust said.
The new leadership role, Evert said, is one that he’s enjoying. In past seasons, it was Chambers and Negron and Smith who were team leaders. Now, Evert’s assumed that responsibility.
“I like the team this year,” he said. “We’ve gotten close. I was always the one being mentored in the past and now I’m mentoring these younger kids. It’s cool but you’ve got to make sure you’re doing the right things. I try to be the first one in the pool and the last one out, set a good example.
“Swimming is an individual sport but at Liberty, it’s a team sport too.”
Red Rovers rollin’
Easton has taken full advantage of its favorable early schedule to post perfect 5-0 EPC records, both the boys and girls teams. Coach Matthew Ellis’ Red Rovers boys rolled over East Stroudsburg North on Thursday, 67-34, to remain unbeaten, while the girls bested the Timberwolves, 83-13, to register their fifth victory.
Ellis is pleased with the progress of both teams.
“Yes, we are off to a very good start to the season,” he said. “My expectations are to continue to grow and improve, both as individuals and as a team. We have a large team this year with about 50 kids on the roster. In our first four meets all of those athletes have been able to get into meets and score points.”
Junior Ainsley Williams, who took third in the butterfly at last year’s District 11 Class 3A championships, is the most accomplished swimmer on the girls’ squad. Senior Ashley Lucas, junior Adeline Heard and sophomores Mallika Pal and Bella Rosa are other key contributors.
Junior Joseph Frasca and sophomores Francesco Curto and Caelib Troxell headline the boys’ team.
Easton’s competition stiffens in upcoming weeks, with EPC showdowns against Liberty and Nazareth set for Jan. 22 and Jan. 24, respectively.
“Those two meets should be a great test of where we are as a whole,” Ellis said. “We just hope to continue to get faster and improve in all of our times in our events.”
The 300 Club
Whitehall coach Pete Rile picked up win No. 300 in his 30-year career earlier this season.
Rile is in his 30th season as the Zephyrs’ girls coach and in his 14th season as the boys coach. He owns a 303-187 record coaching the girls and a 78-142 mark coaching the boys. (The boys’ program was restarted in 2005 after a 26-year break.)
The Whitehall girls are 5-3 overall this season while the boys are at 3-5.
Rile thanked his swimmers, past and present, for helping him reach the personal milestone, as well as his assistant coaches Dave Seeloff and Mark Freeman, and the Whitehall administration, including athletic director Bob Hartman.
“I guess I wasn’t thinking about it,” Rile said, “I generally don’t follow overall wins and losses, though I’ve always disliked the losses. And I don’t know what milestone is good in this area since swimming isn’t generally a high-profile sport. I am kind of proud of being able to coach at one school for an extended time.”
Rile’s girls squad is fronted by seniors Rachael Alulis, Martha Giletto, Kallie Lyle and Trish Bartosh. His boys team, with a roster of only 10, is led by senior Dan Jablonski.
Short strokes
Emmaus senior Chelsea Gravereaux, a Drexel recruit, is enjoying an outstanding start to her senior season. She has the fastest times among EPC girls in
four events — the 100 free (52.59); 200 free (1:54.87); 100 butterfly (56.48); and 200 IM (2:08.43). Her time in the 100 butterfly is the third-fastest time in the state, according to PA Swimming.com. “Chelsea is doing very well and right on target for where she wants to be,” Emmaus coach Tim O’Connor said.
The first of two EPC diving competitions (11-dive meet) is Saturday at Nazareth Area Middle School. The defending District 11 Class 3A champions, Brendan McCourt of Emmaus and Lexi Lehman of Parkland, enter as the favorites. The second conference diving competition is set for Feb. 9 at Parkland.
Southern Lehigh’s boys and girls are off to 3-0 starts. Coach Nick Pirrocco’s Spartans have compiled 43 qualifying times for the District 11 championships in four meets (three duals, one invitational). They are competing at the All American Invitational in Wilkes-Barre this weekend.
Michael Blouse is a freelance writer.