Gravereaux continues dominance for Emmaus

Chelsea Gravereaux is the ultimate team player in an individual sport.

The Emmaus senior calls relay races her favorite events, and when Gravereaux climbed out of the pool after winning a gold medal in the 100 butterfly on Friday night, she first wanted to talk about freshman teammate Mya Puentes' second-place performance.

Gravereaux added to her gold medal collection on Day 1 of the District 11 Swimming Championships, first as part of the Green Hornets' record-setting 200 medley relay team then in the 100 butterfly.

Coach Tim O'Connor's girls' squad walked out of the Parkland High School natatorium in first place in the Class 3A team standings with 292 points. Emmaus is aiming to end Parkland's decade-long reign as champion. The Trojans are second with 265 points.

The Green Hornet boys, led by 200 IM winner Michael Iacobelli, are comfortably ahead in the standings with 305 points. They are aiming for a 12th consecutive team title.

A Drexel University recruit, Gravereaux touched the wall in 56.54 seconds in the butterfly. She also swam that leg, the third, in the medley relay.

"All week Mya and I were talking about 1-2, 1-2," Gravereaux said. "That was really what we wanted and I think that was the best part of tonight. We got points for our team and we get to stand next to each other on the podium."

Emmaus' girls started off the night in style, setting a district record – one of four set on Day 1 – in the 200 medley relay. Katie Champagne, Lauren Sharp, Gravereaux and Abby Heilenman took turns in the pool and finished in 1:45.02.

"When we finished," Gravereaux said, "one of them turned to me and said, 'We got the record.' I was like, 'What?' I didn't even think of that. We all came together and we left it all out there." The Green Hornet girls also won the 200 freestyle relay.

Upset special

Southern Lehigh's Janik Wing pulled off, perhaps, the biggest surprise when he won the 200 freestyle as the No. 5 seed. Wing clocked a personal-best 1:43.59 to top second-place Nick Soares of Emmaus. No. 1 seed Gavin Webb of Parkland finished fourth.

Ironically, Wing was a top seed in two events last season but walked out of the Emmaus High School natatorium without a gold medal.

"Absolutely, I was frustrated last year," said Wing, a Lehigh University recruit. "Ever since my freshmen year it's been a wall for me, really, to win a district title. I've always been kind of close but could never knock down the wall until now. This feels really good."

Wing won the title in an event he was not a No. 1 seed in last season. (He was the top seed in the 200 IM and 100 butterfly.) Wing, who also placed second in the butterfly on Friday night, called the 200 free one of his favorite events.

"I really liked coming in as an underdog this year," he said. "I wanted to win for the team and bring home a gold medal for Southern Lehigh."

Sprinter's speed

Liberty senior Jake Evert was inspired a year ago by his friend and former teammate.

Rob Negron, a 2018 Liberty graduate who now swims at the University of Pittsburgh, established the Class 3A record in the 50 freestyle three years ago at 20.53 seconds. Negron, according to Evert, joked that he'd hold the mark – district, pool and school records – through this season and for many more years.

That record is now Evert's, who won in an impressive 20.32 seconds.

"Rob told me I'd never break any of his records so this one is special," the Hurricanes standout said, smiling. "I was shooting for 19 seconds. I set high goals and see what happens.

"You can't really think much in a 50, it's all about preparation and my coaches trained and tappered me great. I was going to breathe then I decided I didn't feel like breathing so I didn't breathe. It all worked out.

"I feel great. I'm ready for tomorrow."

Evert is the top seed and defending champ im the 100 free.

Calling all champions

Nazareth's boys team set two meet records on Day 1. The Blue Eagles' 200 medley relay team of seniors Logan Holt and Blake Nesbitt, and juniors Brendan Alvino and Laslo set a district mark in 1:33.62. Laslo established a record in the 100 butterfly in 50.66 seconds.

The Nazareth quartet of Holt, Nesbitt, Alvino and Laslo also won the 200 freestyle relay title in 1:26.76.

Junior Raquelle Roesch represented Nazareth's girls' team with a title in the 50 freestyle, prevailing in 24.13 seconds.

Parkland's senior-freshman tag team of Alison Lin and Kayla Johnson secured gold medals in the 200 freestyle (2:10.15) and 200 IM (1:55.35), respectively.

Short strokes

District 11 champions qualify for the PIAA Swimming and Diving Championships set for March 13-16 at Bucknell University. Others will also qualify, pending results from other districts around the state. .. Saturday's Class 3A action starts at 2:30 p.m.