Swimmers from Pennsbury, CB West and Plymouth Whitemarsh are featured in this week’s notebook.
National Conference
Radzinski enjoying final run - Stephanie Radzinski joined the Pennsbury swim team as a junior.
But she certainly enjoyed the time she spent in the pool.
“I’m happy I swam for two years,” Radzinski said. “It was the best decision I ever made.”
She competed in her last SOL National Conference championship meet on Friday night, taking seventh in the both the 200 and 500-yard freestyles. She also was second as a member of the 400 freestyle relay along with Breanna Hughes, Erin Wiser and Ali Barahona and third as a member of the 200 freestyle relay with Hughes, Wiser and Bridget Perdoch.
The Falcons scored 388 team points to finish second to five time-defending conference champion Council Rock North (608).
“We’ve been training so hard so it’s good to have something come out of it,” Radzinski said. “We had a lot of good swims and girls dropped a lot of time, which is important because the district cuts are so much faster this year.”
She is under the consideration times in both the 200 and 500 freestyles.
“I’m pretty sure we also made it in the 200 and 400 free relays so I’m hoping to swim all four events at districts,” she said. “It was a lot easier last year. You made the time and you knew you were in.
“But this way does keep you motivated. Every single meet you want to get your best time and swim fast. It’s more stress on the swimmers, but I understand why they wanted to make the meet smaller.
“Last year the 500 free took about two hours to complete, and that’s a long time for everyone to just be sitting around. Now only the best of the best will make it so it will be a very competitive meet.”
Radzinski returned to swimming, the sport of her childhood, after a two-year stint running cross country and track.
“I just got sick of running and I really loved swimming so I came back to it,” she said.
She has not chosen a college yet but plans to major in political science as a precursor to law school.
“I’m not sure if I’ll be able to swim in college so I want to enjoy every moment while I can,” she said.
Continental Conference
Blaser has sights on districts - Hannah Blaser can’t wait for the District One Class AAA meet.
“I’m so excited,” said the Central Bucks West freshman. “I know that this year they made qualifying a lot harder, and I think there’s more of a sense of achievement if you get to the meet.
“I know I feel really great and I want to get to the meet and really improve my times. That’s my goal, to just improve. I want to drop a lot of time. If I do that I think I have a shot at making states, but if I swim some really good times, I’ll feel really happy and accomplished.”
Older sister Andi swam for the Bucks and is now swimming at Vermont.
“People make the connection that she’s my sister but she swims the fly and sprint freestyles and I swim the breaststroke and distance freestyle, so they don’t really compare us because our events are so different,” said Blaser, who also has a brother, Patrick, who is a junior on West’s boys team.
“Swimming runs in our family but I swim because I love it,” she said. “I would really like to swim at a Division I school too, and when the time comes, I think I’ll consider Vermont but right now that’s really far away.”
Although this will be her first district meet as a participant, she has been to the meet as a spectator.
“Last year I was watching and I was so excited to think that pretty soon, that was going to be me,” she said.
She currently attends Lenape Mille School.
“The girls on the team were really welcoming,” she said. “Being on the team really makes me feel as though I’m a part of something and next year, when I get to the high school, I’ll already know people so that’s a plus.”
American Conference
Sherkness aiming high - Evan Sherkness can thank his mother for his swimming career.
She is the one who gave the senior at Plymouth Whitemarsh the push he needed.
“When I was a sophomore, she told me I was a lazy bum and I had to do a sport,” he said. “I chose swimming.
“She was right. I needed to get out and do something, which I didn’t appreciate at the time.
“It was a great decision for me, and I wish I had done it sooner. I can’t change that, so I’m trying to make the most of the time I do have.”
Sherkness won the 50 and 100-yard freestyles at the SOL American Conference meet, and was on the second place 200 medley relay and third place 400 freestyle relay.
The Colonials finished second in team scoring to Upper Dublin.
“We weren’t really rested that much, so we weren’t going to swim much faster than we did at our dual meet with Upper Dublin,” he said. “But we were pretty much faster than I thought we’d be in the relays so that was exciting to see.”
He is looking forward to the District One Class AAA meet, slated for Feb. 28 and March 1 at La Salle.
“I’m so excited to taper,” he said. “I can’t wait. I’m hoping to get Alex Chialastri’s school record in the 100 freestyle.”
Last year he went to the PIAA championships as a member of the 200 medley relay.
“I’d love to get to states in an individual event this year,” he said.
He is hoping to get into Drexel.
“They haven’t given me an offer, so if they don’t give me anything, I’ll probably go to West Chester,” said Sherkness, who plans to major in business.
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