This week’s notebook highlights swimmers from Neshaminy and Norristown and recaps Souderton’s results at the Bucknell HS Invitational.
National Conference
Giannini leads Redskins team on the rise - Rob Giannini has seen a lot of changes in his four years at Neshaminy.
“When I was a freshman, the team was really small,” he said. “Now we have a ton of kids. We recruited a lot more people.”
The team currently has about 40 swimmers.
“It just keeps getting bigger and more powerful and everyone’s times are getting better,” Giannini said. “It’s been really nice to see the progression through the years and to see how much better and more confident our team is getting.
“The rest of this season I know we’re going to work and try to move up in the standings and this may be our year.”
He is a team captain along with fellow senior Steven Keashon.
“There is some pressure in being a captain, but it’s also an honor,” he said. “This is my last year so I feel more pressure going into my races. There’s a lot of weight on my shoulders to make the times I want to make.”
He has his eye on another trip to the District One Class AAA meet.
“I think I have a shot at moving up this year,” he said. “There’s nothing like experience and I have that.”
He was a district qualifier in the 100-yard backstroke as a freshman, in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke as a sophomore and in the 100 butterfly last year as a junior.
“I definitely see myself making it in the butterfly and possibly the backstroke,” he said. “It’s harder to make the cut now than it was when I was a freshman because they changed it, which I guess is a good thing because you really earn your spot.”
As for college plans, Giannini has applied at La Salle.
“It’s a possibility that I’d swim there but I’m not sure,” he said. “I want to become a registered nurse. That’s a demanding major and I want to do well so that’s my priority.”
Continental Conference
SOL excels at Bucknell HS Invitational - Souderton won the boys team title at the Bucknell High School Invitational, held Saturday, Dec. 21 at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
The Indians scored 96 points to capture first place and had a pair of double individual event winners in Triston Loux and Kevin Musterait.
Loux won the 200-yard individual medley in 1:58.70 and the 100 butterfly (51.54) while Musterait won the 50 freestyle (21.02) and 100 freestyle (46.79).
Ryan Witkowski was third in the 100 breaststroke (1:03.72) for the Indians.
Souderton also had top three finishes in all three relays.
Daniel Trout, Lucas Giannini, Triston Loux and Kevin Musterait were second in the 200 medley relay (1:39.22), Triston Loux, Cordell Armstrong, Brendan Loux and Kevin Musterait were second in the 400 freestyle relay (3:16.13) and Armstrong, Christian Musterait, Ryan Kierstan and Brendan Loux took third in the 200 freestyle relay (1:32.37).
For the girls, Brittany Weiss of Pennridge won the 200 freestyle (1:54.03) and 100 breaststroke (1:06.82).
Souderton’s Emily Hodges took second in the 100 breaststroke (1:07.03) and Rickilee Hodges was third (1:08.11).
Emily Hodges placed third in the 200 individual medley (2:14.60) and Rickilee Hodges was third in the 50 freestyle (24.86).
The Indians won a pair of relays.
Ariana Crossgrove, Emily Hodges, Gabriella Pagano and Rickilee Hodges won the 200 medley relay (1:51.65) and Crossgrove, Emily Hodges, Alison Kurlack and Rickilee Hodges won the 200 freestyle relay (1:42.36).
Souderton’s girls team took third in overall scoring (77) while Pennridge finished seventh (22). Haverford won the girls team title (104).
American Conference
Purcell leading Eagles - Morgan Purcell is giving back to her team.
The senior captain at Norristown recalls her own freshman season and older swimmers who guided her.
“They helped me out and looked out for me,” she said. “Now I’m a senior and it’s come full circle. I’m one of the ones helping out the new girls the way others once did for me.
“With a small team you spend a lot of time together so we’re trying to keep that circle going, of the newer ones getting help from the older ones, and then helping the people who come after them.”
The team is small in numbers but Purcell is optimistic.
“We have a couple of new swimmers who look good and we’re really excited,” she said. “I think we’re going to have a good year or at least see some good improvement.
“It’s hard having a small team, but there really are advantages. You become really tight knit. You really learn to help each other. The older swimmers kind of adopt the younger swimmers and guide them through the process, and we have a lot of fun doing that.”
Purcell has a number of co-curricular activities, and she is the senior class president and vice president of the National Honor Society
Her top college choice is Swarthmore where she plans a double major in biology and English with a minor in Spanish.
Her desire to give back has influenced her career choice.
“My ultimate goal is to become a reconstructive plastic surgeon and work in South America,” she said.
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