Swimmers from Neshaminy, Souderton and Springfield are highlighted in this week’s notebook.
National Conference
Hard work pays off for Keashon - It all paid off for Steven Keashon.
The Neshaminy senior ended the District One Class AAA meet with three school records and a ticket to the PIAA meet, slated for March 12-15 at Bucknell University.
Keashon is an automatic qualifier for the state meet by virtue of his fifth place finish in the 500-yard freestyle at districts. The berth fulfilled a longtime dream for him.
“I trained my butt off all season long and this is what I wanted to do,” he said.
The 500 was his last swim at districts and represented his final opportunity to advance to states. He finished in a school record time of 4:38.16 and in second place in Heat Five. There were seven heats, so he had to sit through 12 other people swimming and hope that no more than three beat his time.
Exactly three did so, giving him fifth place and the automatic spot.
“It was hard to watch and wait,” he said. “It was really nerve wracking, but when it got to the end and I knew I was going to make it, I was ecstatic.”
He is the first Neshaminy swimmer to go to states since Brian Taylor won the district in the 100 butterfly in 2005.
“I’m hoping to help bring up that Neshaminy name in swimming,” Keashon said. “I’ve worked so hard to get to states, so I’m going to go there and enjoy it and hopefully swim well.”
He began swimming in Neshaminy’s age group program, CORE, and was torn between swimming and basketball.
“One day I decided that I couldn’t hold a basketball and I couldn’t shoot a basketball so I went with swimming,” he said.
He also credited Neshaminy head coach Brian Suter with helping him make the choice.
“Suter convinced me that swimming was the sport for me and he was right,” Keashon said. “I’ve never regretted it.”
He will swim at West Chester next year.
Continental Conference
Loux excels at districts - Wednesday’s opening day of the PIAA Class AAA meet next week will be a busy one for Triston Loux.
The senior from Souderton will be swimming in two individual events and one relay.
He’ll start off the day swimming the 200-yard individual medley and then compete in the 100 butterfly. He’ll cap off the day by leading off the 200 freestyle relay.
On Thursday, he’ll come back to lead off the 400 freestyle relay.
Loux was an automatic qualifier in all four events by virtue of finishing in the top five in all of them at the District One meet.
He was third in the 200 individual medley with his time of 1:54.61 and fifth in the 100 butterfly (51.13).
The 200 freestyle relay of Loux, freshman Cristian Musterait, sophomores Brendon Loux and Kevin Musterait finished fourth (1:26.70).
The same foursome took fifth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:10.31).
“I’m definitely happy with how I did,” said Loux, who also plays water polo for the Indians. “I did what I had to do to get to states.
“I only rested for districts and when I get to states I’ll have a better taper so I’m excited to see how I swim and what my times will be. I’m hoping to go faster there than I did at districts.”
He is particularly pleased with the relays.
“We got the ‘brothers’ relays to states and I’m very happy about that,” he said.
The individual medley is a relatively new event for him.
“I’ve always done the fly in the past and not the IM because those two events are so close together but this year I’m trying it, and we’ll see what happens,” he said.
He will major in computer science next year at Bucknell, the host of the state meet.
“It’s nice to go up there knowing it’s going to be my school for the next four years,” he said.
American Conference
Giampietro golden at districts - Danny Giampietro left the District One Class AA meet with no doubt as to where he would be on March 14-15.
The junior at Springfield won two individual events and was on two winning relays for the Spartans.
In District One Class AA, only the winner advances automatically, so Giampietro left the meet knowing he was in.
He won the 200-yard freestyle with his time of 1:46.12 and the 500 freestyle in 4:49.42.
The 200 freestyle relay of junior Ben Wiley, junior Tyler Chamberlin, senior Tim Resch and Giampietro clocked in at 1:30.47 and the 400 freestyle relay of Resch, Wiley, sophomore Jake Corcoran and Giampietro finished first in 3:21.38.
Springfield’s 200 medley relay of Corcoran, Chamberlin, Wiley and Resch also finished first (1:43.17).
But all those first place finishes weren’t enough to win the team title, as the Spartans scored 284 team points to finish second to Upper Moreland’s 301.
“As a team collectively, we did well,” Giampietro said. “We won all three relays and that’s a big accomplishment. My teammates and I all dropped a lot of time.
“But you’ve got to give it to Upper Moreland for winning the meet.”
Giampietro and his teammates now turn their attention to the state competition.
“It’s harder in Class AA because only the winner gets out automatically, so there is a lot of pressure for each race,” he said. “You want to win it so you get that automatic spot.”
Giampietro began swimming at the rather advanced age of 10.
“I was really big when I was younger and my mom wanted me to get into a sport so I could get into shape,” he said. “That worked out pretty well for me.
“I love swimming and I’m really glad I started doing it. I can’t wait to get to states and see what happens there.”
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