This week’s notebook features swimmers from CR North, CB East and Wissahickon.
National Conference
Indians aim for five-peat -The Council Rock North girls team is going for its fifth consecutive conference title at Friday’s championship meet, which they are hosting.
The Indians are in good shape to do so, heading into the meet with a 6-0 dual meet record.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” said junior Tommie Dillione. “All the girls are really excited. We’ve been doing well at that meet every year and we’d like to continue the trend.”
CR North was also 13-0 overall.
“This was the first year we’ve been undefeated since I’ve been on the team and we’re really happy to have done that,” Dillione said.
The Indians ended the dual meet season with a 115-66 win over district and league rival Council Rock South.
“That’s a good meet for us to have at the end of the season because it’s like a warm-up for champs,” Dillione said. “It’s so much fun and it brings out the best in all the swimmers from both teams, not just North.
“Everyone’s really into it and the stands are packed so it’s like a championship atmosphere.”
Dillione won the 50-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly at last year’s conference meet.
The meet is a final tune up before the District One Class AAA meet.
“I think districts is going to be really interesting this year,” Dillione said. “I’m not sure what I’m swimming yet but I hope to figure it out soon.”
Upper Dublin is the defending team champion, but the Cardinals lost a lot to graduation.
“It’s going to be a good race for the team title,” Dillione said. “There are a lot of good teams in our district. We all have to swim well, but I think top three is within our reach.”
The conference championships begin with diving on Wednesday at William Tennent at 5:30 p.m. The girls swim meet will be Friday and the boys on Saturday at CR North.
Continental Conference
More than swimming for Huuki - Louise Huuki misses every Monday afternoon practice.
But the Central Bucks East junior has a pretty solid excuse.
Monday is the day she is volunteering at Doylestown Hospital.
“I’m in patient transport and I love it,” she said. “There was a waiting list to become a volunteer, and I waited a really long time but I finally got in.”
Huuki is considering majoring in pre-med, and friends told her the hospital would be a good experience.
“They were right,” she said. “I’m learning a lot.”
But she still gets her afternoon swim practice in.
When she is finished she heads to the Doylestown YMCA to do a workout written by coach Tom Kane.
“She’s so dedicated,” Kane said.
Last year she was third in the 500-yard freestyle at the Continental Conference championships. She qualified for the District One Class AAA meet in both the 200 and 500 freestyles and hopes to do so again this year.
“I’m really close to the automatic times in both of those events,” she said. “I’m hoping to make the automatics at champs. The advantage of that is that I’ll know for sure that I’m going to districts.
“I’m really excited about going to districts and dropping a lot of time. I’d love to go to states, but if I get my best times at districts, I’ll be happy with that.
“They made it harder to get into districts this year and I don’t know how that’s going to play out. We’ll have to see. Last year so many people made it and the 500 took a really long time to get through, but at the same time it was a fun meet because so many people were there.”
She also runs track and cross country for CB East.
“I really enjoy running and swimming,” said Huuki, who is a member of the National Honor Society.
She is the daughter of 1980 CB West alumna Ann Reber, who was also a swimmer.
“She encouraged me to swim,” Huuki said.
American Conference
Knoll ready to make his mark - Last year was just a rehearsal for Wissahickon’s Danny Knoll.
This year the sophomore is ready to take his show on the road.
He has already made the automatic qualifying times for the District One Class AAA meet in the 200 and 500-yard freestyles.
At this weekend’s conference championships, he is going for the cut in the 100 freestyle.
“If I make it in the 100, I would definitely consider swimming it and dropping the 500,” he said.
“The 100 and 500 are on the same day, so it would be tough to swim both of them and also the 500 is kind of long and boring, in my opinion, while the 200 is more of a challenge.”
He made it to the district meet last year as well.
“I was so psyched to make it as a freshman,” he said. “That was a big goal I had set for myself and I accomplished it.
“Going there last year was a great experience for me because this year I know what to expect and what I need to do to get the best times I can. This year my goal is to get to states and I think I have a shot at that.”
Not bad for a guy who only started swimming in eighth grade.
“I started swimming in the summer only because some friends were doing it and I wanted to spend more time with them,” he said. “Going into my freshman year I broke a minute in the 100 free and realized I could do this.
“I joined the high school water polo team and from there I joined the swim team.
“Our coach (John High) says that swimming is more like a culture and I know what he means. Our team is so close. We’re all best friends. Joining the swim team was a great decision for me because without it I would have missed out on all that.”
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