This week’s notebook highlights swimmers from Council Rock South, Central Bucks East and Springfield.
National Conference
Season of promise for Golden Hawks - This season is full of promise for the Council Rock South girls, but it’s also been a season of change.
“I think we’re going to have a really good season,” senior captain Meghan Magee said. “We have a new coaching system in place.
“The boys and girls are practicing together now and that’s a big change for us, but it’s a change for the better. The girls are getting so much better and the boys are, too.”
Former assistant Liz Meier took over the helm this year for Ken Brask, making her the third coach the program has had in four years.
“We have had a lot of coaching changes, but this was a smooth transition because she was the assistant last year so we already knew her,” Magee said. “We’re doing a lot more yardage in practice and it’s more intense, but all the girls are improving so that’s paying off for us.
“I think we’ll be able to compete on a higher level than we have in the past and that’s something I’m really excited about.”
One meet that the Golden Hawks are always up for is league and district rival Council Rock North.
“That’s one we always look forward to,” Magee said. “It’s always the last meet of the season and everyone has so much fun. They’ll probably beat us but we don’t care because we’re all friends.”
In addition to swimming, Magee is on the cross country and track teams at CR South. She will attend Bloomsburg and major in pre-physical therapy next year.
“It was a lot of stress trying to get all that settled but Bloomsburg was my top choice so I’m very happy,” she said. “I’m not sure if I’m going to swim because I have a back injury and I have to take care of that but we’ll see.”
Continental Conference
O’Brien looking to finish strong - Central Bucks East senior Ellie O’Brien is optimistic about this season.
“I’m really excited about this year,” she said. “I’m ahead of where I was at this time last year, and I’m really eager to see what I can do at districts.”
O’Brien typically swims the 200-yard individual medley and 100 breaststroke.
“That’s probably what I’ll do at districts this year,” she said. “I’m going with what works for me.”
Last year she finished fourth in the breaststroke and 12th in the IM at the District One Class AAA meet.
“I want to do better than what I did last year,” she said. “I don’t know if I necessarily want to better my place. I’m more interested in bettering my time.”
She competed at last year’s PIAA Class AAA championships, finishing 22nd in the breaststroke.
“I really want to get back to states this year,” she said. “I didn’t do as well as I hoped there last year and I want to end my high school swimming career well.”
The SOL Continental Conference is a tough one, featuring top teams such as Souderton, Hatboro-Horsham and North Penn.
“I like this conference because we can get excited about a lot of meets,” O’Brien said. “I think our team has improved a lot. Our freshman class is pretty strong so we’re looking to build on that depth.”
She has applied to nine colleges but is not sure yet where she is going to go.
“I’ve been a real procrastinator about that, so I haven’t narrowed it down,” she said. “This year I’m focusing on swimming and school. I know I definitely want to swim in college; I just haven’t figured out where that will be yet.”
American Conference
Munger and Spartans happy to be back - Springfield (M) has returned to the SOL American Conference and the Spartans couldn’t be happier.
“We’re really looking forward to the league championship meet,” junior Rachel Munger said. “This conference is a much better fit for us than being in the BAL (Bicentennial Athletic League). “
Springfield left the SOL two years ago, so this is Munger’s first year in the league.
“We’re one of the only Class AA teams in the whole SOL (Upper Moreland is the other) so the competition is really good and that’s what pushes you to do your best,” she said.
The Spartans were the runner-up to Villa Maria at last year’s District One meet, posting 270 points to 525.5 for the Hurricanes.
“Villa is really tough competition but I feel awesome about us,” said Munger, who is also a member of Springfield’s water polo team.
“I don’t know if we can beat them but I think it will be closer this year. I did my research on them, and they have almost all of their scorers from last year coming back but so do we and we have a lot of new people.”
Munger was on the podium four times at the district meet last year, taking third in both the 200-yard individual medley and 100 breaststroke and as a member of the second place 400 freestyle relay, anchoring for Michaela Fallon, Jules Marble and Jill Carney and on the third place 200 medley relay along with Marble, Devyn Ford and Fallon.
She went to the PIAA championships in all four events, making consols in the breaststroke (13th) and 200 medley relay (16th).
“I’d like to make states in the IM and breast again and get back on the relays,” said Munger, who also went to states in the breaststroke as a freshman.
“That’s such a great experience and it’s such a fun meet.”
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