This week’s notebook highlights swimmers from CR North, North Penn and Wissahickon.
National Conference
Lynch has eye on postseason - If there is one big dual meet of the season, it’s the one between Council Rock North and Pennsbury.
It’s not the one you want to miss, but that’s exactly what happened to CR North junior Joe Lynch.
Lynch was diagnosed with swimmer’s ear a day before Tuesday’s matchup.
“It’s the biggest meet of the season, so it’s a disappointment that I had to miss it,” said Lynch, who was in the stands at Pennsbury to cheer his teammates to a 104-80 victory, their third in a row over their biggest rival.
“But it could have been worse. At least it wasn’t a serious injury, and I didn’t have to miss a lot of time.”
Last year Lynch lost time when he was hampered by a knee injury, but the injury had a silver lining.
“I had a lifting limitation on my legs but that actually helped morph me into a butterflier,” he said. “It turned into one of my main strokes. Now I’m one of the best on the team in that.”
He did not get to swim against Pennsbury in the dual meet, but will see them at the conference championships.
“I’ll get my chance to swim them,” he said. “I’m looking forward to it.”
He is eying several events at the District One Class AAA meet.
“I’m looking at the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke, the medley relay and maybe the 400 free relay,” he said. “That’s one of the benefits of improving on the butterfly. It’s so nice to have another event that I can swim.
“Next year I’ll be a senior and I can’t believe it’s all going so fast. I want to take as much out of this as I can and really focus on next year. Hopefully I’ll be healthy all season.”
Continental Conference
Maidens shine at Wilson Relays – The North Penn girls team made a good showing at the annual Wilson Relays, held Saturday, Jan. 12 at Wilson West Lawn.
It is a highly competitive mid-season meet and a good barometer for the teams as they head into the second half of the year. Some of the top teams in the state participate in the event.
The Maidens finished third in team scoring with 246 points behind winner Hershey (276) and runner-up and host Wilson (266).
Junior Eve Kosten, sophomore Olivia DiStefano, junior Tara Rogers and sophomore Emily Kosten teamed up to win the 200-yard freestyle relay in a meet-record time of 1:37.52. The previous meet record was 1:38.24 done twice by Wilson, in 2011 and again in 2012.
The time also broke the pool record of 1:37.92, set by Wilson in 2012.
The same quartet teamed up to win the 400 freestyle relay in 3:37.36.
North Penn girls also won the Grade 9-10 200 medley relay. DiStefano, freshman Erin O’Neill, Emily Kosten and freshman Leah Brown clocked in at 1:52.08.
The Maidens also took second in a pair of relays.
The foursome of DiStefano, Rogers, senior captain Becca Hoch and Emily Kosten took second in the 200 backstroke relay (1:51.84) and junior Julie Krout, O’Neill, freshman Shannon Quinn and Eve Kosten placed second in the 200 breaststroke relay (2:15.21).
The North Penn boys finished in a tie for fourth in team scoring with Emmaus, both posting 204 points. Hershey won the team title with 284 points, followed by La Salle (252) and Upper Dublin (224).
American Conference
Berardelli coming back strong - Megan Berardelli is back on track and diving well.
And the Wissahickon junior couldn’t be happier about that.
“It’s been awesome,” she said.
She was temporarily sidelined for part of her sophomore year due to a back injury, but that’s all behind her now.
“This year I’m so excited,” she said. “Last year taught me to make the most of my opportunities and that’s what I want to do.
“The season is going so well and I’m just focusing on working hard and on academics.”
Wissahickon does not have diving boards so Berardelli and her fellow divers, freshman Brad Greer and sophomore Jeff Karo, can only compete on the road.
“It doesn’t work out too badly for us,” she said. “I’m really enjoying having Brad and Jeff on the team this year. It’s been a lot of fun. Last year just wasn’t the same.”
She finished 13th at the District One Class AAA meet as a freshman.
“I don’t have any big expectations for myself,” she said. “I’m just going to do my best and see where that takes me.”
The daughter of former North Penn head coach Bill Berardelli, she took the plunge in a swimming event recently against Central Bucks West.
“I swam in the 200 free relay,” she said. “It was a lot of fun. I only swam exhibition but it went really well. My dad was really funny about it. He was like, “You’re swimming” and then he was talking to me about my flip turn.
“It was a good experience for me, but I think I’ll stick with diving.”
In addition to diving, she is a member of the National Honor Society and Students Against Destructive Decisions.
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