Swimmers/divers from CR North, North Penn and Upper Moreland are featured in this week’s notebook.
National Conference
Swimming all in the family for Mitchell - Swimming is the family sport at the Mitchell house.
And they wouldn’t have it any other way.
“All of the kids in our family swim,” said Council Rock North sophomore Lauren Mitchell.
Older sister Abby swam for the Indians, as did older brother Connor. Brother Ryan is a junior on the CR North boys team and younger sister Leah, in eighth grade, plans to join the program next year.
“It really is a family affair for us,” she said. “We talk about swimming all the time.”
The Mitchells all began swimming at age three.
“Our mother thought we should all know how to swim for safety,” she said. “But then Ryan started to swim competitively and the rest of us saw how much fun he was having and we all joined up.”
Last year as a freshman she earned a sixth place medal at the PIAA Class AAA championships as a member of the 200 freestyle relay.
The Indians had high hopes of a second state medal in the 400 freestyle relay that were dashed after they were disqualified at the District One meet.
“We still think about that, but we’ve put it behind us, other than the fact that we learned from it,” she said. “We’re very careful with our starts now.”
She added to her medal collection with an eighth place medal in the 200 freestyle relay on Friday in the opening day of this year’s PIAA meet.
“It was very nice to come back here and medal again,” she said. “We didn’t expect that and we feel very fortunate. We weren’t sure that we were going to get into the finals but it was so exciting when we did.”
Continental Conference
Tanis enjoys the trip - For Madison Tanis, it was a first experience.
The North Penn sophomore ended the year with her first-ever trip to the PIAA Class AAA diving competition at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
She ended the meet in 29th place, scoring 136.40 points.
“It was fun and there was a lot of pressure but not as much as there was at districts,” she said. “But I feel that I accomplished a lot to get to states.”
Tanis earned the state berth by virtue of her ninth place finish at the District One meet, where she scored 381.80 points.
“Everyone at states is so good, and it was a good experience for me to be here and see the other divers,” she said. “I expect a lot of myself, and I just wish that I had done a little better, but it wasn’t to be this year.
“I’m excited for next year, though. I can’t wait to see what I can do and hopefully I’ll do better.”
She was the SOL Continental Conference runner-up, scoring 379.30 points.
In addition to diving, she catches for the North Penn softball team.
“They’re in different seasons so I can do both,” she said. “It’s hard to say which one I like better. I like the one I’m doing at that time.”
American Conference
Unexpected state trip for Chambers - Shannon Chambers is one lucky girl.
The Upper Moreland sophomore finished fourth at the District One Class AA diving competition with a score of 284.20 points. Only the top two divers advance to the PIAA meet, but Chambers found herself at the meet, anyway.
“A couple of spots opened up and I was offered a place so I took it,” she said. “It was pretty exciting and it was definitely a good experience for me.”
This year the field of divers was expanded from 24 to 32.Chambers survived the first cut, finishing in 18th place with a score of 212.05 over eight dives.
“I was just hoping not to get cut the first time around,” she said. “I didn’t expect to go as far as I did, so I’m really happy.”
In addition to diving, she plays soccer for the Upper Moreland Township program.
“I’ve been diving for about six years and I would say it’s probably my main sport,” she said.
Like many divers, Chambers started out as a gymnast.
“I spent about a year doing both but it got too hard and I had to choose so I chose diving,” she said.
She enjoyed her unexpected state experience.
“It was fun to be here,” she said. “Everyone is really good, and it’s such a big meet, the biggest one I’ve ever been to.
“My goal for next year is to come back here again and maybe do a little better.”
She was also sixth at the SOL American Conference meet, scoring 818.75 points.
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