PIAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Kinney Natatorium, Bucknell University
Hatboro-Horsham’s Michael Thomas had the night of his life.
Thomas posted a national record time of 46.65 to capture the gold medal in the 100-yard backstroke at Thursday’s conclusion of the PIAA Class AAA swimming and diving championships, held at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
The time is a USA Swimming national age group record for age 15-16, lowering the previous standard of 46.72 by Ryan Murphy of Florida in 2011.
“It’s everything I wanted,” said Thomas, who is 16. “I’ve had 46.71 in my head for about a year. In the beginning of the season, that was one of my goal times, and I was so doubtful that I could do that.”
He did that and better, posting a time .07 faster than his goal.
Kevin Musterait of Souderton also won a state title, taking first in the 100 freestyle with his time of 43.94.
“It feels awesome,” he said. “I’ve been training for this my entire life. I felt confident about what I had to do and I just went in and got it done.”
Musterait also swam on the 200 and 400 freestyle relays with his brother Brendon as well as brothers Triston and Cristian Loux.
The Indians also have a sister act in Rickilee and Emily Hodges.
“It was really fun get to swim with my brother,” Kevin Musterait said. “It was nice to have the chance to swim with him and with him and I got to swim with my best friend and his brother. It’s been really great because we swam club together for years and years and years.”
Pennsbury had a sibling act of its own as sisters Alex and Nicole Costello both competed in diving.
Alex, a senior, finished 26th with a score of 159.15 in her only state appearance while Nicole, a freshman, found the podium with her eighth place finish (411.10).
“My goal was to make states and I’m happy that I made it,” Alex said. “I didn’t dive that great, but I’m happy for my sister. She dove so well, and it was really fun to be here with her. I enjoyed every moment of it.
“It was a nice way to end my high school career and I was so glad to have this year with my sister where we both made it to states. I was looking forward to this year ever since I can remember.”
North Penn’s Madison Tanis failed to make the first cut at last year’s state diving competition.
This year she earned a sixth place medal with her score of 420.00.
“As the meet went on, I definitely started to feel better about everything,” she said. “The last few dives in the first round were good for me. but the last few weren’t as good.
“I did really well on my back and a half and in warm up it wasn’t up to par so I’m happy with it.
“I felt pressure but it was me putting it on myself to do better.”
Emma O’Neill of Abington made a splash in her first state appearance, taking 14th in the 500 freestyle (5:03.82).
“It was way different than I thought it would be,” she said. “There was a lot of nervous energy. but all of these positive people and their kindness is awesome. I came back for the night swim and I’m thrilled with that.”
She just missed the school record in that event.
“At first I was disappointed but my coach (Joe Lennon) said it was something to keep me hungry," she said. "At first I didn’t want to wait a whole season but it’s something to work for. This was a great experience to get here and see what it’s all about and to see all my friends from other teams do well.”
Brittany Weiss of Pennridge had quite a meet.
The lone Ram at the meet took seventh in the 100 butterfly (57.06) on Wednesday and eighth in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.24) on Thursday, earning a pair of medals as a sophomore.
Last year she made it to the consolation heat of the 100 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
“It was my goal to get to the ‘A’ final in both events,” she said. “Being here last year really helped me prepare for this year.
“Hopefully I'll keep moving forward over the next two years. I’m happy with my times. Obviously I would have liked to have gotten my best times, but a lot of people don’t do that here and it’s hard to swim twice in one day.”
To date she has competed in five events over two years at the state championships which coach Ryan Griffiths believes is an all-time record at Pennridge.
Weiss owns eight school records and one pool record for Pennridge.
GIRLS CLASS AAA
100 Freestyle:1, Madelyn Veith, Hershey, 50.45; 2, Siena Salvaggio, Parkland, 50.46; 3, Katie Ford, Mount Lebanon, 50.71; 4, Niki Price, Northeastern, 50.79; 5, Kaley Buchanan, Hershey, 51.13; 6, Quinn MacMillan, Central Bucks West, 51.15; 7, Monica Sowinski, Greater Latrobe, 51.38; 8, Morgan Soulia, North Allegheny, 51.68.
Consolation final: 9, Lauren McGrath, North Allegheny, 51.41; 10, Maddy Blair, Nazareth, 51.54; 11, Jenna Johns, Upper Dublin, 51.93; 12, Helen Hsu, Freedom (11), 51.97; 13, Alyssa Bixler, Dallastown, 51.98; 14, Victoria Shaffer, Upper St. Clair, 52.40; 15, Ali Kozlina, Seneca Valley, 52.50; 16, Summer Martin, Strath Haven, 52.60.
500 Freestyle:1, Sabrina Mortell, Cumberland Valley, 4:52.55; 2, Kathryn Painter, Norwin, 4:54.15; 3, Tommie Dillione, Council Rock North, 4:55.51; 4, Saoirse Palu-Benson, Peters Twp., 5:00.01; 5, Sarah Mautino, Oakland Catholic, 5:00.83; 6, Tara Rogers, Lansdale North Penn, 5:00.89; 7, Amber Cortazzo, West Lawn Wilson, 5:01.39; 8, Hannah Schlegel, Twin Valley, 5:01.96.
Consolation final: 9, Erin Jordan, Parkland, 4:58.34; 10, Frances Resweber, Strath Haven, 4:58.37; 11, Shannon Howell, Freedom (11), 5:00.14; 12, Allyson McHugh, Little Flower, 5:01.13; 13, Laura Barthold, Unionville, 5:01.17; 14, Emma O’Neill, Abington, 5:03.82; 15, Morgan Curl, Oxford, 5:05.38; 16, Gianna Caputo, North Allegheny, 5:08.47.
100 Backstroke:1, Meaghan Raab, Hershey, 53.08 (PIAA record. Old: 53.70, Christina Leander, West Chester East, 2013); 2, Jacquelyn Du, North Allegheny, 53.91; 3, Kacey Oberlander, Dallastown, 55.75; 4, Alexandra Rockett, West Lawn Wilson, 56.20; 5, Maddie Hart, Haverford Twp., 56.37; 6, Kaya Churman, North Allegheny, 56.57; 7, Olivia DiStefano, Lansdale North Penn, 56.74; 8, Samantha Marino, Cocalico, 57.23.
Consolation final: 9, Meghan Schilken, Mount Lebanon, 56.46; 10, Kailyn Evans, Lansdale North Penn, 57.18; 11, Helen Hsu, Freedom (11), 57.25; 12, Carly Delfranco, Freedom (11), 57.58; 13, Tatyana Smolyansky, Radnor, 57.64; 14, Erika Freeman, Parkland, 57.84; 15, Amanda Zlotnikoff, Wissahickon, 57.90; 16, Clare Flanagan, Hampton, 58.84.
100 Breaststroke:1, Vivi Tafuto, Hershey, 1:01.81; 2, Katie Fernander, Hampton, 1:02.88; 3, Kayla Owens, Greater Latrobe, 1:03.72; 4, Amanda Kedzierski, Greensburg Hempfield Area, 1:03.97; 5, Peyton Kondis, Oakland Catholic, 1:04.44; 6, Erin Kuhn, North Allegheny, 1:04.53; 7, Emily Harris, Downingtown West, 1:05.11; 8, Brittany Weiss, Pennridge, 1:05.24.
Consolation final: 9, Hannah Wittman, Central Bucks East, 1:05.01; 10, Emily Sykes, Methacton, 1:05.13; 11, Maria Rocchi, Archbishop Ryan, 1:05.29; 12, Maddie Yoos, Upper St. Clair, 1:05.29; 13, Maddy Popalis, Landisville Hempfield, 1:05.93; 14, Gab Rudy, Ridley, 1:06.18; 15, Emma Kiesling, Taylorrdice, 1:06.45; 16, Hannah Blaser, Central Bucks West, 1:06.88.
400 Freestyle Relay:1, Hershey (Kaley Buchanan, Vivi Tafuto, Madelyn Veith, Meaghan Raab) 3:21.34 (PIAA record. Old: 3:22.85, Hershey, 2011); 2, North Allegheny 3:27.57; 3, Lansdale North Penn 3:29.75; 4, Greater Latrobe, 3:29.84; 5, Mount Lebanon 3:30.58; 6, B. Reed Henderson 3:30.28; 7, Parkland 3:32.51; 8, Upper Dublin 3:32.54.
Consolation final: 9, Conestoga 3:30.87; 10, Council Rock North 3:33.55; 11, Upper St. Clair 3:33.84; 12, Wes Lawn Wilson 3:34.09; 13, Central Bucks East 3;34.14; 14, Dallastown 3:34.76; 15, Oakland Catholic 3:36.66; 16, Strath Haven 3:37.69.
1-meter diving:1, Maria Lohman, Chartiers Valley, 529.80 (PIAA record. Old: 517.20, Jennifer O’Brien, Penn Hills, 1999); 2, Corey Johnson, Upper Dublin, 485.85; 3, Marie Yacopino, Lansdale North Penn, 478.40; 4, Rachel McCormick, Central Dauphin, 438.40; 5, Carlie Perkins, Avon Grove, 423.55; 6, Madison Tanis, Lansdale North Penn, 420.00; 7, Carolyn Howard, Lower Merion, 416.15; 8, Nicole Costello, Pennsbury, 411.10.
9, Brianna Digilio, Landisville Hempfield, 396.60; 10, Julia Vespoli, North Allegheny, 386.20; 11, Nadia Mulder, Hershey, 382.15; 12, Samantha Lavrich, Methacton, 381.40; 13, Miranda Simon, Fox Chapel, 380.15; 14, Paige Schoelkopf, Landisville Hempfield, 375.85; 15, Kelly Magri, Central Bucks West, 361.40; 16, Kelsey Jehl, Easton, 355.40
Team scores (top ten):
1, Hershey 279
2, North Allegheny 235
3, Lansdale North Penn 189
4, Greater Latrobe 115
5, Mount Lebanon 100
6, Parkland 94
7, West Lawn Wilson 81
8, Upper Dublin 75
9, Dallastown 64
10, Upper St. Clair 61.
BOYS CLASS AAA
100 Freestyle:1, Kevin Musterait, Souderton, 43.94; 2, Michael Jensen, Upper Dublin, 44.39; 3, Greg Brocato, La Salle College HS, 44.67; 4, Brandon McCredie, Council Rock North, 44.88; 5, Ryan Owens, Daniel Boone, 45.28; 6, Alex Hardwick, Upper St. Clair, 45.40; 7, Brian Lovasik, North Hills, 45.57; 8, Sterg Dikos, Governor Mifflin, 45.63.
Consolation final: 9, Zach Kantz, Bangor, 45.66; 10, Ed Zawatski, Wyoming Valley West, 46.00; 11, Jack Brenneman, Cumberland Valley, 46.20; 12, Jake Sannem, La Salle College High School, 46.39; 13, Kyle Dix, Perkiomen Valley, 46.54; 14, Danny Knoll, Wissahickon, 46.65; 15, Josh Clarke, Northern York, 47.02; 16, Max Staresinic, North Allegheny, 47.34.
500 Freestyle:1, Zachary Buerger, North Allegheny, 4:22.75; 2, Sam Magnan, Freedom (11), 4:25.05; 3, Christopher Devlin, Upper Dublin, 4:26.29; 4, Arthur Markley, J.P. McCaskey, 4:32.52; 5, Sam Rutan, North Allegheny, 4:33.20; 6, Fynn Minuth, Upper St. Clair, 4:33.71; 7, Neal Smith, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, 4:35.73; 8, Justin Mitchell, Warwick, 4:38.54.
Consolation final: 9, Zach Lutrell, Hershey, 4:34.60; 10, Trevor Hine, Dallastown, 4:35.36; 11, Connor Harrigan, Freedom (11), 4:35.60; 12, Thanas Kountroubis, Lansdale North Penn, 4:36.45; 13, Steven Keashon, Neshaminy, 4:37.26; 14, Joseph Vizza, La Salle College High School, 4:37.87; 15, Connor Hart, Haverford Twp., 4:39.85; 16, Will Drexler, Hershey, 4:43.21.
100 Backstroke:1, Michael Thomas, Hatboro-Horsham, 46.65; 2, Ryan Dudzinski, Upper St. Clair, 46.88; 3, Jonathan Ekas, McDowll, 49.80; 4. Peter Conzola, Freedom, 49.87; 5, Austin Doss, Hershey, 50.41; 6, Greg Neidlinger, Lansdale North Penn, 50.67; 7, Todd Wilson, Conestoga Valley, 50.86; 8, Ryan Freedman, Radnor, 50.93
Consolation final: 9, Vince Everman, La Salle College High School, 50.41; 10, Kyle Shurmur, La Salle College HS, 51.16; 12, Bradley Gibble, State College, 51.36; 13, Greg Arnold, North Allegheny, 51.56; 14, Connor Doyle, Pennsbury, 51.62; 15, Noah Brockway, Dallastown, 51.91; 16, Greg Buckley, Unionville, 52.08
100 Breaststroke:1, Thomas McCormick, B. Reed Henderson, 54.92; 2, Michael McBryan, La Salle College High School, 54.97; 3, Rex Riley, Cathedral Prep, 55.73; 4, Ben Service, Bayard Rustin, 56.26; 5, Wyatt Amdor, Perkiomen Valley, 56.34; 6, Casey Melzer, North Allegheny, 56.66; 7, Cooper Tollen Cooper, Upper Dublin, 56.92; 8, Jack Kushner, Hershey, 57.41
Consolation final: 9, Nick Stachel, La Salle College, 56.63; 10, Sean Finlay, La Salle College, 57.00; 11, Alex Caprara, Gateway, 57.77; 12, Mitchell Gartland, Radnor, 57.89; 13, Owen Dougherty, Downingtown West, 57.93; 14, Carter Paules, Emmaus, 58.16; 15, Tre Fissella, Landisville Hempfield, 58.79; 16, Brian Ramsey, Mount Lebanon, 58.95.
400 Freestyle Relay:1, Upper St. Clair (Alex Hardwick, Patrick Lersch, Fynn Minuth, Ryan Dudzinski) 3:03.04; 2, La Salle College High School 3:03.49; 4, Hershey 3:07.66; 5, Souderton 3:08.43; 6, Cumberland Valley 3:08.65; 7, Upper Dublin 3:09.49; 8, Owen J Roberts 3:11.52.
Consolation final: 9, Lansdale North Penn 3:09.44; 10, Cathedral Prep 3:09.71; 11, Dallastown 3:09.85; 12, Emmaus 3:11.05; 13, Perkiomen Valley 3:11.12; 14, Mount Lebanon 3:12.90; 15, Conestoga 3:12.93; 16, Landisville Hempfield 3:14.03.
Team scores (top ten):
1, La Salle College High School 280
2, North Allegheny 202
3, Upper St. Clair 192.5
4, Hershey 152
5, Upper Dublin 128
6, Council Rock North 102
7, Dallastown and Souderton 95
9, Lansdale North Penn 77
10, Cathedral Prep 77.
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