Upper Moreland senior Sydney Szopo won gold at the PIAA Class AA championships Saturday.
Upper Moreland painted the pool purple and gold at Saturday’s finale of the PIAA Class AA swimming and diving championships, held at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
Sydney Szopo started things off for the Golden Bears with her victory in diving.
Szopo, a senior, led from start to finish and posted a score of 427.45 points.
“I was confident but you’re never sure how it’s going to turn out so I’m really excited I did this,” said Szopo, who was third in this event last year. “It’s a great way to end my high school career.”
Szopo was one of three Upper Moreland divers in the girls field. District One only has two automatic berths for states, which were won by Szopo, the district champion and teammate Shannon Chambers, the runner-up.
Upper Moreland freshman Colleen Rodrigues finished third at the district meet for the alternate position. She was invited to the meet when a diver in another district scratched.
“I was really excited when they told me,” Rodrigues said. “I was hoping to come to states and I’m really happy I got this opportunity.”
Rodrigues did not make it to the semifinals, finishing 26th(125.25).
“I tried my hardest,” she said. “It was a great experience and I’m really glad to be here, especially as a freshman. This was a good experience for me. Now I know what it’s like here and I have three more years.
“It was great to be here with Sydney and Shannon. They’re great divers and I really look up to them.”
Chambers made it as far as the semifinals last year but got to the finals this year, finishing 13th (327.85).
“I did a lot better than last year so I’m excited about that,” said Chambers, a junior. “I’m already really excited about next year.
“Because I was here last year I knew what was going on so I wasn’t as nervous and that was a big help.
“It was so much fun to be here with a big group. Shannon and Sydney and I dive together every day and it was great to be together at the end.”
Amber Saint Clair also made the podium for the Upper Moreland girls, taking seventh in the 100 backstroke (58.51).
For the boys, junior Iain Smith led the charge with a silver medal in the 100 breaststroke (58:32).
“I’m happy with how I swam,” he said. “I can’t complain except that I was hoping to do better. I always want to do better.
“I’m happy I broke the record again by a couple of hundredths and I got second so that’s a lot.”
Smith also anchored the 400 freestyle relay, which finished13th (3:21.88) for Kane Nelson, Jake Winter and Mike Freeman.
On Friday the Golden Bears picked up an eighth place medal in the 200 freestyle relay.
Smith, Alex Perkins, Freeman and Nelson were the foursome. Their time was 1:31.40.
The Upper Moreland boys team finished 13th in team scoring with 49 points while the girls were 17th (36).
Springfield also has some good swims.
Tyler Chamberlin took seventh in the 100 breaststroke(1:01.01).
“I had high hopes of a medal but I didn’t want to underestimate the competition,” said Chamberlin, a junior. “Everyone here is the best in the state so I didn’t want to go in cocky. I just swam my race and hoped for the best.
“It was great competition and I really enjoyed it. I was on top of the world when I got into the medal heat.
“This has really made me excited for next year. Everyone here was a great competitor and I’m looking forward to hopefully coming back.”
Danny Giampietro was ninth in the 500 freestyle (4:44.98) and 11th in the 200 freestyle (1:45.36) for the Spartans.
Tim Resch, Ben Wiley, Chamberlin and Giampietro were 14th in the 200 freestyle relay (1:31.86) and Jake Corcoran, Brennan Garber, Wiley and Resch took 16th in the 200 medley relay (1:46.01).
The Springfield boys team finished 21st in team scoring with 35 points.
For the girls, Rachel Munger took sixth in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.49) and 10th in the 200 individual medley (2:10.45) and Jules Marble was 13th in the 50 freestyle (24.68).
The 200 medley relay of Marble, Munger, Devyn Ford and Lizzie Nadolski claimed the sixth place medal (1:49.66).
The Spartans also won the consolation final of the other two relays.
The 200 freestyle relay of Marble, Ford, Michaela Fallon and Nadolski was ninth (1:40.42) and the
The 400 freestyle relay of Fallon, Nadolski, Margrethe Leisand Munger also finish ninth (3:37.70).
The girls finished 10th in team scoring (86 points).
PIAA SWIMMING AND DIVING CHAMPIONSHIPS
Kinney Natatorium, Bucknell University
GIRLS CLASS AA
100 Freestyle:1, Adrian Grabski, Mifflinburg, 49.88; 2, Emil Zimcosky, Geibel Catholic, 50.52; 3, Alexa Fabbri, Villa Joseph Marie, 50.36; 4, Rebecca Luft, Northern York, 51.50; 5, Taylor Petrak, Ellwood City, 52.27; 6, Claire Mikesell, Clearfield, 52.28; 7, Lexi Glassmire, Schuylkill Valley, 52.68; 8, Sydnee Karam, Bethlehem Catholic, 52.73.
Consolation final: 9, Jenna Forrester, Southern Lehigh, 52.67; 10, Maura McManus, Malvern Villa Maria, 52.92; 11, Caroline Edelman, Wyomissing, 53.33; 12, Allison Brownlee, Derry Area, 53.48; 13, Maddie Bartrug, South Fayette, 53.77; 14, Samantha Shirtliff, Camp Hill Trinity, 54.06; 15, Nollaig Noll, Westmont Hilltop, 54.43; 16, Devin Javens, Hickory, 54.52.
500 Freestyle:1, Courtney Harnish, West York, 4:40.04 (PIAA record. Old: 4:43.92, Lindsay Vrooman, Ambridge, 2010); 2, Mia Nonnenberg, Scranton Prep, 4:48.82; 3, Bailey Bonnett, Highlands, 4:56.57; 4, Colleen Daday, Allentown Central Catholic, 4:58.34; 5, Grace Kowal, Nazareth Academy, 4:59.07; 6, Madison Oster, Octorara, 5:01.93; 7, Steph Szekely, Gwynedd Mercy Academy, 5:06.60; 8, Bria Otwell, Freeport, 5:06.96.
Consolation final: 9, Abigail Thomas, Moravian Academy, 5:01.93; 10, Caroline Colville, Shady Side Academy, 5:08.63; 11, Sydney Mercer, Millville, 5:09.48; 12, Mary Harrington, Nazareth Academy, 5:09.86; 13, Grace Carey, Malvern Villa Maria, 5:13.45; 14, Mary Kate Curley, Gwynedd Mercy Academy, 5:17.12; 15, Kimmi Szajnuk, Camp Hill Trinity, 5:17.15; 16, Fallon Nelson, Mount Pleasant, 5:18.91.
100 Backstroke:1, Allie Szekely, Gwynedd Mercy Academy, 54.55; 2, Emily Cornell, Malvern Villa Maria, 55.52; 3, Caitlin Foley, Lewisburg, 56.78; 4, Hannah Feucht, North East, 57.39; 5, Abigail Parsons, Slippery Rock, 57.61; 6, Peyten Lyons, Palmyra, 58.12; 7, Amber St. Clair, Upper Moreland, 58.51; 8, Rhyan Rodriguez, Southern Lehigh, 58.76.
Consolation final: 9, Sabrina Bowman, Saint Joseph, 58.33; 10, Taylor Petrak, Ellwood City, 58.51; 11, Madison Amann, Southern Lehigh, 58.76; 12, Caroline Quindlen, Archbishop Carroll, 59.04; 13, Kathleen Lynch, Erie Villa Maria, 59.16; 14, Rachael DePietro, Lancaster Catholic, 59.68; 15, Sydney Archuleta, Northern York, 59.77; 16, Rachel Taylor, Fairview, 59.81.
100 Breaststroke:1, Lauren Barber, Wilmington, 1:03.05; 2, Maddie Cooke, Phoenixville, 1:03.53; 3, Olivia Tierney, Malvern Villa Maria, 1:05.58; 4, Brooke Zukowski, Knoch, 1:05.72; 5, Abby German, Fairview, 1:05.73; 6, Rachel Munger, Springfield Twp., 1:06.49; 7, Molly Kowal, Nazareth Academy, 1:06.75; 8, Shannon Harrington, Nazareth Academy, 1:06.95.
Consolation final: 9, Erin Russoniello, Quaker Valley, 1:06.43; 10, Anna Paccapaniccia, Indiana, 1:07.30; 11, Samantha Carpenter, Shamokin, 1:07.38; 12, Nicole Saladino, Malvern Villa Maria, 1:07.48; 13, Joann Butkus, Tamaqua, 1:08.07; 14, Megan Hunt, York Suburban, 1:08.20; 15, Sami Stoner, Donegal, 1:08.88; 16, Madison Nestor, Yough, 1:09.11.
400 Freestyle Relay:1, Malvern Villa Maria Academy (Julie Dobson, Maura McManus, Emily Cornell, Olivia Giampietro) 3:30.09; 2, Scranton Prep 3:33.21; 3, Northern York 3:36.37; 4, Gwynedd Mercy Academy 3:36.46; 5, Southern Lehigh 3:36.62; 6, York Suburban 3:37.94; 7, Nazareth Academy 3:38.64; 8, South Fayette 3:39.64.
Consolation final: 9, Springfield Twp. 3:37.70; 10, Fairview 3:38.40; 11, Camp Hill Trinity 3:40.59; 12, Derry Area and Big Spring 3:41.58; 14, Palmyra 3:41.93; 15, Clearfield 3:45.56; 16, Erie Villa Maria Academy 3:47.17.
1-meter diving:1, Sydney Szopo, Upper Moreland, 427.45; 2, McKenzie Stetler, Mohawk, 418.85; 3, Nicole Sagl, Allentown Central Catholic, 415.20; 4, Allison Brownlee, Derry Area, 393.55; 5, Allie Wonderling, St. Marys, 378.95; 6, Taylor Hockenberry, Mars, 369.40; 7, Morgan Elrick, Derry Area, 363.80; 8, Erica Sarver, West York, 359.80.
9, Brianna Urich, Palmyra, 358.40; 10, Maggie Stebick, Union City, 355.55; 11, Brittany Hart, Ellwood City Riverside, 348.30; 12, Tiffany Melani, South Park, 348.05; 13, Shannon Chambers, Upper Moreland, 327.85; 14, Reilly Diggins, Quaker Valley, 317.75; 15, Erin Donnelly, Southern Lehigh, 316.75; 16, Megan Wurst, West Allegheny, 310.00.
Team scores (top ten):
1, Malvern Villa Maria Academy 220
2, Nazareth Academy 131
3, Southern Lehigh 130
4, Northern York 115
5, Scranton Prep 101
6, Gwynedd Mercy Academy 100
7, Phoenixville 99
8, Fairview 95
9, York Suburban 87
10, Springfield Twp. 86.
BOYS CLASS AA
100 Freestyle:1, Phil Emerson, Franklin, 45.65; 2, Josh Kreider, Southern Lehigh, 46.22; 3, Jon Anderson, Salisbury Twp., 46.40; 4, Francis Folz, Mars, 47.04; 5, Josh Grzech, Crestwood, 47.41; 6, Ian DiCarlo, Camp Hill Trinity, 47.51; 7, John Paul Zimcosky, Geibel Catholic, 48.00; 8, Ian Buckner, Neshannock, 49.15.
Consolation final: 9, Joe Malafronte, Danville, 48.12; 10, James Orzolek, Bloomsburg, 48.22; 11, Austin Wilson, Grove City, 48.38; 12, Zack Miklos, Lancaster Catholic, 48.68; 13, Daniel Weekes, Moravian Academy, 48.69; 14, Cole Tipper, Cornell, 48.70; 15, Ryan Farrell, Central Columbia, 48.95; 16, Josh Chamberlain, Quaker Valley, 49.33.
500 Freestyle:1, Jarod Kehl, West Allegheny, 4:28.80; 2, Drew Damich, Chartiers Valley, 4:33.20; 3, Trey Shackleton, Northwestern Lehigh, 4:33.93; 4, Matthew Daniel, Manheim Central, 4:35.98; 5, Matthew Leenhouts, Fleetwood, 4:36.08; 6, Thomas Pierre, Mars, 4:44.56; 7, Hunter Krum, Central Columbia, 4:44.97; 8, Noah Donovan, Laurel, 4:47.34.
Consolation final: 9, Danny Giampietro, Springfield Twp., 4:44.98; 10, Adon Shapiro, Lewisburg, 4:46.72; 11, Ondrej Maxian, New Hope-Solebury, 4:47.56; 12, Cole Davis, Millersburg, 4:50.90; 13, Brody Schmidt, Chartiers Valley, 4:54.18; 14, Emmanuel Eppinger, Winchester Thurston, 4:54.60; 15, Mahon Reihman, Salisbury Twp., 4:54.63; 16, Gavin Gunkle, Southern Lehigh, 4:55.65.
100 Backstroke:1, Brent Benedict, Corry, 48.69 (PIAA record. Old: 49.41, David Nolan, Hershey, 2009); 2, Griffin Schaetzle, Mercyhurst Prep, 49.86; 3, Dillon Lancenese, Brandywine Heights, 51.75; 4, Nathan Mihalko, Richland, 51.91; 5, Ethan Gehenio, Northern Lebanon, 52.62; 6, Colton Schnars, Bellefonte, 53.14; 7, Frank Chen, Athens, 53.90; 8, Brad Kolesar, West Mifflin, 53.96.
Consolation final: 9, Morgan Schreiber, Pottsgrove, 53.92; 10, Brendan Leech, Shady Side Academy, 54.24; 11, Nathan Elzer, Wyomissing, 54.25; 12, Corey Koss, St. Marys, 54.39; 13, Brandon Umstead, Upper Perkiomen, 54.45; 14, David Peffer, Ellwood City Riverside, 54.78; 15, Joseph Grzech, Crestwood, 54.91; 16, Ian Miller, Fairview, 55.07.
100 Breaststroke:1, Noah Crawford, Bloomsburg, 57.61; 2, Iain Smith, Upper Moreland, 58.32; 3, Henry Tanguay, Camp Hill Trinity, 59.02; 4, Elijah Luckey, Carver E&S, 59.32; 5, Luke Raudenbush, Schuylkill Valley, 59.87; 6, Thomas Somora, Grove City, 1:00.64; 7, Tyler Chamberlin, Springfield Twp., 1:01.01; 8, Terry Vrabec, James M. Coughlin, 1:01.08.
Consolation final: 9, Kameron Faychak, Elizabeth Forward, 1:00.60; 10, Corban Murphey, Fairview, 1:00.63; 11, Christopher Giorgiadis, Mars, 1:00.80; 12, Kyle Hrabovsky, Quaker Valley, 1:01.32; 13, Grant Hess, Indiana, 1:02.05; 14, Craig Weeks, Pen Argyl, 1:02.08; 15, John Wilson, Knoch, 1:02.56; 16, Blair Carson, Wellsboro, 1:02.86.
400 Freestyle Relay: 1, Mars (Reed McDonough, Thomas Pierre, Christopher Georgiadis, Francis Folz) 3:12.57; 2, Southern Lehigh 3:13.07; 3, Salisbury Twp. 3:13.12; 4, Chartiers Valley 3:15.02; 5, Franklin 3:15.90; 6, Quaker Valley 3:16.87; 7, York Suburban 3:17.88; 8, Shady Side Academy 3:20.01.
Consolation final: 9, Laurel Highlands 3:17.49; 10, Mercyhurst Prep 3:19.30; 11, Bellefonte 3:19.99; 12, Central Columbia 3:20.73; 13, Upper Moreland 3:21.88; 14, Grove City 3:23,45; 15, Hopewell 3:23.53; 16, Allentown Central Catholic 3:24.91.
Team scores (top ten):
1, Mars 153
2, Camp Hill Trinity 134
3, Salisbury Twp. 126
4, Bloomsburg 110
5, Franklin 102
6, Chartiers Valley 98
7, Southern Lehigh 94
8, Mercyhurst Prep 84
9, York Suburban 65
10, Grove City 63.
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