STATE COLLEGE — Madison Watschke’s wins in the 100-yard breaststroke and 200-yard individual medley were one of the highlights as the State College Area High School girls swim team posted a 122-64 win over visiting Cumberland Valley on Jan. 24.
The State boys came up just short, 98-87, although Shawn Erdley and Sam Huggins each won two events and the Little Lions finished runner-up in eight events while taking first in five.
The Lady Little Lions swept all 12 events — including the diving. In addition to the individual double from Watschke, Quinn Castro also won a pair of individual events, the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle. Watschke also swam on one of the winning relays.
Jade Castro took first in the 100 backstroke, Molly Workman prevailed in the 50 freestyle, Ally Koehle topped the competition in the 100 butterfly and Ditta Kowalik posted the best time in the 100 freestyle. Tassia St. Pierre was first in the 1-meter dive.
On the boys side, Erdley’s firsts came in the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM, while Huggins claimed gold in the 500 and 200 freestyle swims.
State College also won the boys 200 freestyle relay.
State College swam a perfect meet as the boys beat visiting Hollidaysburg, 116-37, on Jan. 20, while the Lady Little Lions cruised, 150-33.
For the boys, Leo Garlicki placed first in both the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly while teaming with Erdley, Garrett Flickinger and Todd Siekman to prevail in the 200 medley relay and with Siekman, Tyler Uhlig and Huggins to take the 200 free relay. Erdley was a double winner individually, beating the field in the 500 freestyle and 100 breaststroke.
Flickinger and Huggins also combined with Luke Cessna and Damian Welch to take first in the 400 free relay while each won individual events, too — Flickinger the 100 backstroke and Huggins the 50 freestyle.
Cessna and Uhlig touched the wall before anyone else in the 100 freestyle and 200 IM.
The Little Lady Lions spread the wealth, as Grace Carrington (100 freestyle), Jade Castro (100 butterfly), Koehle (100 backstroke), Meredith Sulman (50 freestyle), Inhye Sung (200 individual medley), Katelyn Watschke (500 freestyle), Madison Watschke (200 freestyle) and Workman (100 breaststroke) each won events.
Workman and Madison Watschke opened the meet by joining Kelly Brownstead and Kowalik to win the 200 medley relay. Carrington, Kate Doucette, Kate Hooper and Hannah Kifer captured first in the 200 free relay and Sung, Katelyn Watschke, Jingyang Wan and Kennedy Robinson comprised the winning team in the 400 freestyle relay.
BELLEFONTE
The Bellefonte girls ran their record to 11-0 by beating Penns Valley, 106-34, and host DuBois, 90-76, on Jan. 18.
Finley Musser spearheaded Bellefonte by winning the 200-yard individual medley and 100-yard backstroke individually in addition to swimming legs on the victorious 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays. The Lady Raiders’ Kiaha McCool placed first in both the 100-yard and 200-yard freestyles and also anchored Bellefonte’s 400 free relay.
Katelyn Packer swam on both winning relays, as well, in addition to taking first in the 100 butterfly. Avah Colm was first in the 100 breaststroke.
Penns Valley’s Charlotte Delaney was the winner of the 500 freestyle. The Lady Rams lost to DuBois, 117-37.
The Bellefonte boys were 8-3 after a split despite Jacob Skrzycki winnng the 50 and 500 freestyles and anchoring a win in the 200 medley relay. The Raiders topped Penns Valley by a 77-49 count but fell to DuBois, 82-61.
Carter Boone and Isaiah Johnson also garnered first-place points for the Raiders in the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke, respectively. Both also swam legs of the relay victory.
Penns Valley dropped the dual to DuBois, 99-41, but the Rams’ Liam Quigley finished first in the 100 backstroke.
