SL Boys’ Swimming Championships: Eagles’ Powers garners 4 golds, breaks another record
Blue Mountain's Noah Powers competes in the 50 yard freestyle during Saturday's Schuylkill League Swimming Championships at the Ned Hampford Natatorium. Powers won the race in a meet-record 20.88 seconds. (Photo by David McKeown)
POTTSVILLE — Noah Powers did Noah Powers things again Saturday.
He dominated races. He broke records. He earned gold medals.
The Blue Mountain senior feels he can do better.
Powers capped his illustrious Schuylkill League swimming career with four gold medals at Saturday’s Schuylkill League Swimming Championships at the Ned Hampford Natatorium.
The University of Virginia commit broke his own meet record in winning the 50-yard freestyle in 20.88 seconds, dominated the 100 backstroke en route to victory in 52.43 and helped the Blue Mountain 200 medley and 200 freestyle relay teams grab gold.
He was the only swimmer — boy or girl — to leave Saturday’s league meet with four gold medals and was the only swimmer to break a league, meet or pool record.
Still, you could sense in Powers’ demeanor that he knows he can go faster.
His 50 free time just missed breaking his own Schuylkill League record of 20.84 set in January 2024. His backstroke time fell short of his own league and meet marks of 52.13 and the Blue Mountain school record of 51.57 set by Mark Boran in 2017.
It was Powers’ last shot at the backstroke mark, as the defending PIAA state champion in the 100 freestyle will compete in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle at the District 11 Swimming Championships set for Feb. 28-March 1 at Parkland High School.
“It definitely wasn’t the greatest,” Powers said of his performance Saturday. “It wasn’t the outcomes that I wanted, but you can’t always have the best, you can’t always get what you want.
“The backstroke (record) was one of my biggest goals … I’ve been looking at that record for years now. This was my last chance here, didn’t get it, it is what it is.”
Powers was one of three male swimmers to win two individual events Saturday.
Marian junior Michael Strucko took first in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, while Schuylkill Haven freshman Ethan Miller won the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke.
Strucko fought off Blue Mountain’s Liam Magdeburg to win the 200 freestyle in 1:52.03, then outlasted Blue Mountain’s Brody Moyer to capture the 100 butterfly in 54.99 seconds.
A two-time state qualifier, Strucko competed in the 200 freestyle and 100 backstroke at districts and states last season. He said Saturday’s meet was more of a training mission than a go-for-the-gold quest.
“I was kind of experimenting, having fun with it,” Strucko said. “This meet isn’t too serious … districts and states are the main events. I was having fun racing.
“I was sick for a whole week, so I’m just getting back into it. I’m happy that I was able to come out on top. It was a good marker to see where I’m at to get back into training for districts and states.”
Miller, who broke the Schuylkill Haven 500 freestyle record several times this season, easily won the 200 IM in 2:07.53, 11 seconds faster than second-place Gabe Kamarousky of Blue Mountain (2:18.56). He won the 100 breaststroke in similar fashion, touching in 1:04.75, 5 seconds ahead of second-place Jamison Walsh of Pottsville (1:09.67).
“It feels pretty good,” Miller said of winning two gold medals. “I like swimming the 100 breast and I like the IM because it incorporates all the different strokes.
“I’ve had a decent year but there’s more work to be done. The season isn’t over yet, so we’ll see how that goes.”
North Schuylkill’s Gavin Mentzer also had a big day, as the senior took first in the 100 freestyle in 50.67, was third in the 100 backstroke in 59.82 and earned a pair of relay medals.
His performance came one day after the football placekicker/punter learned he was named to the Pennsylvania squad for the prestigious Big 33 Football Classic in May.
“My teammates in football push me in football and my teammates in swimming push me in swimming,” Mentzer said. “My coaches did a phenomenal job with me. I couldn’t ask for a better weekend so far.”
