PIAA Girls’ Swimming: Marian’s Strucko, Tamaqua’s Wilson lock up top-eight medals in prelims
Marian's Lydia Strucko placed sixth in the morning preliminaries in the 100 backstroke, advancing to Thursday's championship finals at the PIAA Swimming Championships at Bucknell University (Photo by Leroy Boyer).
LEWISBURG — Two Schuylkill League girls’ swimmers clinched top-eight state medals Thursday during the Class AA morning preliminaries at the PIAA Swimming Championships at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
Marian’s Lydia Strucko was sixth in the 100-yard backstroke in 57.40, while Tamaqua’s Savannah Wilson took eighth in the 100-yard breaststroke in 1:06.26. They will compete in the championships finals slated to start at 4:35 p.m. Thursday.
According to Tamaqua athletic director Mike Hromyak and Tamaqua swim coach Jen Paisley, Wilson is the first Tamaqua girls’ state medalist since Adrian Bumbulsky placed fifth in the 500 freestyle in 2007.
“I’m just so excited,” said Wilson, who nearly equalled her District 11-winning and Tamaqua school record time of 1:06.22. “Last year, I just missed the B final. So, being in the A final is like awesome.
“My goal was to try and stay within the 1:06 range so I didn’t drop down too much. I actually almost swam my district time, which is good considering we had another two weeks in between districts and states. It’s good that I kept my time the same.”
In other action Thursday from the girls’ preliminaries:
** Schuylkill Haven freshman Hope Stauffer was 20th (54.96) and Blue Mountain’s Sage Kaplafka was 24th (55.34) in the 100 freestyle.
** Blue Mountain freshman Alayna Hensel was a late addition to the 100 breaststroke as the PIAA corrected a seeding mistake and added Hensel as the 33rd competitor in that event. She was originally the second alternate.
Hensel proved she belonged in the event, winning the three-girl extra heat and eventually placing 30th in 1:11.25.
Blue Mountain coach Pete Sarnes was informed of the PIAA’s decision when the Eagles arrived at Bucknell on Wednesday morning.
A part of the Eagles’ 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle relays, Hensel was already working out the past two weeks in preparation for states, but she had no idea she’d be competing in an individual event as well.
“It was something out of the blue,” Hensel said. “I did train a little bit (in the breaststroke) before states. I worked on it, but I wasn’t 100 percent sure I would be doing it, so it was kind of sporadic training.
“It was definitely one of my biggest goals to suit up. I did what I wanted to do. My biggest goal was coming to states as a freshman. Getting the opportunity to swim an individual event at states and two relays was a phenomenal experience. I’m really happy to be a part of it.”
** Blue Mountain and Schuylkill Haven squared off in the first of four heats in the 400 freestyle relay and turned it into a dual meet between the squads.
Blue Mountain’s foursome of Hensel, Julia Crossen, Isabella Lafko and Kaplafka (3:51.28) edged the Schuylkill Haven quartet of Teagan Wehr, Cali Stauffer, Nikki Domermuth and Hope Stauffer (3:51.53) in a thrilling finish, then shared hugs and tears afterwards.
More on that race in an upcoming swimming notebook after states.
