HIGH-SCHOOL

Susquehannock star caps career with another state medal; Suburban's Moore shines in debut

Karen Sangillo
For GameTimePA

Susquehannock’s boys' team had a banner day at the PIAA Class 2A swimming and diving championships Wednesday.

Jacob Wade earned a medal in the 50 freestyle, finishing fourth (20.95). He then led off the 200 freestyle relay for Ronald Pugaczewski, Tyler Wright and Nick Johns, which also reached the podium with their fifth-place finish (1:28.39).

“I’m very satisfied,” said Wade, a senior. “To come here and put up consistent 50 times is definitely showing the work is paying off. It feels great.

“The Class 2A field is getting really fast, and you’ve got to be grateful for a great field like this. It only helps me to get better as swimmer, an athlete and a person. It’s a long process, and I’m grateful for this chance to help me improve in all aspects.

Susquehannock’s Jacob Wade placed fourth in the Class 2A 50 freestyle at the PIAA swimming championships Wednesday.

“Our relay was a school record, which was pretty great. All four of us came together. We’ve been working a lot in practice leading up to this. We came in with a lot of confidence and doing the best we could, and we all just believed in each other.

“We bonded as a team, and I think that was a key. We’ve been spending a lot of time with each other, and I just think the buildup was the key to that success.”

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Thursday, Wade earned the final individual medal of his standout high school career with a fifth-place finish in the 100 freestyle (45.94).

“it’s very emotional,” Wade said. “That’s four years of hard work, dedication and the end result is here, and I’m more than satisfied with the result that I put up. I want to thank my coaches and teammates for getting me here. It’s been a wild four years, but I couldn’t think of a better way to end it.

“I’ve collected so many state medals over the years and I’ve seen the field grow and get faster each year and that really helped me develop.”

Wade capped the meet by anchoring the 400 freestyle relay for Johns, Jackson Hollinger and Wright. The foursome finished seventh (3:16.83).

“To end with the four of us coming together and leaving everything we had in the pool,” Wade said. “I knew it was my last swim for this school and I wanted to give it everything I had and finish in the highest way possible. I don’t think it could have been any better. We broke our school record again. What a finish.”

Hollinger reached the consolation heat of the 500 freestyle, placing 14th (5:00.03) placed 26th in the 200 freestyle (1:52.41). Johns was 20th in the 100 freestyle (49.53) and competed in the consolation final of the 50 freestyle, finishing 10th (21.88). Wright finished 22nd in the 100 breaststroke (1:01.51) and took 21st in the 100 butterfly (54.04).

Susquehannock finished ninth in team scoring with 91 points.

York Suburban's Moore medals in debut, adds more hardware on birthday

Thursday was Chloe Moore’s 16th birthday.

And it couldn’t get any sweeter for the York Suburban sophomore.

Moore anchored the 400-yard freestyle relay for teammates Chloe Chevaux, Lauren Abel and Brynn Neidigh, and the quartet combined for a time of 3:40.99 and the eighth-place medal Thursday.

“I’m at a loss for words,” said Moore, who also finished 15th in the 100 backstroke (1:00.00). “This is just an amazing day. I wouldn’t want to medal with any other team. They really just made it so memorable.

“Coming into the meet I had a really good feeling about this relay I knew all of us were capable of this. This is a great end to our season.”

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It was the first state competition for Moore, Chevaux and Neidigh.

“It was very special,” said Neidigh, a junior. “It’s a very big environment but it’s very cool to come into. Getting a medal in the relay was awesome. I think that this is something that I’ll remember in 10 years’ time. It will still be as special a moment to look back on as it is right now.”

Chevaux, a sophomore, also finished 12th in the 500 freestyle (5:20.29) and 18th in the 200 freestyle (2:01.49).

“I thought it was awesome,” she said. “I had so much fun with the best people. It was a good time and a great experience. I’m very happy with my individual swims. I can’t wait to come back next year. I think I learned that it can be very intimidating, but you can’t let your nerves get the best of you and you have to give it your all.”

Abel is the lone senior on the relay.

“This was my last meet, and it’s very bittersweet,” she said. “I’m going to miss my friends so much. This relay is everything to me. These are my best friends in the world, and I would not change a single thing.”

On Wednesday, Moore had reached the finals of the 50 freestyle, placing seventh (24.18), in her debut event at states.

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“This is pretty cool,” Moore said. “I’m pretty excited. I was really nervous. My nerves kind of got the best of me so I’m surprised at the outcome but I’m very happy.

“I think moving forward I’ll handle my nerves a lot better. This was my first time at states and this was all just awesome.

“When I was coming back on the second 25, I thought my legs were going to fall off, but I pushed through it and I’m really, really happy.”

She also anchored the 200 freestyle relay for teammates Sarah Koller, Neidigh and Abel. The quartet reached the consolation final and earned 12th place (1:42.07).

The Trojans finished 14th in team scoring with 51 points, tied with Springfield (Montgomery County) of District One.

Thomas makes the podium in final state meet

Taelyn Thomas of West York left the PIAA Class 2A swimming and diving championships with some hardware.

Thomas, a junior, finished sixth in diving with a score of 212.05 points at Wednesday’s opening day of competition at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.

“I wasn’t sure how this was going to go so I just went out there and did the best I could,” she said.

West York’s Taelyn Thomas finished sixth in the Class 2A diving competition at the PIAA swimming championships.

This year, the PIAA changed the diving competition from 11 dives with cuts to six dives, with all 24 contestants completing from start to finish.

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“There was a big difference going from 11 dives to six,” said Thomas, who competed at the state meet last year. “If you mess up a dive there’s no going back and you don’t have as many dives to score more points with. I just tried to focus on one dive at a time and to be as consistent as I possibly could be.

“Definitely, consistency was key. It was like a sprint this year.”

Thomas is graduating early so this is her final state competition. She hasn’t committed to a school yet but would like to dive in college while studying computer science.

“This was a good meet, and I’m glad I dove well here,” she said.

Other Class 2A results

For Susquehannock, senior McKenna Porter just missed the podium, finishing ninth in diving (205.60 points) and junior Kate Kalmanowicz was 17th in the 100 butterfly (1:00.89).

York Catholic sophomore Sarah Giesselbach was 14th in the 200 freestyle (1:59.66) and 24th in the 100 freestyle (55.56).

Senior Kate Elliott of Bermudian Springs reached the consolation heat of the 200 individual medley, placing 16th (2:17.68) and was 32nd in the 100 breaststroke (1:11.99).

Daniel Giesselbach of York Catholic placed 28th in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.46) and reached the consolation heat of the 200 individual medley, finishing 16th (2:01.92).