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By STEVE SEMBRAT steves@leader.net
Sunday, March 02, 2003 Page: 1C
WILKES-BARRE – Being way out in front doesn’t seem to suit Shana Welch.
Put her in the midst of a tight race, though, and the Wyoming Valley West
senior goes faster than anybody around.
Welch came up with dominating performances in two relays, helping the
Spartans edge out Abington Heights for the girls team title at the District
2-4 Class 3A Regional Swimming & Diving Championships.
Valley West won the girls title at the King’s College pool with 274 points,
clinching the title in the final event over Abington Heights, which finished
second with 254.
In the boys competition, Hazleton Area repeated as 3A team champions,
dominating the final two events to break a tie with Valley West. The Cougars
won with 251 points, Delaware Valley rallied to take second with 225.5, and
the Spartans finished third with 217.
“It’s a really good feeling to win districts this year,” said Welch, the
only girls swimmer to win four gold medals. “We really weren’t sure about it.
It feels great to continue the Valley West tradition of winning districts for
13 years.”
Welch had hoped to break records in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events,
but came up just short of each mark. While she was a bit disappointed by that,
she still stands to challenge for a top-six finish and a state medal at the
PIAA 3A state championship meet, set for March 14-15 at Penn State. The
winners in 3A automatically qualified for states, and Welch wanted to make
sure some of her teammates came along for the ride.
In the 200 medley relay, the opening event, Valley West trailed Abington
Heights by about five yards when Welch hit the water for the breaststroke leg.
When she finished the second 50-yard segment of the race, the Spartans were
five yards ahead, as Welch, Erin Lehman, Kim Perzia and Sally Kaminski went on
to win.
Heading into the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, Valley West needed
to finish first or second to clinch the team title. The team of Welch,
Kaminski, Lehman and Megan Panowicz won by nearly a full pool length, with
Welch putting the hammer down in the final 100 yards.
“I guess I’m more team oriented,” Welch said. “Everyone on those relays
really wanted to go to states.”
Welch won the 50 and 100 freestyle easily, perhaps too easily. She wasn’t
pushed in either race, but figures to do much better when facing a stiff
challenge at the state meet, where she won a bronze medal in each event last
year.
“I can’t get that upset about it,” Welch said of her individual events.
“I am a little bummed about it, but my focus is still states.”
Sophomore Christine DeCarlo picked up three gold medals helping Abington
Heights take second overall. She repeated as champ in the 100 butterfly, won
the 100 backstroke, and was on the winning 200 freestyle relay team with
Chrissy Semon, Meredith Gowell and Megan Butler. Teammate Kate Rovinsky won
the 100 breaststroke.
Other girls district champions were: Delaware Valley’s Tracey Vitchers in
the 200 freestyle, Hazleton Area’s Lisa Sheaman in the 200 individual medley,
and Williamsport’s Sammy Colvin in the 500 freestyle.
Hazleton Area won seven events on its way to the boys team title, with
Brent Edwards and Eammon Farley winning four gold medals apiece. The team of
Edwards, Farley Daniel Skorski and Brian Jones won the 200 and 400 freestyle
relays. Edwards won the 200 and 500 freestyle. Farley won the 200 individual
medley and 100 freestyle. Skorski won the 100 breaststroke.
Williamsport’s Andrew Burkey and Tim Stauffer each won two golds. They
teamed with Jason Keely and Trent Gibbon to win the 200 medley relay. Stauffer
won the 50 freestyle, and Burkey won the 100 backstroke.
The other district champ was Tunkhannock’s Joe Petchalonis in the 100
butterfly.