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By STEVE SEMBRAT steves@leader.net
Thursday, March 06, 2003 Page: 5B
Bishop Hoban and Scranton Prep are seeded 1-2 in the girls 200-yard
freestyle relay for next week’s PIAA Class 2A Swimming & Diving Championship.
It gives the two the best chance of winning a medal for a top-six finish at
the state meet, which is scheduled March 13-15 at Penn State’s McCoy
Natatorium. Diving, which is unseeded, will be held March 13. Swimming events
are held March 14-15.
The 200 freestyle relay highlights what should be a strong meet for
District 2 entries in the 2A girls competition. Hoban’s Julie McLaughin,
Justine Grilz, Bryn Mesko and Caroline Byron enter that event as the top seed
with a time of 1:39.68 recorded at the District 2 Class 2A Swimming
Championships on Saturday at King’s College. Prep’s foursome of Alyssa
Chiumento, Ashley Bessoir, Melissa McLane and Emly Pizzichemi is next at
1:40.03.
Some of the individuals in those relays could pick up multiple medals at
the state meet.
Byron is seeded third in the 100 freestyle and fifth in the 50 freestyle.
Grilz is seeded sixth in the 200 freestyle. McLaughlin is seeded eighth in the
100 breaststroke.
The Hoban girls also are highly seeded in the other two relays. Byron,
Grilz, Mesko and Katelyn Ostopick are second going into the 400 freestyle
relay. Ostopick, McLaughlin, Kelly Dessoye and Julie Grilz enter the 200
medley relay as the eighth seed.
For Prep, Bessoir is seeded fourth in the 200 individual medley and 11th in
the 100 breaststroke, Pizzichemi is fourth in the 200 freestyle and Gabby
Lucarelli is sixth in the 100 butterfly. Prep is sixth going into the 200
medley relay.
Berwick’s Julie Gunderson is seeded 11th in the 500 freestyle.
In 2A boys, Prep’s Mark Lesak, Eric Hayden, Mark Esolen and Mike Eisner
form the top seed for the 200 medley relay. Lesak is seeded second in the 50
freestyle and 100 backstroke. Eisner is fourth in the 50 freestyle. Hayden is
11th in the 100 breaststroke. Prep’s 200 freestyle relay team is seeded sixth.
Wyoming Seminary’s William Gagliardi is seeded 10th in the 100 breaststroke
and teammate Phil Mercatili is 11th in the 200 individual medley.
In the 400 freestyle relay, Bishop Hoban is seeded 11th and Seminary 12th.
The only individual who stands a chance of winning a medal in the 3A
competition is Wyoming Valley West senior Shana Welch. She is seeded ninth in
the 50 freestyle and 11th in the 100 freestyle. In both events, Jessica Lewis
of Parkland is the top seed, followed by Kelsey Morrissy of Hatboro-Horsham.
Welch finished third to Lewis and Morrissy in those two events at last year’s
state meet.