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WILKES-BARRE — Dallas coach Romayne Mosier let out a big unnerving sigh at the announcements of the boys standings.
“Not enough,” she muttered to herself.
After the first day of competition at the District 2 Class 2A swimming championships, her Mountaineers hold a slight two-point lead over Scranton Prep Friday at the Wyoming Valley Catholic Youth Center pool. Dallas tops the district with 163, followed by Prep (161) and Tunkhannock (107).
“I knew it was going to be tight and depend a lot on the lower seeds moving up in the rankings so to speak,” Mosier said. “We’ve been doing that consistently to chase them down. I knew they were going to have a lot of strength in the first and second places. We were going to have to get out in front with our lower seeds.”
At least she could breathe a little easier on the girls side. For the first time in Mosier’s coaching career, Dallas finds itself in contention for a district girls championships. Dallas holds a gargantuan 65-point lead over Abington Heights. Scranton Prep (104) sits in third and has the most race winners.
The Mountaineers towered over the Classics following a 200 free relay victory to end the afternoon’s competition. Kaylin Augustine, Melinda Ratchford, Abby Zolner and Annalise Cheshire raced to a 1:41.58 finish – more than five seconds off their seed time and a half second ahead of Scranton Prep. After an even first leg, Prep’s Katie Voitik gave the Classics a two-second lead at the midway point. Zolner put on the burners and outraced Emily Donlon by 2.5 seconds. Cheshire anchored the victory.
“The girls did their jobs,” Mosier said. “They knew they had to either win or come in second to go to states. They each individually did what they needed to do.”
Cheshire, a freshman, swam a strong 50 free to defeat Abington Heights senior Sydney Gualtieri by nearly a second. She finished in 24.26 seconds to book her first trip to Lewisburg.
“I didn’t know what to expect,” Cheshire said. “This is my first districts. It was definitely a good race, and I did the best I could.
“I really didn’t look at the people on either side of me. When I looked up at the board I was really shocked.”
She’ll be joined at states by fellow freshman Zolner (200 IM, 100 fly) and senior Augustine (200 free), who both took second place in their events.
The girls races were filled with new faces that plastered themselves to the tops of the leaderboard. Wyoming Seminary junior Paige Kupsky, a transfer from Germantown Academy, narrowly won the 200 IM with a time of 2:12.3. Kupsky nearly had a five-second advantage in seed times entering the race; however, Dallas’ Zolner flashed ahead from the start. Heading into the final 50 yards, Kupsky trailed by 55-hundreths of a second. Kupsky outraced Kupsky to a dramatic finish, winning by a quarter of a second.
“I wouldn’t say I was confident but I knew I had a little bit left in the tank,” Kupsky said. “I was ready for a race. I saw her the whole time. I’m really glad I had someone to race. I’m happy for her. She did awesome.”
As expected, Scranton Prep took a majority of the boys and girls individual race titles. With the Wyoming Valley Conference not favored in any of the boys races, Tunkhannock junior Jacob Skoronski garnered the area’s first gold medal of the afternoon with an upset win in the 100 butterfly.
Halfway through the race, Skoronski trailed in fifth place amongst the crowded pack of swimmers. Skoronski blazed through the final 50 yards in 28.86 seconds – a full-second quicker than the rest of the heat. Unable to see where he stood, the Tiger immediately overtook favorite Thomas Pfaeffle, of Scranton Prep, and maintained his lead after the final turn. Skoronski finished in 55.08, a clear two seconds ahead of his season best; and Wyoming Seminary’s Matt Bean notched a PIAA bid with a second place showing of 56.3.
“Coach told me a story right before the race,” Skoronski said. “A kid that did that. He told me not to panic. So I just wanted to keep going as hard as I can.”
Berwick senior Mike Rehrig will be making his first PIAA appearance following a surprise second-place finish in the 50 free. Rehrig eked past Tunkhannock’s Stefan Sehne to touch the wall in 22.68 seconds.
Tunkhannock’s 200 free relay team of Skoronski, Mitch Fowler, Trevor Dunning and Sehne posted a second-place finish in 1:31.79. Dallas will send its 200 medley relay team to states, thanks to Mikail Krochta, Reid Luksic, Troy Reinert and Connor Motley registering a 1:42.52. The Mountaineers were neck and neck with the Cavaliers down the stretch. Scranton Prep clocked in at just 18-hundreths of a second quicker for the gold medal.
Competition resumes at noon on Saturday at the CYC.
District 2 Class 2A Swimming Championships
Team Rankings
Girls
1. Dallas (DAL) 173; 2. Abington Heights (AH) 108, 3. Scranton Prep (SP) 104; 4. Holy Redeemer (HR) 79; 5. Tunkhannock (TUN) 73; 6. Wyoming Seminary (SEM) 68; 7. Hanover Area (HAN) 51; 8. Berwick (BER) 45; 9. Valley View (VV) 34; 10. Holy Cross (HC) 33; 11. Elk Lake (EL) 28; 12. Coughlin (COU) 26; 13. Lake-Lehman (LL) 4; 14. West Scranton (WS) 2; 15. Wyoming Area (WA) 2; Dunmore (DUN); Honesdale (HON); Meyers (MEY); Nanticoke (NAN).
Boys
1. Dallas (DAL) 163; 2. Scranton Prep (SP) 161; 3. Tunkhannock (TUN) 107; 4. Wyoming Seminary (SEM) 68; 5. Holy Redeemer (HR) 62; 6. Berwick (BER) 51; 7. Lake-Lehman (LL) 44; 8. Wyoming Area (WA) 43; 9. Holy Cross (HC) 36; 10. Valley View (VV) 27; t-11. West Scranton (WS) 22; t-11. Elk Lake (EL) 22; 13. Hanover Area (HAN) 19; Coughlin (COU); Meyers (MEY), Nanticoke (NAN).
Girls results
200 medley relay — 1. SP (Voitik, C. Donlon, E. Donlon, Campo) 1:53.83; 2. AH (Smertz, Hartman, Byman, Gualtieri) 1:55.04; 3. SEM (P. Kupsky, Disler, Lukesh, T. Kupsky) 1:55.36; 4. HAN (Saltz, Good, Pericci, Eichler) 1:58.15; 5. DAL (Hurst, Fasulka, Ratchford, Finnegan) 1:58.52; 6. HC (Hoban, Tomaine, Neville, McHale) 2:03.78; 7. TUN, 2:05.40; 8. BER, 2:07.05; 9. EL, 2:09.36; 10. COU, 2:10.13; 11. VV, 2:11.72; 12. WA, 2:14.31; 13. MEY, 2:15.97; 14. WS, 2:24.15; 15. DUN, 2:24.26; 16. NAN, 2:25.54.
200 free — 1. SP, Voitik 1:56.04; 2. DAL, Augustine 1:59.76; 3. AH, Smertz 2:01.03; 4. SEM, T. Kupsky 2:01.77; 5. HR, Easton 2:03.97; 6. HAN, Eichler 2:05.00; 7. DAL, Schwerdtman 2:06.52; 8. HR, McCole 2:08.02; 9. TUN, Hayward 2:10.48; 10. DAL, Ratchford 2:10.85; 11. SP, Lanzendorfer 2:11.08; 12. DAL, Nave 2:11.81; 13. HR, Bozentka 2:13.29; 14. EL, Sisson 2:13.46; 15. WS, Williams 2:15.70; 16. BER, Parker 2:16.20; 17. MEY, Cook 2:16.59; 18. TUN, Fetter 2:16.83; 19. HON, Armetta 2:17.68; 20. AH, Simakaski 2:18.89; 21. HR, Ritsick 2:20.30; 22. BER, Shoemaker 2:22.73; 23. BER, Dyer 2:24.28; 24. NAN, Stegura 2:24.99.
200 IM — 1. SEM, P. Kupsky 2:12.30; 2. DAL, Zolner 2:12.55; 3. HR, Kruk 2:20.41; 4. AH, Hartman 2:20.46; 5. SP, Campo 2:24.02; 6. DAL, Fasulka 2:24.97; 7. HC, Neville 2:25.17; 8. HAN, Saltz 2:25.58; 9. DAL, Vivian 2:26.20; 10. COU, Redding 2:31.57; 11. HAN, S. Keating 2:34.64; 12. SEM, Disler 2:34.96; 13. VV, Wasilchak 2:35.17; 14. HR, Williams 2:36.28; 15. EL, Ofalt 2:37.55; 16. AH, McLane 2:40.35; 17. HC, Tomaine 2:40.56; 18. HAN, G. Keating 2:45.45; 19. DAL, Brown 2:48.07; 20. SEM, McCarthy 2:48.20; 21. LL, Bartuska 2:50.28; 22. AH, Sanok 2:51.29; 23. BER, Canouse 2:58.63; 24. HR, Kay 3:07.84.
50 free — 1. DAL, Cheshire 24.26; 2. AH, Gualtieri 25.21; 3. VV, Sebastianelli 25.58; 4. COU, Ray 25.78; 5. BER, Decker 26.15; 6. TUN, Moffitt 26.26; 7. DAL, Finnegan 26.32; 8. EL, Ofalt 26.56; 9. AH, Sokalsky 26.88; 10. TUN, Kasmierski 27.02; 11. HAN, Good 27.34; 12. BER, Levan 27.47; 13. TUN, Stretch 27.57; t-14. TUN, Simmons 27.91; t-14. AH, Feather 27.91; 16. HR, Devaney 28.44; 17. HC, McHale 28.46; 18. HR, Leighton 28.63; 19. EL, Everitt 28.69; 20. WS, Sederovitz 28.96; 21. DUN, Lowe 28.99; 22. WA, Remley 29.03; 23. EL, Thompson 29.08; 24. COU, Dumont 29.10; 25. LL, O’Brien 29.49; 26. SEM, L. Sminkey 29.69; 27. WS, Mangan 29.70; 28. AH, Jackson 29.74; t-29. NAN, 30.23; t-29. SEM, C. Sminkey 30.23; 31. COU, Bukeavich 30.69; 32. WS, Dunning 31.12.
100 fly — 1. SP, C. Donlon 59.36; 2. DAL, Zolner 1:00.79; 3. SEM, Lukesh 1:01.24; 4. AH, Byman 1:02.31; 5. TUN, Manglaviti 1:02.52; 6. HAN, Pericci 1:03.63; 7. HON, Burlein 1:03.92; 8. DAL, Augustine 1:04.47; 9. LL, Baur 1:05.27; 10. DAL, Hurst 1:05.56; 11. SP, E. Donlon 1:07.03; 12. EL, Ofalt 1:07.24; 13. SEM, K. Sminkey 1:10.38; 14. DAL, Ratchford 1:10.48; 15. HON, Armetta 1:11.44; 16. HR, Zeller 1:11.73; 17. TUN, Murray 1:12.14; 18. AH, Conahan 1:12.42; 19. TUN, Kuffa 1:14.69; 20. HR, Wozinski 1:16.05; 21. AH, Selznick 1:16.73; 22. LL, Ravert 1:19.60; 23. WS, Mangan 1:20.83; 24. MEY, Huertero 1:22.57.
200 free relay — 1. DAL (Augustine, Ratchford, Zolner, Cheshire) 1:41.58; 2. SP (Campo, Voitik, E. Donlon, C. Donlon) 1:42.12. 3. AH (Byman, Hartman, Smertz, Gualtieri) 1:42.41; 4. TUN (Kasmierski, Stretch, Moffitt, Manglaviti) 1:44.91; 5. HR (Kruk, Blaum, Smith, Easton) 1:44.99; 6. VV (MacDavitt, Jones, Babarsky, Sebastianelli) 1:47.20; 7. EL, 1:50.92; 8. BER, 1:52.28; 9. HC, 1:52.58; 10. COU, 1:55.02; 11. SEM, 1:55.73; 12. HAN, 1:56.87; t-13. LL, 1:59.61; t-13. WS, 1:59.61; 15. MEY, 2:00.85; 16. DUN, 2:08.11; 17. NAN, 2:09.85; 18. WA, 2:17.18.
Boys results
200 medley relay — 1. SP (Robinson, Lastauskas, Pfaeffle, Bushta) 1:42.31; 2. DAL (Krochta, R. Luksic, Reinert, Motley) 1:42.52; 3. TUN (Fowler, Hemme, Skoronski, Sehne) 1:43.68; 4. HR (Thole, Dubinski, Lehman, Evans) 1:43.95; 5. SEM (Bean, Han, Gaudino, Marshall) 1:49.90; 6. WA (Lagrue, M. Murphy, R. Murphy, Alder) 1:51.52; 7. HC, 1:52.25; 8. LL, 1:52.34; 9. BER, 1:52.76; 10. WS, 2:05.56; 11. VV, 2:05.92; 12. EL, 2:10.34.
200 free — 1. SP, Evans 1:47.37; 2. VV, Franchak 1:50.95; 3. TUN, Skoronski 1:51.64; 4. DAL, Krawetz 1:51.92; 5. DAL, Moore 1:52.32; 6. SP, Pfaeffle 1:53.52; 7. LL, Wasik 1:55.47; 8. SP, McCall 1:57.25; 9. SEM, Pall 1:59.30; 10. WA, Murphy 1:59.39; 11. DAL, Caravaggio 2:02.09; 12. TUN, Bushre 2:03.52; 13. WA, Lagrue 2:04.25; 14. SEM, DiLeo 2:04.30; 15. VV, Babarsky 2:07.26; 16. HR, C. Smith 2:08.08; 17. EL, Grosvenor 2:08.44; 18. DAL, Weaver 2:09.89; 19. TUN, Tidball 2:10.64; 20. EL, Orlandini 2:12.93; 21. BER, Weaver 2:17.62; 22. WS, Niemiec 2:18.67; 23. LL, Herrick 2:21.59; 24. HC, Megliola 2:22.61.
200 IM — 1. SP, Lastauskas 2:00.90; 2. SP, Robinson 2:03.46; 3. DAL, P. Luksic 2:08.08; 4. DAL, R. Luksic 2:13.41; 5. WA, Murphy 2:15.26, 6. DAL, Krochta 2:17.40; 7. EL, Mead 2:19.68; 8. HAN, Connelly 2:19.84; 9. DAL, Stec 2:21.46; 10. HR, Roper 2:23.78; 11. COU, Sadvary 2:25.06; 12. LL, Th. Manzoni 2:27.05; 13. HR, A. Smith 2:27.47; 14. LL, Ty. Manzoni 2:27.66; 15. HC, Scocozzo 2:28.97; 16. EL, Grosvenor 2:30.80; 17. BER, Demler 2:32.28; 18. BER, Hartley 2:32.69.
50 free — 1. SP, Sebastianelli 22.36; 2. BER, Rehrig 22.68; 3. TUN, Sehne 22.89; 4. SP, Bushta 23.17; 5. BER, Michael 23.41; 6. DAL, Motley 23.51; 7. TUN, Fowler 23.60; 8. HR, Lehman 23.63; 9. DAL, Lisnow 23.94; 10. DAL, Kiluk 24.05; 11. WS, Martin 24.07; 12. HC, Marino 24.31; 13. HC, Magda 24.42; 14. HR, Dubinski 24.46; 15. TUN, Hemme 24.73; 16. SP, Holden 24.93; 17. WA, Alder 25.14; 18. COU, Skiro 25.68; 19. SEM, Gaudino 25.80; 20. MEY, Langan 25.85; 21. BER, Weaver 26.13; 22. EL, Orlandini 26.19; 23. HC, Megliola 26.23; 24. VV, Frisbie 26.24; 25. WS, Simpson 26.27; 26. EL, Dolaway 26.49; 27. MEY, Nguyen 26.74; 28. WS, Kane 26.83; 29. WA, Acacio 26.89; 30. WA, Chronowski 27.20; 31. SEM, Sacristan 27.52; 32. NAN, Bloxham 27.71.
100 fly — 1. TUN, Skoronski 55.08; 2. SEM, Bean 56.30; 3. DAL, Reinert 56.44; 4. SP, Pfaeffle 56.46; 5. HR, Lehman 57.23; 6. WA, Murphy 57.34; 7. HC, Marino 58.96; 8. DAL, Stec 1:00.97; 9. EL, Mead 1:03.64; 10. WA, Lagrue 1:03.80; 11. LL, Th. Manzoni 1:04.30; 12. HAN, Qiu 1:05.27; 13. SP, Holden 1:05.30; 14. BER, Weaver 1:05.83; 15. EL, Grosvenor 1:07.21; 16. BER, O’Kane 1:19.49.
200 free relay — 1. SP (Bushta, Evans, Pfaeffle, Sebastianelli) 1:31.04; 2. TUN (Skoronski, Fowler, Dunning, Sehne) 1:31.79; 3. DAL (Krawetz, Motley, Lisnow, Moore) 1:33.01; 4. HR (Dubinski, Lehman, Evans, Thole) 1:33.26; 5. BER (Michael, Demler, Weaver, Rehrig) 1:38.87; 6. SEM (Han, Marshall, Gaudino, DiLeo) 1:38.89; 7. HC, 1:39.75; 8. LL, 1:40.52; 9. EL, 1:42.70; 10. ES, 1:45.40; 11. HAN, 1:49.91; 12. WA, 1:54.04.