MECHANICSBURG — Wilson’s boys won several medals on the first day of the District 3 Class 3A Swimming Championships Friday at Cumberland Valley High School.
Takoda Heckman won the 200 individual medley for Wilson in 1:51.14. Brady Wolf of Wilson finished seventh in 1:58.92.
Heckman, who finished second in the event last year, was somewhat disappointed with his time but said he believed he can do better at states, especially with less facial hair.
“I’m really happy to win,” Heckman said. “I wish I would have went a little faster, but I think I will at states; for sure, because I did a little half-taper today and still have my beard to shave, so I can be a little faster.”
Heckman also was on the first-place 200 medley relay team, along with Chadd Corson, Wolf and Josh Woessner, which finished in 1:34.20.
Corson had a close second-place finish in the the 100 butterfly. Corson recorded a time of 50.41 while Derek Estep from Chambersburg took gold in 50.20. Muhlenberg’s RJ Schaffer finished fifth in 51.35. This is the second year in a row Corson finished second in the 100 fly.
Wilson also finished second in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:26.35. The team of Isaiah Eberly, Woessner, Luke Kline and Trenton Lechleinter lost to the team from Hershey, which finished in 1:26.27.
Gov. Mifflin’s team of Ben Gerhard, William Troy, Matt Novotny and Brandon Vandchiack finished third in the 200 free relay in 1:28.36. Exeter’s team of James Creamer, Jack Sahaida, James-Stratton-Brown Jr. and William Fanning took home seventh in 1:30.72.
Gerhard won gold for Mifflin in the 200 freestyle in 1:40. Ian Metzgar took home fourth for Wilson in 1:44.34 and Troy finished seventh in 1:46.09.
“It feels really good,” said Gerhard, the 200 free runner-up last year. “It’s my first time getting gold in this race so for it being my senior year it’s a great way to close it off for districts.”
Gerhard said he is hopeful for more success on Saturday’s second day of the event.
“I’ll have the 500 free where I’m hoping to win that again for the third year,” he said, “and I’ll be in the 400 free relay, where I’m hoping I can help get us to states.”
In the boys 50 free, Muhlenberg’s Brady Robidas finished third in 21.37, Woessner fifth in 21.55 and Eberly seventh in 21.74.
Wilson has won five straight boys team titles and the Bulldogs are in first place after day one with 209 points, while Gov. Mifflin sits in third with 133.
In the girls Class 3A meet, Muhlenberg’s Sydney Gring continued her impressive postseason with a win in the 200 freestyle in 1:47.95.
“I feel really good,” Gring said. “I was really nervous going into it because I knew the whole field was really fast so I’m super excited with the outcome.”
In last year’s districts, Gring won gold in the 100 butterfly and 200 individual medley, but is swimming in the 200 and 100 freestyle this year.
“It’s exciting,” Gring said regarding competing in different events. “It’s definitely exciting because I can try new things and swim against new girls. I just wanted to get something different this year because last year happened all in one day but now I got to spread things out more.”
Exeter’s girls took home several medals on the first day.
The relay team of Lauren Ramsey, Megan Unruh, Hannah Hurleman and Gabrielle Istenes of Exeter won gold in the 200 medley relay in 1:45.17. This is the second straight year Exeter won the event.
Wilson’s team of Morgan Valeriano, Leah Eckert, Olivia Vecchio and Emma Dougherty finished fourth in 1:47.91, while Muhlenberg’s team of Samara Eschleman, Erin Smith, Lauren Paules and Megan Brattley finished in eighth in 1:50.59.
In the 200 individual medley, Ramsey finished fifth in 2:09.52. Valeriano finished in sixth in 2:10.01 and Wilson’s Kaitlyn Gundersen finished seventh in 2:11.14.
Multiple swimmers from Berks took home medals in the 50 freestyle. Hurleman, the defending champ, finished second in 23.87. Muhlenberg’s Maren Schermerhorn was third in 23.90, Dougherty sixth in 24.34, Wilson’s Emily Cherrie seventh in 24.46, and Daniel Boone’s Shailla Mejia eighth 24.59
Olivia Vecchio of Wilson finished sixth in the 100 butterfly in 58.72.
Rounding out the events for the day in the 200 freestyle relay. Muhlenberg’s team of Schermerhorn, Kathryn Tanis, Brattley and Gring finished second in 1:36.05; Wilson’s team of Cherrie, Doughtery, Valeriano and Ella Kahn finished third in 1:36.42; and Gov. Mifflin’s team of Kaylee Cipolla, Nadia Medianik, DeLoretta and Abby Steckiel finished eighth in 1:41.05.
Wilson’s girls hold the team lead with 199 points. Muhlenberg is in fourth place with 106, followed by Exeter with 97. Wilson will look to repeat as the district champion.
Source: Berkshire mont
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