ORWIGSBURG — You don’t have to finish first in high school swimming to be a winner.
That was the case Tuesday night for the Blue Mountain girls’ swim team.
The Eagles won only three of 12 events in their Schuylkill League opener against Schuylkill Haven.
Blue Mountain, however, placed second, third and fourth in most of those events, and that depth made the difference in a 99-81 victory over the Hurricanes in a showdown of preseason girls’ title contenders.
The Blue Mountain boys completed the sweep, remaining unbeaten with a 115-60 victory over Schuylkill Haven.
“We won the meet that way,” Blue Mountain coach Sandy Englert said of her depth. “They know that’s important. We’ve been doing that for a while now.
“My seniors started that way. They’ve all gotten their personal-best times. They know they can swim faster and faster, and they also work together. They’re a strong team.”
Schuylkill Haven (0-2, 0-1 SL) won the first nine swimming events, as Mary Zimmerman (200 free, 500 free), Allison Adams (200 IM, 100 back) and Elizabeth Bayliff (50 free, 100 free) each won two individual
events and swam on two winning relays, and freshman Kali Muthersbaugh was victorious in the 100 butterfly.
The Hurricanes’ problem, however, was their second-tier swimmers couldn’t earn enough points to help Haven build a big enough lead.
The Eagles (2-1, 1-0 SL) placed second and third in both the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays, and took second, third and fourth places in the 200 freestyle, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle.
When you add in Emma Barrett and Emily Zehner’s 1-2 finish in diving — Schuylkill Haven didn’t have any divers — the Eagles outscored the Hurricanes in five of the first 10 events and tied in another.
With two events left, Blue Mountain led 78-72.
“If I could fill every event, and even stand the chance of getting a fifth in certain things, it would make my life so much easier,” Schuylkill Haven coach Sharon Wenrich said. “It’s hard for us. But I’m proud of them, because they are really pushing themselves hard.
“We have a lot of new kids on the team, so there’s a lot of work to be done yet. They’re getting better.”
Senior Rebecca Donohue led Blue Mountain’s efforts with second-place finishes in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle, while fellow seniors Jordan Gormley, JoJo Jacobson, Carleigh Bogotuik and Maddie Krause, junior Serena Reidler and freshmen Emily Laughlin and Sofia Pascuzzo contributed key points.
“Rebecca has been really swimming well,” Englert said. “I see it the most when she wants the team to win. She’s a team player and she motivates everybody.”
Blue Mountain then clinched the meet when sophomore Erica Donohue won the 100 breaststroke and senior Karissa Elser took third and Zehner was fourth. The Eagles put icing on the victory when the quartet of Jacobson, Bogotuik, Laughlin and Rebecca Donohue won the 400 freestyle relay.
“My breaststrokers really wanted it,” Englert said. “I knew what they had in the breaststroke and we could win big there.”
Under the Schuylkill League’s new format, the Eagles and Hurricanes will meet again.
“It’s very important, because we have to keep winning,” Englert said. “If I have kids getting their personal bests, and relay times that we’ve never had in the four years I’ve coached. ... They know if they come out of the water dead and they’re trying the best, they know the next time we play them we’ll get good competition and have better times.”
Mahanoy Area 108
Tamaqua 65
TAMAQUA — Raquel Burke won the 200 and 500 freestyles as the Golden Bears rolled to a Schuylkill League victory over the Blue Raiders.
Rebecca Kanaskie (200 IM, 100 breaststroke) was a double-winner for Tamaqua.
200 medley relay — 1. Tamaqua (Kanaskie, DeCindio, Stanek, Brickler) 2:05.39, 2. Mahanoy Area, 3. Mahanoy Area; 200 freestyle — 1. Burke (MA) 2:24.83, 2. Jeffries (MA), 3. P. Bernadyn (MA); 200 IM — 1. Kanaskie (T) 2:23.39, 2. Van Horn (MA), 3. Antanavage (MA); 50 freestyle — 1. P. Bernardyn (MA) 26.46, 2. DeCindio (T), 3. Brickler (T); Diving — 1. Rago (T) 137.65, 2. Troxell (T); 100 butterfly — 1. DeCindio (T) 1:07.83, 2. Antanavage (MA), 3. Knapp (MA); 100 freestyle — 1. Van Horn (MA) 1:06.78, 2. Brickler (T), 3. Stanek (T); 500 freestyle — 1. Burke (MA) 6:44.95, 2. Jeffries (MA), 3. Ansbach (MA); 200 freestyle relay — 1. Mahanoy Area (Antanavage, Van Horn, P. Bernardyn, N. Bernardyn) 1:54.22, 2. Tamaqua, 3. Mahanoy Area; 100 backstroke — 1. Stanek (T) 1:14.61, 2. Andrewcavage (MA), 3. Pitts (MA); 100 breaststroke — 1. Kanaskie (T) 1:12.62, 2. N. Bernardyn (MA), 3. P. Bernardyn (MA); 400 freestyle relay — 1. Mahanoy Area (Knapp, Pitts, Burke, Andrewcavage) 4:40.90, 2. Mahanoy Area
Boys’ Swimming
Blue Mountain 115
Schuylkill Haven 61
SCHUYLKILL HAVEN — Stephen Johnson (200 free, 100 free), Mark Boran (200 IM, 100 back) and Nathanael Marino (100 fly, 100 breast) each won two individual events and swam on two winning relays as the Eagles (3-0, 1-0 SL) remained unbeaten with a rout of the Hurricanes (0-2, 0-1).
Joey McLaughlin (50 free) and Lyle Luckenbill (diving) added individual wins for Blue Mountain, while Ian McGowan took first in the 500 freestyle for Schuylkill Haven.
Mahanoy Area 93
Tamaqua 48
TAMAQUA — Liam Mansell (200 IM, 100 backstroke) captured a pair of individual victories, pacing the Golden Bears’ victory over the Blue Raiders.
Ben Turrano (50 free, 100 butterfly) won a pair of events for Tamaqua.
200 medley relay — 1. Mahanoy Area (Mansell, Antolick, Boxter, Antalosky) 1:53.29; 200 freestyle — 1. Antolick (MA) 2:06.35, 2. Ramirez (T), 3. Antanavage (MA); 200 IM — 1. Mansell (MA) 2:24.44; 50 freestyle — 1. Turrano (T) 25.20, 2. Antalosky (MA), 3. Noon (MA); Diving — 1. Devlin (T) 170.80; 100 butterfly — 1. Turrano (T) 1:01.73, 2. Antolick (MA); 100 freestyle — 1. Antalosky (MA) 59.76, 2. Boxter (MA), 3. Letterhouse (T); 500 freestyle — 1. Ramirez (T) 6:41.27, 2. Noon (MA), 3. McKenzie (MA); 200 freestyle relay — 1. Mahanoy Area (Antolick, Noon, Antalosky, Mansell) 1:44.11, 2. Mahanoy Area, 3. Tamaqua; 100 backstroke — 1. Mansell (MA) 1:01.42, 2. Letterhouse (T), 3. Antanavage (MA); 100 breaststroke — 1. Boxter (MA) 1:12.81, 2. McKenzie (MA); 400 freestyle relay — 1. Tamaqua (Turrano, Ramirez, Letterhouse, Castagna) 5:03.86, 2. Mahanoy Area
Meet Summaries
GIRLS
Blue Mountain 99, Schuylkill Haven 81
200 medley relay — 1. Schuylkill Haven (Adams, Reber, Zimmerman, Muthersbaugh) 2:04.88, 2. Blue Mountain, 3. Blue Mountain
200 freestyle — 1. Zimmerman (SH) 2:06.73, 2. R. Donohue (BM), 3. M. Krause (BM), 4. Laubenstine (BM), 5. Irwin (SH)
200 IM — 1. Adams (SH) 2:29.21, 2. Felty (SH), 3. Bogotuik (BM), 4. Pascuzzo (BM), 5. Muthersbaugh (SH)
50 freestyle — 1. Bayliff (SH) 27.32, 2. Gormley (BM), 3. Reidler (BM), 4. G. Krause (BM), 5. Strouphauer (SH)
Diving — 1. Barrett (BM) 137.10, 2. Zehner (BM)
100 butterfly — 1. Muthersbaugh (SH) 1:12.67, 2. Jacobson (BM), 3. Laughlin (BM), 4. Bogotuik (BM), 5. Scott (SH)
100 freestyle — 1. Bayliff (SH) 1:01.45, 2. Pascuzzo (BM), 3. Gormley (BM), 4. Reber (SH), 5. G. Krause (BM)
500 freestyle — 1. Zimmerman (SH) 5:44.72, 2. R. Donohue (BM), 3. M. Krause (BM), 4. Freeman (BM), 5. Palladino (SH)
200 freestyle relay — 1. Schuylkill Haven (Bayliff, Felty, Zimmerman, Adams) 1:46.99, 2. Blue Mountain, 3. Blue Mountain
100 backstroke — 1. Adams (SH) 1:06.77, 2. Reidler (BM), 3. Jacobson (BM), 4. Ditzler (SH), 5. Irwin (SH)
100 breaststroke — 1. E. Donohue (BM) 1:16.16, 2. Felty (SH), 3. Elser (BM), 4. Zehner (BM), 5. Reber (SH)
400 freestyle relay — 1. Blue Mountain (Jacobson, Bogotuik, Laughlin, R. Donohue) 4:08.72, 2. Schuylkill Haven, 3. Blue Mountain
BOYS
Blue Mountain 115, Schuylkill Haven 60
200 medley relay — 1. Blue Mountain (Boran, Marino, Johnson, McLaughlin) 1:52.14, 2. Blue Mountain
200 freestyle — 1. Johnson (BM) 2:02.08, 2. McGowan (SH), 3. Pothering (SH), 4. Usaka (BM), 5. Semanco (SH)
200 IM — 1. Boran (BM) 2:12.22, 2. Wessner (BM), 3. Romberger (SH), 4. Wilson (BM)
50 freestyle — 1. McLaughlin (BM) 25.06, 2. Raymond (SH), 3. S. Brennan (SH), 4. Boyer (BM), 5. Fortune (BM)
Diving — 1. Luckenbill (BM) 120.9, 2. Sham (BM)
100 butterfly — 1. Marino (BM) 56.62, 2. Raymond (SH), 3. Rakowsky (SH), 4. Wilson (BM)
100 freestyle — 1. Johnson (BM) 51.99, 2. S. Brennan (SH), 3. Yackenchick (BM), 4. J. Brennan (SH), 5. Pothering (SH)
500 freestyle — 1. McGowan (SH) 5:37.84, 2. Wessner (BM), 3. Hughes (BM), 4. Phillips (BM)
200 freestyle relay — 1. Blue Mountain (Marino, Johnson, Boran, McLaughlin) 1:34.81, 2. Schuylkill Haven, 3. Blue Mountain
100 backstroke — 1. Boran (BM) 59.25, 2. Rakowsky (SH), 3. Romberger (SH), 4. Boyer (BM), 5. Phillips (BM)
100 breaststroke — 1. Marino (BM) 1:05.76, 2. Yackenchick (BM), 3. Usuka (BM), 4. J. Brennan (SH), 5. Semanco (SH)
400 freestyle relay — 1. Schuylkill Haven (McGowan, Raymond, J. Brennan, S. Brennan) 3:55.28, 2. Blue Mountain, 3. Blue Mountain