Having meets on back-to-back days can be a grueling experience for high school swimmers.
A loss in the first one, however, can provide the motivation needed to excel in the second one.
That was the case Thursday for the Pottsville girls’ swim team.
After getting roughed up Wednesday in a showdown with Blue Mountain, the Tide rebounded less than 24 hours later to knock off Schuylkill Haven 98-82 in a key Schuylkill League dual meet at the Ned Hampford Natatorium.
Sarah Corse-Campion and Katie Deegan had clutch victories for Pottsville (5-2, 2-1 SL), which stays one game behind the unbeaten Eagles (6-1, 3-0) in the league standings.
“We were coming off a loss, so we just wanted to get back in the water and try to do everything we could to win this meet today, because we knew it was important,” said Deegan, a senior who won the 100 freestyle. “We were all tired, but we just pulled through as a team.”
Schuylkill Haven (2-3, 1-2), which lost 99-81 to Blue Mountain in the league opener Dec. 16, won eight of the 12 events but was hampered by a lack of depth.
Mary Zimmerman (200 free, 500 free), Taylor Felty (200 IM, 100 breaststroke) and Allison Adams (50 free, 100 back) were double-winners, while the Hurricanes captured the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays.
Pottsville, however, was able to stay with the Hurricanes in the early portion of the meet much in part to solid swims by several underclassmen.
The Crimson Tide placed 2-3 in the 200 medley relay, junior Madeline Consugar and freshman Laura Turnitza were 2-3 in the 200 freestyle and Deegan was second in the 50 freestyle.
When Gabrielle Hammer and Rachel Setlock finished 1-2 in diving — Schuylkill Haven didn’t have any divers — the meet was tied 36-36.
“Depth is killing us,” Schuylkill Haven coach Sharon Wenrich said. “I have good kids and they’re doing well, but I don’t have enough kids. It’s very disheartening.”
Corse-Campion, a sophomore, and freshman Jess Turnitza put Pottsville ahead to stay by finishing 1-2 in the 100 butterfly.
Deegan followed by beating Haven senior Elizabeth Bayliff to win the 100 freestyle in a personal-best 1:00.87, with teammate Megan Berdanier third and sophomore Rebecca Sites fifth. When Madeline Consugar, Michaela Zanis and Laura Turnitza placed 2-3-4 behind Zimmerman in the 500 freestyle, Pottsville had built a 66-54 lead.
“I respect Elizabeth. She’s a great swimmer and she’s been swimming a lot longer than I have,” Deegan said of the 100 freestyle. “We’ve been really working hard the past few weeks, and I think that helped me come out ahead in the race.
“That was my best time, and I just want to go ahead from there.”
Haven didn’t get any closer than eight points the rest of the way.
Corse-Campion and Jess Turnitza placed 2-3 in the backstroke, and juniors Taylor Young, Mykaihla Sternick and Paige Fellows finished 2-3-4 in the breaststroke.
Pottsville iced the victory when Deegan, Berdanier, Zanis and Corse-Campion captured the 400 freestyle relay.
“Our girls have really worked hard. This is the first year I’ve really seen them come together as a complete team and work together to get those second-, third- and fourth-place finishes,” Pottsville girls’ coach Greg Schuettler said.
“They knew coming in that once the (Blue Mountain) meet was moved that they would have two big meets back to back. Losing the tough one to Blue Mountain last night motivated them even more to go for it tonight.”
With the large amount of underclassmen on the Tide’s roster, Thursday was a major stepping stone in the rebuilding process of the Pottsville girls’ program.
Pottsville was 2-8 last year (1-4 in the league) and was 7-14 in the two seasons prior to this one. The last time Pottsville won a girls’ league title was 2010.
The Tide would have to knock off Blue Mountain and not stumble along the way to stake a claim at this year’s title. But just being in the title hunt is a major step forward.
“Last year was really rough,” Deegan said. “We didn’t have the strong seniors that we have this year. I feel like we’ve come a long way.
“Last year when we lost to Haven, it was devastating. For the seniors, that carried over to this year and had a lot to do with tonight.”
Boys’ Swimming
Pottsville 105
Schuylkill Haven 77
Michael Smerlick (200 IM), Josh Marx (50 free) and Tanner Steinhart (100 fly) each won an individual event and swam on a winning relay as the Crimson Tide (7-0, 3-0) remained unbeaten with a victory over the Hurricanes (2-3, 1-2).
Ian McGowan (200 free, 500 free) was a double-winner for Schuylkill Haven, while Sam Brennan (100 free), John Rakowsky (100 back) and Joe Brennan (100 breast) added victories.
GIRLS
Pottsville 98, Schuylkill Haven 82
200 freestyle relay — 1. Schuylkill Haven (Adams, Reber, Muthersbaugh, Zimmerman) 2:04.29, 2. Pottsville, 3. Pottsville
200 freestyle — 1. Zimmerman (SH) 2:08.16, 2. M. Consugar (P), 3. L. Turnitza (P), 4. Irwin (SH), 5. Scott (SH)
200 IM — 1. Felty (SH) 2:32.65, 2. Muthersbaugh (SH), 3. Young (P), 4. R. Consugar (P), 5. Balulis (P)
50 freestyle — 1. Adams (SH) 25.99, 2. Deegan (P), 3. Bayliff (SH), 4. Berdanier (P), 5. Fellows (P)
Diving — 1. Hammer (P) 167.10, 2. Setlock (P)
100 butterfly — 1. Corse-Campion (P) 1:08.56, 2. J. Turnitza (P), 3. Muthersbaugh (SH), 4. Scott (SH), 5. Lecher (P)
100 freestyle — 1. Deegan (P) 1:00.87, 2. Bayliff (SH), 3. Berdanier (P), 4. Reber (SH), 5. Sites (P)
500 freestyle — 1. Zimmerman (SH) 5:50.22, 2. M. Consugar (P), 3. Zanis (P), 4. L. Turnitza (P), 5. Palladino (SH)
200 freestyle relay — 1. Schuylkill Haven (Adams, Felty, Bayliff, Zimmerman) 1:47.65, 2. Pottsville, 3. Pottsville
100 backstroke — 1. Adams (SH) 1:04.34, 2. Corse-Campion (P), 3. J. Turnitza (P), 4. Ditzler (SH), 5. Irwin (SH)
100 breaststroke — 1. Felty (SH) 1:17.74, 2. Young (P), 3. Sternick (P), 4. Fellows (P), 5. Reber (SH)
400 freestyle relay — 1. Pottsville (Deegan, Berdanier, Zanis, Corse-Campion) 4:07.68, 2. Schuylkill Haven, 3. Pottsville
BOYS
Pottsville 105, Schuylkill Haven 77
200 freestyle relay — 1. Pottsville (Smerlick, Steinhart, J. Marx, Logothetides) 1:51.11, 2. Schuylkill Haven, 3. Pottsville
200 freestyle — 1. McGowan (SH) 1:59.26, 2. Botto (P), 3. Pothering (SH), 4. Ott (P), 5. Zelinsky (P)
200 IM — 1. Smerlick (P) 2:21.54, 2. Spece (P), 3. Raymond (SH), 4. Semanco (SH), 5. Wanser (P)
50 freestyle — 1. J. Marx (P) 23.77, 2. S. Brennan (SH), 3. Scanlan (P), 4. Howell (P), 5. Corby (SH)
Diving — 1. K. Brennan (P) 146.35, 2. Hossler (P), 3. Alisauckas (P)
100 butterfly — 1. Steinhart (P) 1:05.62, 2. Raymond (SH), 3. Wojciechowsky (P), 4. Rakowsky (SH)
100 freestyle — 1. S. Brennan (SH) 54.32, 2. Scanlan (P), 3. J. Brennan (SH), 4. Pothering (SH), 5. Welkie (P)
500 freestyle — 1. McGowan (SH) 5:31.84, 2. Kerby (P), 3. Romberger (SH), 4. Ott (P), 5. Zelinsky (P)
200 freestyle relay — 1. Pottsville (Botto, Smerlick, J. Marx, Scanlan) 1:37.86, 2. Schuylkill Haven, 3. Pottsville
100 backstroke — 1. Rakowsky (SH) 1:08.47, 2. Romberger (SH), 3. N. Marx (P), 4. J. Turnitza (P), 5. Corby (SH)
100 breaststroke — 1. J. Brennan (SH) 1:17.37, 2. Gonzalez (P), 3. Semanco (SH), 4. Kelly (P), 5. Bevan (P)
400 freestyle relay — 1. Pottsville (Steinhart, Botto, Logothetides, Kerby) 3:50.31, 2. Schuylkill Haven, 3. Pottsville