The Academy Awards broke out at the District 3 Swimming Championships last Saturday at Cumberland Valley.
Unfortunately for the Gov. Mifflin girls swimming team, they now know how ‘La La Land’ feels.
In a surprising turn of events, the Mustangs were originally awarded the Class AAA team title, only to later learn a computer glitch did not properly tabulate one Hershey swimmer’s results. Those results added 18 points to Hershey’s total and swung the team race in the Trojans’ favor, 331-229.5.
The Mustangs only learned of the error while on the bus back to Shillington, according to reports.
Nevertheless, Gov. Mifflin swimmers turned in many outstanding performances during the two-day event.
On Friday, the Mustangs swept the relays with the team of Corinne McCurley, Rachel Johnson, Ava Enriquez, Courtney Hubric winning the 200 medley relay in 1:45.19. Courtney Hubric, Rebecca Brown, Emma Steckiel and Neena Gollub teamed to win the 200 freestyle relay (1:34.92).
On Saturday, GM made it 3-for-3 in relays with Ava Enriquez, Brown, Steckiel and McCurley taking the 400 free relay in 3:28.13.
Other AAA girls champions from Berks were Twin Valley’s Hannah Schlegel (500 freestyle), Muhlenberg’s Cameron Gring (200 IM and 100 backstroke), Wilson’s Sophia Appler (50 free) and Reading’s Elizabeth Gaspari (100 free).
Top 5 finishers in AAA earned automatic bids to the PIAA Championships.
Friday qualifiers included TV’s Schlegel (3rd in the 200 free), Mifflin’s Rachel Johnson (5th in 200 IM), Gaspari (50 free), GM’s Hubric (4th, 50 free), GM’s Brown (5th, 50 free), Enriquez (4th, 100 butterfly).
Saturday’s included the Mustangs’ Steckiel (2nd, 100 free), Appler (3rd, 100 free), Brown (4th, 100 free), Wilson’s Laura Rockett (4th, 500 free), Enriquez (5th, 500 free), Exeter’s Brooke Bollinger (4th, 100 breast) and Johnson (5th, 100 breast).
AAA Boys
The Wilson boys won the AAA team title in less controversial fashion.
Wilson won just one event, the 200 free relay thanks to Harrison Hunsberger, Caleb Eberly, Malachi Eberly and Jack Werner, but still ran away with the team title with 186, well ahead of Warwick (136.5).
Exeter’s Matt Feryo qualified for states in the 500 free with a silver finish and the 200 free (3rd).
Gov. Mifflin’s Aiden McCurley was a state qualifier in the 200 free on time.
Class AA
Schuylkill Valley won the team championship as Marlee Rickert was a part of three golden performances, including an individual win in the 100 freestyle (51.82).
Rickert, Rachel Rehrig, Mikala Persky and Emily Van Der Sleen teamed to win the 200 medley relay (1:49.03); later Friday, Emily Griesemer, Van Der Sleen, Lauren Hart and Rickert won the 200 free relay (1:38.43).
Persky qualified to the PIAA Championships as time qualifier in the 50 free and 100 back. Teammate Sally Francis made states in the 500 free. Brandywine’s Skylar Strunk qualified in the 50 free.
On the boys side, SV’s Colin Gwiazdowski won the 50 free in 21.20.
Dawson Mohl was a time qualifier for states in the 200 free and 500 free.
West York standout Courtney Harnish set a new District 3 record in the AA 100 freestyle with a 54.95 while Big Spring’s Jarod Anderson’s 57.91 broke the district record in the AA boys’ 100 breaststroke.
