Jersey Shore Girls Share All Star Swimming Title With Loyalsock

It seemed like business as usual for the Jersey Shore swimmers. They consistently fall behind in points only to utilize the final freestyle relays to save the day. This is how they operated during the dual meet season against the likes of Wellsboro and Loyalsock. It was no different for the girls in this year’s Bald Eagle Swim League All-Star meet. The Shore girls led in points the first 6 events after Taylor Fleming, Gabbie Moore, Olivia Edler, Sam Kennelley, and Kortnee Blair captured the 300 yard crescendo medley relay only to drop into second behind Loyalsock for the other 53 events. Event 60, however, was the final freestyle relay.

The girls entered that last relay down four points, 135-131. It was going to take a hard push by the girls in the 300 yard crescendo freestyle relay plus a little help from some friends in order to win the meet.

Shore’s 8-and-under Fleming led off the race by completing her 25 yards even with two other swimmers from Loyalsock and Wellsboro. This gave 10-and-under Emma Butzler a chance to create a large lead over the competition in the next 50 yards. The competition, however; started to reel in the next two Jersey Shore swimmers. Olivia Bellomo met up with Loyalsock’s 50 yard freestyle winner, Natalie Zicolello and Wellsboro’s 100 yard freestyle specialist Alexa Singer. Sapphire Naugle, representing the 14-and-under age group, lost additional ground to both Loyalsock and Wellsboro.
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Maddi Thompon, the anchor and representing the 15-and over girls, was now behind several body lengths before she was even off the block. She was up to the task, however; as she had found the racing lanes to her liking. Earlier in the meet, she had tied a 26 year-old All Star meet record by swimming 55.68 seconds in the 100 yard freestyle.

Maddi Thompson (right) stands with Kristi Hammaker (current strength and fitness coach for Lycoming College swimming) after tying her 26 year-old All-Star record in the 15-and over girls 100 yard freestyle.

The chase was on as Thompson swam furiously after both anchors of Loyalsock and Wellsboro. It took her 75 yards to pull even with both swimmers and the final 25 yards to pull out in front. The little help from friends came when Wellsboro out-touched Loyalsock by a second, securing a tie between the Shore girls and Loyalsock, 139-139.

Thompson would never have had the chance if her teammates did not contest every race. Many points were accumulated by first place finishes of 10-and-under Moore (25 yard freestyle, backstroke and butterfly) and Butzler (100 yard IM and 50 yard freestyle) and 15-and-over Danielle McPherson (100 yard IM and breaststroke) and Kennelley (50 yard butterfly).

It went beyond first place finishes as a total team effort was required to snatch every point possible. Jordon O’Connor beat out Williamsport’s 8-and-under Megan Bennett by 1/100 of a second to secure fourth place and three points. Her age group teammate Sadie Griswold finished a clean race and placed fourth in the 25 yard butterfly. Edler captured two thirds and eight points in the 100 yard IM and 50 yard backstroke while her teammate, Blair, in the next age group bracket secured a third place finish in the 100 yard freestyle.

For the girls, one other All-Star record needs to be changed as Butzler broke the 26 year-old 100 yard IM time of Amy Shebest from South Wiliamsport.

It was not a good evening for the boys as the only first place winner was Derek McPherson in the 100 yard freestyle. The boys came close in several events with second place finishes by Alex Butzler in the 8-and-under backstroke, 10-and-under John Duda in the 50 yard freestyle and 25 yard butterfly, 12-and-under Jacob Butzler in the 100 yard IM and 50 yard butterfly, and 14-and-under Tyler Sheets in the 50 yard backstroke. Three points were picked up each event by Tycen Whitman (8-and-under 25 yard butterfly), Luke Engel (12-and-under 50 yard backstroke) and Evan Moore (14-and under 50 yard butterfly and backstroke).

The opening crescendo medley relay of Tayven West, Duda, Cullen Berfield, Phil Rodo, and McPherson took fourth over the Williamsport Waves while the closing 300 yard freestyle relay of West, Dylan Fox, J.Butzler, McPherson, and Mac Thompson beat out Wellsboro for fourth place.