New Swimmers Make Waves For Jersey Shore

For some YMCA swimmers, it may take years to get to States, but for Jersey Shore’s Michael Panczyszyn and Zack Lehman it took just five months.  The first year swimmers, combined with veterans Luke Engel and Cody Schwoyer, participated in the 200 yard freestyle relay at Western PA YMCA District Championships at Chartiers Valley High School this past weekend in the boy’s 14-and-under age group.   Top nine relays move onto YMCA States at Penn State University on March  24. 

200 medley relay team of (left to right) Luke
Engel, Cody Schwoyer, Michael Panczyszyn,
 and Zack Lehman.

 “Michael wouldn’t even put his head in the water when he started the beginning of the swim season”, said Shore head coach Dave Keegan, “whereas Zack was doing it to just stay in shape for other sports.”   “Both progressed very nicely as the dual meet season wore on and they were improving to the very end “.

They entered the race seeded 10th but  the foursome were able to drop over five seconds to leapfrog over several higher seeds to finish in sixth place and earn a trip to the State Championship meet.   Schwoyer also qualified for the 100 yard backstroke.