Lock Haven and Wellsboro Write-Up

If the Jersey Shore team heading up to Wellsboro this past Tuesday were a boat, it would have been springing leaks all over the place.  Twenty-six swimmers could not make the trip and Shore’s head coach, Lee Thompson, was busy moving swimmers around to try and prevent the ‘boat’ from sinking.   Having watched Wellsboro’s best swim at the All-Star meet days earlier, Thompson tried to plug the empty holes and have a competitive line-up.   It was a strategy that almost worked but ultimately came up short in a 6-4 loss.

As the meet progressed, Wellsboro was handling the 8, 10, and-12-and under boys, 10-and-under girls, and 15-and-over boys.  Jersey Shore on the other hand was easily managing the 8 and 12-and-under girls, 14-and-over boys, and the 15-and-over girls.  The group that was fighting it out for control of the meet was the 14-and-under girls.  A Shore win would secure a tie for Jersey Shore and place them atop of the Bald Eagle Swim League standing (Wellsboro already had a tie with Loyalsock).   A Wellsboro win in this event would give them the regular season league team title.

The group started off on a strong note as Sapphire Naugle, Emma Butzler, Courtney Breon, and Olivia Bellomo won the 200 medley relay.  Although Wellsboro won the next event, the 50 freestyle, Breon and Naugle were able to go 2-3.  Butzler and Breon went on to capture the next 4 of 5 individual events.  But they couldn’t shake the competition as Wellsboro consistently placed 2nd and 3rd throughout the evening.  In each instance, Shore was only to pick up one point over Wellsboro.  By the end of the individual competition, Shore’s 14-and-unders were up 33-31.  The lead didn’t hold up as Wellsboro was able to take first and second in the final relay and finish up with an age group win at 40-34.

Lock Haven’s Amy Shadle pulls up to the wall as Michelle Haftl dives in the water to start the butterfly in the 200 medley relay.

The very next night was a different story as Jersey Shore and the Lock Haven Loggerheads met up for a make-up meet (rained out the week before).  Although Lock Haven head coach Joel Blesh has one of the programs larger teams in recent history, they are still outmanned when matching up to Jersey Shore.

Shore’s 10-and-under girls had a strong showing in several events as they were able to secure all three top spots.  Taylor Fleming, Jordon O’Connor, and Sadie Griswold went 1-2-3 in the 25 free and a similar combination won the 50 free with O’Connor, Cheyenne Gansell, and Griswold.  A whole new set of teammates, Sam Keegan, Jessica Creveling, and Emma Schoonmaker, replicated the 1-2-3 finish in the 25 yard breaststroke.

15-and-over boys catch some air on the dive for the 50 yard freestyle.

Mac Thompson in the 15-and-over boys took two firsts in back-to-back events; 50 free and 100 yard IM.  His teammates, Ian Endresen, Jonathon Weaver, and Austin White were able to go 1-2-3 in the 100 yard breaststroke respectively.  Lock Haven’s Phil Rodo won the 100 yard backstroke.

Lock Haven’s Ciera Strouse finishes the opening freestyle leg of the 200 medley relay and watches teammate Amy Shadle dive in to start the breaststroke leg