Shore Swims Away With Numerous Titles at 2012 BESL Championships

Jersey Shore's 12-and-under girls dominated the local competition during the Bald Eagle Swim League's (BESL)dual meet season as the group has out-scored their age group opponents 292-65.  Looking at it from another angle, they placed first in all their individual events this summer swim season but one (29 out of 30).  That one sole miss came in a breaststroke dual where Wellsboro's Jillian Berguson out-touched Shore's Sam Keegan by 43/100s of a second.  The 2012 BESL Championships at the Jersey Shore Borough Pool brought the two together again in the final heat of the 50 yard breaststroke.  This time, Keegan was able to out-touch Berguson for first place by 22/100s of a second. 

Keegan's teammates left no room for anyone else in the 12-and-under  age group to take any of the individual events.  Emma Butzler won the 100 yard freestyle and individual medley and the 50 yard butterfly and Gabbie Moore captured the 50 yard backstroke and freestyle.  The three also came together, with teammate Kendra White, to win the 200 medley relay.

Jersey Shore's 15-and-over Zack Lehman takes a
glance at his competitor, Andy Heilmann of
 Loyalsock, in the 100 yard breaststroke.

Several other Jersey Shore swimmers won titles throughout the course of the day.   Wellsboro captured every event in the 10-and-under boys but the 25 yard backstroke and 50 yard freestyle, which were won by Shore's Alex Butzler. 

Luke Engle won narrowly, 41/100s of a second, over Wellsboro's Evan Bair in the 14-and-under 50 yard butterfly.    He also anchored the winning 200 yard freestyle relay of Max Mason, Michael Panczyszyn, and Cullen Berfield.

One of the closest races of the day took place with the 10-and-under girls 100 medley relay.  Jersey Shore's Isabella Hale, Isabelle Griswold, Taylor Fleming, and Jordan O'Connor were seeded second to Wellsboro but snagged the title by only 3/100s of a second.

The Lock Haven Loggerheads took third place in the Championship meet overall, which was their best finish in over a decade on the back of several successful swims.  Their whole day got off to a surprising start in the meet's first event where their 12-and-under boys were seeded over 30 seconds behind top seed Wellsboro.  The team of Thomas Cygan, William Logan, Jonas Tomalonis, and Jordy Sheets surged to a win by over  ten seconds in the 200 medley relay. 

It was a similar scenario for the Loggerheads 15-and-over boys where they were seeded behind both Loyalsock and Wellsboro.  The foursome of Jordan Suter, Josh Cram, Tyler Sheets, and Ben Jones dropped over five seconds to leap over the two top seeds in the 200 medley relay.  Cram went on to win the 100 yard breaststroke.

Jersey Shore's 15-and-over Alaniah Rosencrance
in the freestyle leg of her 100 yard individual medley.

The younger age groups also contributed to the team tally.  Lock Haven's 8-and-under boys 100 yard freestyle relay of Leisher Gugino, Simon Lins, Will Straley, and Owen Persun came from the number two slot to upend top seed Wellsboro.  Persun also won individual titles in the 25 yard freestyle and backstroke.

The on the girls side, the Loggerhead's 8-and-unders of Haley Shadle, Caitlyn Dale, Madison Bair, and Hannah Brian upset Jersey Shore to take the 100 yard medley relay.  Shadle, Emily Bartlett, Bair, and Brian finished off their day by dropping over  five seconds in the 100 yard freestyle relay and capturing the race over Wellsboro.  In between the two relays, Shadle captured the 25 yard backstroke.