On Friday, Feb. 28 and Saturday, March 1, 11 girls and 6 boys represented Manheim Township’s swim team in the district meet at Cumberland Valley High School.
On Feb. 28, swimmers who qualified for 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 50 freestyle, 100 fly and 200 free relay competed in their respective races. On March 1, swimmers who qualified for 100 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke and 400 free relay competed in their respective races. Each individual event consisted of 32 swimmers seeded based on times, while each relay event consisted of 16 relays, also seeded based on time.
The girl’s team placed third overall through a combination of the points scored by both individual swimmers and relays.
Out of the 11 girls that competed, freshman Isabella Del Castillo, Delaney Connors and Rowan Yingst were the three freshmen who qualified for individual events. Del Castillo finished eighth in the 100 butterfly and ninth in the 100 backstroke. Connors placed 10th in 200 freestyle and dropped almost six seconds in the 500 freestyle, getting the seventh place podium position. Yingst competed in the 100 breaststroke and placed 21st.
Sophomores Adora Emuwa, Rain Davies and Sophia Panagopoulos also found success at the district meet. Emuwa placed third in the 50 free, securing a spot at states as 12th seed, and 12th in the 100 free. Davies swam both the 100 back and the 200 free, placing 27th in the 200 free. Panagopoulos placed 29th in the 500 free.
Cami Schwartz, the only junior girl to compete at districts for Township, placed sixth in the 200 individual medley, securing a spot at states as the 17th seed. She also competed in the 100 breaststroke where she placed second place and secured another spot at states as the 10th seed.
Seniors Emerson Mandrell, Adriana Anujin, Mariel Keares and Ayla Oldac also found success in their final district meets. Mandrell competed in the 50 free, placing 17th, along with Anujin, who placed 19th. Mandrell also swam in the 100 backstroke, tying for 15th place. Keares (16th) and Oldac (29th) both swam the 100 breaststroke.
There were three successful girl relays with members stretching across all grades. The 200 medley relay of Mandrell (backstroke), Schwartz (breastroke), Del Castillo (butterfly) and Emuwa (freestyle) placed third, breaking their team record again and securing them a spot at states as eighth seed. The 200 freestyle relay of Anujin, Connors, Mandrell, and Adora placed fourth, giving them a chance to compete atsStates as 16th seed. The 400 free relay of Del Castillo, Connors, Anujin and Schwartz placed fifth, missing a spot at states by seconds.
Two junior boys and four senior boys competed at districts. Junior Kent Sarsuelo placed 23rd in the 100 breaststroke and senior Cole Stevens placed sixth in the 200 freestyle. With his finish, Stevens earned a chance to compete as the 18th seed at states. He also swam the 100 backstroke, placing third, and another opportunity to go to states as 15th seed. Senior Brayden Pyott wrapped up his swim season with an 18th place finish in the 200 individual medley and eighth in 100 breaststroke. Bram Burge, another senior, competed in the 100 butterfly and placed 24th, while also competing in the 100 back where he placed 20th. Senior Jack Commerce also swam the 100 back where he placed 31st.
The boys went to districts with the 200 medley relay and 200 freestyle relay. The medley relay of Stevens (backstroke), Pyott (breaststroke), Burge (butterfly) and Commerce (freestyle) placed ninth and the freestyle relay of Cole Richards, Stevens, Pyott and Commerce placed 14th.
Seven Township swimmers (three in individual events and four in relays) will have the opportunity to compete at states Friday and Saturday at Bucknell University. Updates will be posted on the PIAA official website.
