Courtney Harnish Takes Two at Pennsylvania AA States

Jul 18, 2015; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Courtney Harnish of the United States competes in the women's swimming 800m freestyle final during the 2015 Pan Am Games at Pan Am Aquatics UTS Centre and Field House. Mandatory Credit: Erich Schlegel-USA TODAY Sports

Photo Courtesy: Erich Schlegel/USA Today Sports Images

Agon is the proud sponsor of all high school coverage (recruiting, results, state championships, etc.) on SwimmingWorld.com. For more information about Agon, visit their website?AgonSwim.com.?National Records for High School Are Pending Application Verification.? Click Here to Learn More

Agon is the proud sponsor of all high school coverage (recruiting, results, state championships, etc.) on SwimmingWorld.com. For more information about Agon, visit their website AgonSwim.com.]

The Pennsylvania High School state championship began this weekend with the AA meet taking place across Thursday and Friday.

Girls

With a dominant 240 points Villa Maria Academy won the girls meet. Shady Side Academy finished second with 123 points.

West York’s Courtney Harnish set a 200 freestyle state record with her 1:44.73, improving on her own mark set in 2014. Eastern York’s Madison Nalls was second in 1:50.55 and Maddy Andrews of Quaker Valley finished third (1:51.41).

Harnish, a University of Georgia commit, also captured the 100 backstroke state title in 54.03. Kate Luft of Northern York touched in 56.51, just a tenth ahead of Schuykill Valley’s Marlee Rickert in 56.61.

Fairview opened the meet on Thursday night with a 200 medley relay win as the team of Cassidy Burns, Abby German, Lilly Myers, and Grace Kocjancic touched in 1:47.25. On their tail was Villa Maria Academy’s Kira Buchler, Katelyn Chick, Olivia Giampierto, and Maura McManus in 1:47.45.

Highlands’ senior Bailey Bonnett was dominant in the 200 IM with her 2:00.80. Freshman Abigail Doss from Shamokin finished second with a 2:02.82 while German was third in 2:03.76.

Bonnett later clocked a state record 1:00.84 in the 100 breaststroke. German (1:03.09) finished second.

Another senior, Taylor Petrak topped the 50 freestyle. The Ellwood swimmer swam a 22.94 ahead of a a pair of sophomores. Grove City’s Emma Wilson (23.79) and Donegal’s Jenna Park (23.82) both cracked 24 seconds.

Kyra Manson of Moravian Academy edged Clearfield’s Paige Mikesell 56.12 to 56.67 for the 100 butterfly title.

Giampietro, Nina Smith, Alexa Turco, and McManus out touched Shady Side Academy’s Ashley Azzarello, Heather Grune, Meredith Cummings, and Lindsey Grune 1:37.50 to 1:37.51 to win the 200 freestyle relay.

Petrak returned on Friday night to win the 100 freestyle in 50.42. Northgate’s Karen Siddoway was runner up with a 51.53.

After her runner up 200 IM, Doss posted a 4:50.46 in the 500 freestyle. Gwynedd Mercy’s Stephanie Szekely (4:55.98) and Quaker Valley’s Maddy Andrews (4:59.31) also broke five minutes.

Giampietro, Smith, Kaitlyn Agger, and McManus combined to win the 400 freestyle relay for Villa Maria Academy in 3:32.97.

Boys

Grove City won with 175 points. Cathedral Prep finished second with 161.5 points.

Gabe Castano of Allentown Central Catholic set a state record in the 50 freestyle with a 20.50, lowering the old mark by .07. Colin Gwiazdowski of Schuykill Valley touched second in 21.06, just ahead of Wyoming Seminary’s Stan Zaneski in 21.09.

Castano returned Friday night with a winning 44.78 100 freestyle. Salisbury senior Mahlon Reihman was runner up in 45.29.

The eventual team runner-ups clocked a 1:37.19 in the 200 medley relay with the team of Ethan Neff, Calvin Behm, Robbie Maholic, and Thomas Uht.

Reihman won the 200 freestyle in 1:39.38. Connor Killion was runner up in 1:40.72 for Lower Moreland.

Wyomissing’s Nathan Elzer was impressive in the 200 IM as the senior swam a 1:52.62. Fellow senior Jarod Anderson of Big Spring was second in 1:54.11. Wyoming Seminary’s Marcos Rico touched third (1:55.26).

Daniel Bonge cracked the 50 second barrier in the 100 butterfly with his 49.94. Just behind the Salisbury swimmer was Derry Area’s Zach Baum in 50.05.

Gove City claimed the meet’s second relay in dominant fashion. Marcus Swartfager, Rockwell Pokrant, Devin Reynolds, and Will Rastatter posted a 1:24.77 to win the 200 freestyle relay.

The 500 freestyle was an incredibly tight race. Marian Catholic’s Danny Berlitz posted a 4:33.66, just .03 ahead of Springdale’s Kevin Kondrit in 4:33.69. Clearfield’s Luke Mikesell finished third (4:35.14).

Killion improved his 200 freestyle runner up placing with a 49.64 to win the 100 backstroke. Sead Niksic of Obama Academy was runner up (50.28) and Bishop McDevitt’s Josia Lauver (50.34) finished third.

Rico won the 100 breaststroke by over a second with his 57.00. Anderson was runner up in 58.08 and Collin Hurley of Springdale finished third (58.14).

Grove City’s Swartfager, Reynolds, Ben Mcknight, and Pokrant ended the meet with a winning 3:09.62 400 freestyle relay, just a tenth ahead of Salisbury’s Bonge, AJ Oliver, Ben Wiener, and Mahlon Reihman of Salisbury in 3:09.75.

Name*

Email*

Welcome to our community. We invite you to join our discussion. Our community guidelines are simple: be respectful and constructive, keep on topic, and support your fellow commenters. Commenting signifies that you agree to our Terms of Use