BRADFORD –Clearfield’s Boy’s and Girl’s Swimming and Diving repeated District 9 League Championship success Friday night at the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford.
\”I think the entire team swam well,\” said head swimming coach Jackie Morrison. \”We had individual champions, which helped us out with team points. But, we had a lot of depth. We got a lot of seconds and top 12 finishes, which really helped us capture the team championship.\”
The boys captured six events and broke three pool records en route their championship crown.
Shay Flanagan led the way as a double winner for the Bisons. Flanagan took both the 200 and 500 freestyle events.
Flanagan shattered a UPB pool record in the 500 free.
Other individual champions were Brandon Boyer (100 backstroke) and Mark Krchnak (100 breaststroke).
The Bisons had three second place finishes including Krchnak (200 IM), Steven Williams (one meter dive) and Logan Shirey (100 fly).
John Bodle (200 IM and 100 fly), Tyler Shaw (one meter dive), Boyer (100 free), Brady Mulhollem (500 free), Chris Bodle (100 backstroke) and Shirey (100 breaststroke) took third.
However, the boys not only performed well individually, but also as a team in the relay events.
The relay team of Boyer, Krchnak, Shirey and Flanagan won the 200 medley, while Flanagan, Chris and John Bodle and Boyer took the 400 free.
Both performances broke UPB pool records.
In the 200 free relay, Krchnak, Chris and John Bodle and Shirey posted a second place finish.
\”The boys had a lot of depth,\” said Morrison of the boys‘ performances. \”There were events where we couldn’t get firsts, but were able to get seconds and thirds.\”
On the girl’s side, Clearfield won four events to overcome Bradford and win the team championship.
The Lady Bisons had three individual champions including Jennifer Williams (one meter dive), Carolyn Shurer (500 free) and Chelsey Dufour (100 backstroke).
Like Flanagan, Shurer set a new pool record with her performance in the 500 free.
Shurer (200 free), King (200 IM and 100 fly), Dufour (50 free) and Marisa Howell (100 free and backstroke) recorded second place finishes, while Allison White (100 breaststroke) took third.
\”I was pleased with all the seconds,\” said Morrison. \”They really dug in and swam well. We had eight second place finishes, including relays, out of 11 swim events. That’s really strong and shows a total team effort on my girl’s part.\”
Clearfield stole the 200 medley with the relay team of Dufour, White, King and Howell. The Lady Bisons notched second place finishes in both the 200 and 400 free.
\”The girls were fast, but I know they have faster times ahead of them,\” said Morrison of the girls’ performance. \”The key with the girls is for them to believe in themselves. It’s not their lack of effort, but a lack of confidence. There is no need to be when they train so hard. I told them all week that relays win championships. Relays are worth double an individual event. So, really, you have to place at least second. And to do that, you have to swim four strong not just one.\”
The Bisons are back in action March 2nd and 3rd at the District VI-IX Regional Swimming and Diving Championships.
Boys – Team Scores
1) Clearfield – 363
2) St. Marys 277
3) Bradford – 242
4) DuBois – 175
5) Brookville – 140
Girls – Team Scores
1) Clearfield – 357
2) Bradford – 319
3) St. Marys – 194
4) DuBois – 177
5) Brookville – 132