DISTRICT 3 SWIMMING: Chambersburg's Abby Stauffer, medley relay break school records

NEW KINGSTOWN >> For the second straight year, Chambersburg's Abby Stauffer had to settle for second place in the 200 individual medley race at the District 3 Swimming Championships, which were held Friday at Cumberland Valley H.S.

The consolation prizes were still pretty good, however – Stauffer's time of 2:03.22 broke her own school record set last year at states (2:03.89) and her finish qualified her for the PIAA Championships in two weeks.

"It was my best time, so I can't complain," Stauffer said. "You know it will always be difficult swimming against Vivi."

Hershey's Vivi Tafuto captured first place in 2:01.86, winning by about half a body length.

Chambersburg coach Donnie Miller said, "What's exciting is that Abby will get a chance to swim at states and bring her time down even more, because there were some areas she can improve in. Tafuto was ahead of her after the fly, but Abby had a faster backstroke and was leading at the 100 split. But Vivi is a state champion in the breaststroke and she got ahead again and maintained that lead through the freestyle."

Stauffer was also a part of the Trojans' 200 medley relay team that set a school record. The quartet of Lauren Ellis, Stauffer, Ashlyn Ellis and Karlee Metz finished 11th in 1:52.97, breaking the record of 1:53.10 set in 2000-01.

"I was so excited about that – it was my favorite part of the night," Stauffer said. "In this meet, everybody did really well today."

Miller said, "We came in seeded 13th, so we improved two spots and set a record."

Lauren Ellis also competed in the 200 freestyle and swam a time of 1:57.34, which was a personal best by about four seconds. She was seeded 19th and won her heat, and her time put her in 12th place.

"That was her first time under two minutes – that was a wonderful, fast swim," Miller said.

Chambersburg had one boy compete Friday. Chandler Desotelle placed 17th in the 200 freestyle, improving his seed by 12 places and posting a personal best (1:48.50) by over three seconds.

Trojan boys coach Chad White said, "That was a nice drop. He took it out a little faster than I wanted him to; the 100 split was almost as fast as his best 100 time."

Shippensburg's Maggie Morehouse (tie for 22nd in 200 free) was the only other area AAA competitor to compete Friday.

In Class AA boys, James Buchanan had five boys earn places – Clay Murray was 13th in the butterfly, John Sempowski took 14th in the 200 free, Rylan Jones was 15th in the 50 free, Noah Shank was 16th in the 200 IM and Nick Garbiinski was 20th in the fly.

Greencastle-Antrim's Megan Beam placed 16th in the girls' 50 free.

District 3 Swimming

at Cumberland Valley H.S.

Friday's Results

GIRLS CLASS AAA

200 medley relay — 1.Hershey, 1:45.37, 11.Chambersburg (Lauren Ellis, Abby Stauffer, Ashlyn Ellis, Karlee Metz), 1:52.97; 200 freestyle — 1.Allie Raab (Her) 1:49.91, 12.L.Ellis (Chbg) 1:57.34, 22.(tie) Maggie Morehouse (Ship) 1:59.81; 200 IM — 1.Vivi Tafuto (Her), 2:01.86, 2.Stauffer (Chbg) 2:03.22; 50 free — 1.Meredith Newman (Manheim Twp.) 23.27; 100 butterfly — 1.Kaley Buchanan (Her) 55.88; 200 free relay — 1.Hershey, 1:35.88.

BOYS CLASS AAA

200 medley relay — 1.Hershey, 1:33.65; 200 freestyle — 1.Vince Filippini (Muhlenberg) 1:39.11, 17.Chandler Desotelle (Chbg) 1:48.53; 200 IM — 1.Will Drexler (Her) 1:50.41; 50 free — 1.Tim Raab (Her) 20.83; 100 butterfly — 1.Spencer Hill (Dallastown) 49.94; 200 free relay — 1.Hershey, 1:24.19.

GIRLS CLASS AA

200 medley relay — 1.Schuyklill Valley, 1:49.59, 13.James Buchanan (Kayla Snider, Rachel Kimmel, Hailee Banks, Sarah Funk), 2:05.53; 200 freestyle — 1.Carson Gross (York Suburban) 1:50.39; 200 IM — 1.Samantha Schlegel (Twin Valley) 2:10.67; 50 free — 1.Sarah Wyant (Trinity) 24.52, 16.(tie) Megan Beam (Greencastle-Antrim) 26.25; 100 butterfly — 1.Alexis Glassmire (Sch. Valley) 59.22; 200 free relay — 1.York Suburban, 1:39.50, 15.James Buchanan (Funk, Hannah Stancliff, Lily Barnhart, Amanda Montgomery), 1:53.71.

BOYS CLASS AA

200 medley relay — 1.Wyomissing, 1:39.68, 12.James Buchanan (John Sempowski, Garrett Starr, Clay Murray, Rylan Jones), 1:48.33; 200 freestyle — 1.Teag Culver (Palmyra) 1:45.40, 14.Sempowski (JB) 1:55.15; 200 IM — 1.Matthew Daniel (Manheim Central) 1:54.82, 16.Noah Shank (JB) 2:13.50; 50 free — 1.Devon Chenot (West Perry) 21.50, 15.Jones (JB) 23.74; 100 butterfly — 1.Matt Spinello (York Sub) 51.51, 13.Murray (JB) 57.29, 20.Nick Garbinski (JB) 59.75; 200 free relay — 1.Boiling Springs, 1:28.36, 14.James Buchanan (Garbinski, Sam Collings, Starr, Jones), 1:42.01.