GameTimePA.com YAIAA girls' swimming all-stars for 2014-15
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Swimmer of the Year
Carson Gross
Carson Gross, York Suburban, jr.: An easy choice for top honors, Gross was the only YAIAA swimmer to earn a gold medal at the PIAA Class AA championships, where she won the 200 freestyle in 1:51.71.
Gross was also the District 3 AA champ in the 200 free and won a silver medal in the 500 free, the same event in which she placed seventh in the state. The junior also posted top-three times during the YAIAA season in five events.
Add in her work on the Trojans' relays teams, and her efforts that helped secure a District 3 Class AA team championship, and you have a full Swimmer of the Year resume. Gross swam on the district champion 400 free relay and the silver medalist 200 medley, teams that went on to place fourth and sixth, respectively, at the PIAA competition.
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All-Star Spotlight Q&A with Swimmer of the Year Carson Gross
Anna Hess
Jena Woods
Courtney Schaefer
Maelyn Elder
Erica Sarver
Jenna Hufnagle
Anna Schmittle
Erica Wise
Regan Chalk
Emily Jenkins
Taylor Hoover
Madie Devaney
Megan Hunt
Craig Brennan
First-team all-stars
Anna Hess, Dallastown, sr.: A solid backstroker who earned silver in the 100 back at the YAIAA championships, Hess finished ninth at the district meet in the event. Her value leading off Dallastown's medley relay was immeasurable. She was also on two other Wildcats relays — all of which were league champs.
Erica Wise, Dallastown, sr.: Wise reached states individually in the Class AAA 50 freestyle and as part of the Wildcats medley relay team. She earned a fifth-place medal in the sprint at districts. After improving so much over her career, with one more year she might have challenged Michele King's 10-year-old YAIAA 50 free record.
Jena Woods, Dallastown, so.: The youth of the three standout Wildcat relays, Woods posted one of the league's best breaststroke times during regular season and helped Dallastown to its 11th straight YAIAA regular season championship. She was also third in the league in the breaststroke.
Regan Chalk, New Oxford, sr.: Sure to go down as the best swimmer in school history, the YAIAA butterfly and backstroke champ finished a brilliant career with swims in both events at the state Class AAA meet. Chalk was a part of the Colonials group that was able to win a dual meet despite moving up to Division I this season.
Courtney Schaefer, Red Lion, sr.: One of the area's most complete swimmers, Schaefer ranked among the top three times in five events during the season. She won the 200 individual medley and was second in the 100 fly at the YAIAA championships. She closed her career by swimming the IM and 500 free at districts and states.
Emily Jenkins, Spring Grove, sr.: Jenkins became the first Rockets swimmer to make the state meet since her sister Allie did it 2010. Emily qualified in the IM after taking sixth at districts, and in the butterfly, taking fifth at districts, and she reached the PIAA preliminaries in both. Rockets coach Peggy Kile called Emily a tireless worker.
Maelyn Elder, West York, so.: The butterfly swimmer in the Bulldogs' medley relay that reached states after a fourth-place finish in AA districts, Elder had a terrific sophomore season. She took sixth in the IM at districts and was a difference maker for Division II's second-place squad.
Taylor Hoover, West York, jr.: Another versatile swimmer, the YAIAA 200 free champ placed second in the 100 free, before finishing fifth in districts in both of those events. She qualified for the PIAA meet in both, as well as on a pair of relays for the up-and-coming Bulldogs.
Erica Sarver, West York, so.: If we thought her 387.90 points while winning the District 3 Class AA diving championship was impressive, she topped that performance three weeks later with 411.20 to take home a bronze medal from the PIAA meet, only .10 away from silver. And she is only a sophomore.
Madie Devaney, York Suburban, jr.: A tenacious competitor, Devaney's sprinting earned her accolades after she won a district silver medal and trip to states in the 50 free. Devaney was key on relays for the district team champions, picking up three relay medals: two gold and one silver.
Jenna Hufnagle, York Suburban, so.: Not only a solid quarter of the medley relay, Hufnagle also earned a fifth-place medal in the 100 butterfly at districts, reaching the state meet in the process. An integral part of the YAIAA Division II and District 3 Class AA team champions, look for big things next season.
Megan Hunt, York Suburban, so.: The YAIAA champ in the 100 breaststroke took silver at the District 3 and seventh in the state. She also qualified for states in the 200 free and was a machine on the Trojans' relays, including anchoring the 400 free relay that won district gold and secured a district team championship.
Anna Schmittle, York Suburban, sr.: The "team mom," as Gross calls her, Schmittle was the quintessential leader for the district champs, in addition to being great in the water in individual and relay events. The bigger the meet, the faster Schmittle went, as indicated by her performance at the districts, where she won a 50 free bronze medal, plus 200 and 400 relay golds.
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Coach of the Year
Craig Brennan, York Suburban: After an unbeaten YAIAA Division II season, Brennan led a talented group to glory at the District 3 Class AA championships, where the Trojans took home the team title. Brennan and company continued their success at the PIAA meet, where Suburban placed third overall in the team standings — the top score posted by a public school.
Honorable mention
Central York: Carley Vaughn, Summer McIntyre. Dallastown: Mikaelie Gonzalez, Justina Thornley. Dover: Lindsay Brenneman, Maddi Hetrick. Gettysburg: Taylor Howery. Northeastern: Lindsey Pope. Red Lion: Jessica Sun, Amira Washington-Myers. South Western: Alison Sell. West York: Claudia Keller, Maddi Stoner. York Suburban: Cara Zortman, Keelie Walker.