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YAIAA sends 24 swimmers to states


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A total of 24 YAIAA swimmers and divers, and 10 relay teams, have qualified for the state swimming championships at Bucknell University.

Of those qualifiers, local swimmers posted top-eight seed times in 12 events.

Headlining the list is West York senior phenom Courtney Harnish, the University of Georgia commit who returns to Bucknell for a second time for one more shot at PIAA glory.

Harnish takes the top seed time into the 200 freestyle (nearly three full seconds faster than the next-closest entrant) and in the 100 backstroke. She'll also swim on the Bulldogs' 400 freestyle and 200 medley relays.

The last time Harnish competed at states, she came away with a pair of state gold medals and state records as a freshman in 2014. She still owns both of the records: the 500 freestyle (4:40.04), which she won't enter this time, and in the 200 free (1:45.91).

Harnish isn't the only local swimmer to hold multiple high seed times, though. Gettysburg's Jared Herr and Eastern York's Madison Nalls each hold a pair of top-eight seeds.

The meet will have a different look after Tuesday's wintry forecast forced the meet to be pushed back a day. The diving championships will be held the week of March 25-26, and the swimming championships will run on a condensed schedule with timed finals instead of preliminary races.

Here's a day-by-day look at the the key events to watch the championships, and a complete list of the York-Adams state qualifiers.

 

Thursday

Class 2A events: 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle, 200 IM, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle relay

Schedule: 4 p.m. girls' timed finals; 7:30 p.m. boys' timed finals

Key local events: Keep an eye on the girls' 200 freestyle, where West York's Harnish and Eastern York's Madison Nalls both have a good shot to bring home medals and where three other YAIAA swimmers have qualified (Suburban's Megan Hunt, Dover's Lindsay Brenneman and West York's Meghan French). The West York girls and the Suburban boys each hold the No. 8 seed entering the 200 medley relay, and will be looking to secure a spot in the finals. Suburban's Aidan Fryar takes the No. 4 seed into the 50 freestyle, as well. Gettysburg's Jared Herr is the sixth seed in the 200 free.

Friday

Class 2A events: 100 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 400 freestyle relay

Schedule: 10:45 a.m. girls' timed finals; 3:30 p.m. boys' timed finals

Key local events: West York's Harnish will have a shot at two more medals: individually in the 100 backstroke where she holds the top time, and with the Bulldogs' third-seeded 400 freestyle relay. Eastern's Nalls will get a second shot at a medal in the 500 free, where she's seeded sixth. And Gettysburg's Herr takes the No. 4 seed time into the 500 freestyle.

Saturday

Class 3A events: 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle, 200 IM, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle relay

Schedule: 3:15 p.m. girls' timed finals; 7 p.m. boys' timed finals

Key local events: Dallastown's Jacob Stoner holds the No. 2 seed in the 100 butterfly. He should also compete with the Wildcats' 200 free relay.

Sunday

Class 3A events: 100 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 400 freestyle relay

Schedule: 10:45 a.m. girls' timed finals; 3:30 p.m. boys' timed finals

Key local events: Stoner (100 free) and Logan Brockway (100 backstroke) will see action individually.

Full list of YAIAA qualifiers

Swimmers' seeds are listed in parentheses.

CLASS 2A

  • Biglerville: Sarah Hardy, 100 breaststroke (22nd)
  • Dover: Grace Beierschmitt, 50 freestyle (12th) and 100 freestyle (24th); Lindsay Brenneman, 500 freestyle (16th) and 200 freestyle (20th); girls' 200 freestyle relay (19th)
  • Eastern York: Madison Nalls 200 freestyle (third) and 500 freestyle (sixth)
  • Gettysburg: Jared Herr, 500 freestyle (fourth) and 200 freestyle (sixth); Nico DeAngelo II, 100 freestyle (15th) and 100 butterfly (19th); boys' 400 freestyle relay (18th)
  • Susquehannock: Justin Reed, 100 butterfly (14th); Logan McFadden, 500 freestyle (11th) and 200 IM (17th)
  • West York: Erica Sarver, diving (first); Courtney Harnish, 200 freestyle (first) and 100 backstroke (first); girls' 400 freestyle relay (third); girls' 200 medley relay (eighth); Meghan French, 500 freestyle (11th) and 200 freestyle (26th); Tesia Thomas, 50 freestyle (18th); Claudia Keller, 200 IM (21st)
  • York Catholic: Jessie McMurray, 100 breaststroke (12th); Claire Laux, 500 freestyle (26th); Miles Cox, 100 butterfly (15th)  and 100 backstroke (15th) 
  • York Suburban: Aidan Fryar, 50 freestyle (fourth) and 100 freestyle (20th); boys' 200 medley relay (eighth); girls' 200 freestyle relay (11th); boys' 400 freestyle relay (12th); girls' 200 medley relay (14th); girls' 400 freestyle relay (20th); Megan Hunt, 100 breaststroke (14th) and 200 freestyle (16th); Karl Schmittle, 100 butterfly (25th) and 100 freestyle (26th); Jenna Hufnagle, 100 butterfly (27th)

CLASS 3A

  • Central York: Garrett Sommer, diving (21st)
  • Dallastown: Jacob Stoner, 100 butterfly (2nd) and 100 freestyle (19th); Logan Brockway, 200 IM (ninth) and 100 backstroke (25th); boys' 200 freestyle relay (20th)
  • Northeastern: Drew Wilson, 200 freestyle (25th)