Wildcat swimmers end dual meet season with success in Altoona; Gugino sets new record
ALTOONA, PA – The Central Mountain swim teams travelled to Altoona recently, and ended their dual meet season with the same success that has followed them through most of the year. The boys’ team again went 4-for-4, winning every event they swam, while the girls’ team came out on top with a final score of 93-72.
The night was highlighted by a record-setting swim by Leisher Gugino in the 100 Breaststroke. Gugino touched the wall in 1:02.33, earning himself a place on the Central Mountain record board. He also won the 200 Freestyle earlier in the night. Teammate Parker Orndorf matched Gugino’s success by winning both the 100 Freestyle and the 100 Backstroke. Head Coach Scott Bair had nothing but praise for his boys’ team. “They can only swim 2 individual events per meet. Once again, they went 4-for-4 tonight. We have to consider that a ‘W’. We knew coming into the season that we wouldn’t be winning team score battles. It’s impossible against teams with 10 or 15 swimmers. But when they win every event they swim, I can’t ask for more from them.”
The girls’ team got out to an early lead, and then had to have some great swims in the second half of the meet to hold on for a 93-72 win. Maddie Bair, McKenna Fox, Ana Persun, and Hannah Brian started things off by recording their best swim of the season in the 200 Medley Relay, finishing in 2:02.00. That time not only won the event, it qualified the team to move on to next week’s District 6 Championship meet in State College. In the 200 Freestyle, it was a 1-2-3 finish by Persun, Autumn Garman, and Fox that added to the Wildcat lead. Hannah Brian cruised to a win in the 200 Individual Medley, followed by Bair out-touching the competition by 2/10 of a second to win the 50 Freestyle. The Wildcats went into the meet break with a commanding lead after Ana Persun took the 100 butterfly by almost 7 seconds.
The meet resumed with the girls’ 100 freestyle, where Morgan Brian fought back in the last 25 yards but was out-touched at the wall. Brian’s sprint to the finish did give her a personal best time of 1:03.50 in the 100 Free, good enough to send her to the D6 Championships next Friday. Hannah Brian then followed her sister’s fast swim with one of her own, taking the 500 Freestyle by almost 15 seconds. The Wildcat girls then sealed the win when they went 1-2 in the 200 Freestyle Relay, as the team of Bair, Morgan Brian, Hannah Brian, and Persun was followed into the wall by the team of Chrissy Smith, Haley Burrows, Eva Jones, and Jocelyn Sproat.
“What a great season!” reflected Assistant Coach Carole Matheny. “We knew we had a great group of seasoned swimmers coming back, but numbers were low. We had to rely on the younger girls to come through with team points. We’re very happy with the improvement they have shown throughout the season, and we’re looking forward to having them back next year.”
While the daily drive to Renovo for practice might be over for some, Coach Bair and members of the team who have qualifying times will be making the drive for at least one more week as they continue to prepare for the District 6 Championship meet in State College this Friday.
