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High school swimmers Conor McKeirnan, Nick Buckley and Colby Grubb all made it to the PIAA State Meet a year ago. Starting Friday, those three, plus a host of others, are hoping to accomplish the same thing again.
McKeirnan, a senior from Hollidaysburg, was a District 6 3A champion a year ago in the 200-yard freestyle and the 100 butterfly. He is the top seed this weekend in the 100 butterfly (52.94) and second in the 200 free (1:49.58).
"We are looking forward to an exciting meet," Hollidaysburg coach Deb Solomon said.
Also worth noting is that sophomore Parker Bayard, who will swim in the 100 backstroke, the 50 freestyle, and as part of the 200 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay, went to states last year as a member of the Tyrone Area High School swim team at the 2A level.
Huntingdon's Buckley -- a state champ last year -- and Grubb are returning state qualifiers who will be busy for the two-day event at Penn State University in the 2A competition. Buckley is seeded first in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle.
"I expect Nick to win both the 50 and 100 free and move on to states," Huntingdon coach Melanie Varner said. "It will be great to have a relay (team) or two to go along with him."
All three Huntingdon boys relay teams are seeded first: the medley team (Isaac Cummings, Jake Tanner, Jaymen Edwards and Andrew Cunningham); the 200 free relay (Edwards, Grubb, Cunningham, Buckley); and the 400 free relay (Cummings, Tanner, Grubb, Buckley).
For Altoona, coach Nanette Cummings has several top three seeds in 3A on her squad this season. Emma Fraundorfer, only a freshman, is seeded third in the 50 freestyle. The boys 400 freestyle relay team (Patryck Webster, Ryan Hopkins, Jacob Steinbugl, Jason Serbin, Brennen Dugan, Zion Weaver, Ben Neil) is seeded third.
"I think she will do very well at this meet as a freshman district qualifier," Cummings said of Fraundorfer. "I am looking forward to seeing how they do. We have had a lot of improvements this year. Overall, I am hoping for all of them to swim well, drop time and have a good meet."
Central has two swimmers competing at districts in the 2A field. Sophomore Jackson Jeffries is seeded second in the 50 freestyle (23.83), behind only Huntingdon's Buckley. He is also seeded second in the 100 freestyle (52.12) and again, second to only Buckley. Freshman Maia Jeffries is competing in the 100 breaststroke and 100 freestyle.
Tyrone has a trio of swimmers seeded in the top three in 2A.
Madison Coleman is first in the girls 500 free and second in the 100 free. Fiona McConnell is seeded third in the 100 breast. Matt Lenze is seeded second in the 100 breast.
"Both of these races are very tough and anything can happen in a 50 or a 100," Tyrone coach Tom Getz said of Coleman. "(Lenze) needs to swim his race and try to drop some time. Like the other races at districts, the top six are all pretty close and anything can happen."
Also in 2A, Central Cambria's Jensen Westrick is a No. 1 seed in the girls 100 freestyle and she is a No. 2 seed in the 200 freestyle.
On the boys side, there are several No. 2 and 3 seeds. CC's 200 free relay team of Cameron Lashinsky, Ian McMullen, Sam Swope and Seth Farabaugh is second, while the 400 free relay team of McMullen, Michael McCloskey, Isaac Haycisak and Farabaugh is a 3 seed. On their own, Farabaugh is seeded third in the 50 free and 100 free. Nathan Kuntz is seeded third in the 100 breaststroke.
Northern Cambria will look to Troy Paronish and Ethan Miller in 2A action on the boys side.
"Ethan is seeded ninth in the 100 freestyle. He has a great opportunity to move forward as the times in front of him are close," NC coach Michelle Paronish said. "Troy is seeded eighth in the 200 (IM) and fifth in the 100 breaststroke."
Cambria Heights has two girls seeded in the top three in 2A. Sarah Petry is third in the 100 backstroke, while Maddi Dzurko is seeded third in the 100 fly and 200 IM.
"Our goals all season have been the same … work hard and swim fast," Heights coach Ben Watt said. "I look for our swimmers to put up their best times of the season. Some of our swimmers should contend for a spot on the podium as well as our relay team."
ALTOONA
GIRLS
Kylie Focht (200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Gwyn Fox (200 free relay); Emma Fraundorfer (200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Julianna Kratzer (200 medley relay, 100 free, 400 free relay); Faith Milliron (200 medley relay, 100 fly); Makenna Murphy (200 medley relay, 100 back); Emily Neil (200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Allison Peterman (50 free, 100 free); Anatasia Slobodnik (200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Sonia Yost (200 medley relay, 100 back)
BOYS
Brennen Dugan (200 medley relay, 2000 free relay); Rusty Focht (200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Ryan Hopkins (200 free relay); Isaac Kratzer (200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Jared Markel (200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Ben Neil (200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Ethan Pacifico (200 medley relay, 400 free relay); Jason Serbin (200 medley relay, 400 free relay); Jacob Steinbugl (200 medley relay, 100 back); Zion Weaver (200 free, 400 free relay); Patryck Webster (200 free)
CAMBRIA HEIGHTS
GIRLS
Sarah Petry (100 free, 100 back); Maddi Dzurko (200 IM, 100 fly); McKenzie Watt (100 fly, 500 free); Abbey Kinney (50 free, 100 free); Lauren Farabaugh (200 free, 50 free)
BOYS
Sam Snyder (50 free, 100 free); Zach Dotts (200 free, 100 back); Elias Ball (200 free, 50 free); Rob Glass (100 free, 100 back)
CENTRAL CAMBRIA
GIRLS
Emily Keiper, Jerzey Hagen, Anna Dill, Cydney Forcellini, Stella Kuntz, Faith Wilson, Jenny Russell, Hayley Evans, Emma Schweitzer, Alyssa Link, Jensen Westrick, Laila Ashurst, Abbie George, Ava Monborne.
BOYS
Seth Farabaugh, Isaac Haycisak, Sam Swope, Nathan Kuntz, Michael McCloskey, Ian McMullen, Cameron Lashinsky, Corey Roberts, Ryan Trostle, Brandon Dick, Adam McGlynn, Jack Soyka, Jameson O'Brien, Aiden Wandel, Cody Roberts, Hunter McMullen
HOLLIDAYSBURG
GIRLS
Allison Black, Lauren Imler, Kathleen Tinker, Megan Dinges (200 medley relay); Taylor Hileman, Emma McCall, Mia LeCrone, Abby Frazier (200 medley relay alternates); Emmalee Claar (200 free); Sydney Imler (200 free); Allison Black (200 IM); Agnes Hoover (200 IM), Megan Dinges (50 free), Tinker (50 free), Frazier (50 free); LeCrone (100 fly), Lauren Imler (100 fly); Frazier, LeCrone, Hoover, Emma McCall (200 free relay); Hileman, Kelsey Lenhart, Averie Holtz, Lauren Imler (200 free relay alternates); Dinges (100 free); Holtz (100 free); Tinker (500 free); Hoover (500 free), Lily Evans (500 free); Allison Black (100 back); McCall (100 back); Claar (100 back); Lauren Imler (100 breast); Evans (100 breast); Lenhart (100 breast); Tinker, Holtz, Allison Black, Dinges (400 free relay); Hileman, Lenhart, Claar, Frazier (400 free relay alternates)
BOYS
Tyler Gnegy, Jerry Villalobos, James Roberts, Joey Grabill (200 medey relay); Braden O'Connor, Bryce Helmer, Brady Flynn, Mason Lowey (200 medley relay alternates); Conor McKeirnan (200 free); Grabill (200 free); Flynn (200 free); Gnegy (200 IM), Helmer (200 IM); Nick Helsel (50 free); Parker Bayard (50 free); McKeirnan (100 fly); Gnegy (100 fly); Roberts (100 fly); Nolen Tyndall (100 fly); McKeirnan, Roberts, Bayard, Helsel (200 free relay); Gnegy, Grabill, O'Connor, Flynn (200 free relay alternates); Helsel (100 free); Roberts (100 free); Grabill (100 free); O'Connor (100 free); Bayard (100 back); Flynn (100 back); O'Connor (100 breasst); Helmer (100 breast); Villalobos (100 breast); Lowey (100 breast); McKeirnan, Gnegy, Bayard, Helsel (400 free relay); Roberts, Grabill, O'Connor, Flynn (400 free relay alternates)
HUNTINGDON
GIRLS
Jordan Houck (100 fly, 100 breast); Sydney Houck (200 IM, 500 free); Aiden Kelsey (200 free); Norah McClain (500 free, 100 breast); Greta Staley (100 back); Mallory Woodward (200 IM; 100 back); Kelly Ardrey (200 free); Julia Zauzig (200 free; 100 fly); Woodward, Sydney Houck, Zauzig, Jordan Houck (medley relay); Carns, Staley, Ardrey, McClain (200 free relay); Sydney Houck, Zauzig, Jordan Houck, Woodward (400 free relay)
BOYS
Nick Buckley (50 free, 100 free); Madison Carns (50 free; 100 free); Malia Carns (50 free, 100 free); Isaac Cummings (100 fly, 100 back); Andrew Cunningham (50 free, 100 free); Jake Tanner (200 free, 500 free); Jaymen Edwards (50 free, 100 breast); Andrew Grubb (200 IM); Cummings, Tanner, Edwards, Cunningham (medley relay); Edwards, Grubb, Cunningham, Buckley (200 free relay); Cummings, Tanner, Grubb, Buckley), 400 free relay)
NORTHERN CAMBRIA
GIRLS
Rayna Buza (200 IM, 100 breast, 400 free relay, 200 medley relay); Taylor Onkst (200 medley relay, 100 free, 100 back, 400 free relay); Mya Onkst (200 medley relay, 50 free, 100 breast, 400 free relay); Regan Sheredy (200 medley relay, 50 free, 100 free; 400 free relay); Alyssa Delosh, 200 free; 200 free relay); Kayla Boring, 200 free, 200 free relay, 200 medley relay; 400 free relay); Allison Moriconi (200 free relay, 100 back, 200 medey relay, 400 free relay; Hannah Stafford (100 fly, 200 free relay); Alivia McCracken (200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay); Morgan Hassen (200 IM, 200 free relay, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay).
BOYS
Troy Paronish (200 medley relay, 200 IM, 100 breast, 400 free relay); Michael McCall (200 medley relay, 50 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay); Aaron Krug (200 medley relay, 50 free, 200 free relay, 100 back); Derek Stafford (200 free, 200 medley relay, 200 free relay, 400 free relay); Joe Pavelko (200 medley relay, 100 fly, 100 free, 400 free relay); Ethan Miller (200 free, 200 free relay, 100 free, 400 free relay); Ben Janosko (200 free relay, 100 back, 200 medley relay, 400 free relay)
TYRONE
GIRLS
Madison Coleman (50 free, 100 free, 20 medley relay, 200 free relay); Sarah E. Hoover (200 IM, 100 breast, 200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Mae Decker (100 free, 100 back, 200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Fiona McConnell (200 free, 100 breast, 200 medley relay, 200 free relay); Cate Baran (50 free, 100 back, 400 free relay); Victoria Reese (200 free, 100 back, 400 free relay); Sarah M. Hoover (100 fly, 400 free relay); Sarah Manna (50 free, 400 free relay)
BOYS
Matt Lenze (100 fly, 100 breast, 200 free relay, 400 free relay); Keegan Raabe (50 free, 100 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay); Hunter Gregg (200 free, 100 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay); Aiden McCracken (100 fly, 200 IM, 200 free relay, 400 free relay); Collin Yaudes ( (200 IM, 100 breast, 200 free relay, 400 free relay); Kamdon Bailor (200 free, 50 free)