Local Sports

First-year swim coach gets to see Tigers earn sweep

By John Hartsock

jhartsock@altoonamirror.com

HOLLIDAYSBURG ­-- Emma Rubritz is a New Jersey native who is in her first season as the head boys and girls swimming coach at Hollidaysburg Area High School, and she admits to still learning the ropes as far as employing strategy in meets is concerned.

"It's a little different here,'' Rubritz said. "A lot is strategic in meets, and is about putting swimmers in competitions that are not necessarily their favorite or best events, but where they can score points for your team.''

A case in point Monday night, Rubritz said, was Hollidaysburg junior Andrew Shanafelt, who customarily competes in the 200 freestyle for the Golden Tigers, but was switched to the 100 butterfly.

Shanafelt won the 100 butterfly in 1:06.02, and also captured the 500 freestyle in 5:41.81 for the Hollidaysburg boys team ­-- which also got a double-victory individual performance from freshman Kaden Henderson in both the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke -- as the Golden Tigers carved out an 82-70 win over archrival Altoona at the Hollidaysburg Area Senior High School pool.

The Hollidaysburg girls won more handily, 117-51, leaving both Hollidaysburg teams with identical overall season records of 10-3.

"Our boys and girls teams were both really excited about competing against their rivals from Altoona,'' Rubritz said. "And both our boys and girls teams were really impressive tonight, and put up a lot of good wins.''

Shanafelt and Henderson -- who won the 200 IM in 2:08.54 and the 100 breaststroke in 1:06.50 -- led the Hollidaysburg boys to victory.

"It's only the second time I've done the (100 butter) fly,'' Shanafelt said. "I'm pretty happy with my time. I was hoping for a 1:05 finish but I got a 1:06.''

Shanfelt also set a personal record with his time of 5:41.81 in the 500 freestyle.

"I had a P.R. by three seconds in the 500,'' Shanafelt said. "It felt good to help the team out.''

Shanafelt and Henderson were also part of the Golden Tigers' victorious 200 medley relay team with seniors Christopher Shilaos and Maxwell Baronner that took first place in that event with a time of 1:49.78.

The same four swimmers comprised the winning 200 free relay team, which registered a time of 1:40.18.

Baronner also won the 50 freestyle in 24.93, and Shilaos also won the 100 freestyle in 57.61 for Hollidaysburg.

The Altoona boys got individual first-place efforts from senior Christopher Fox in the 100 freestyle, with a time of 2:06.78, and junior Trevor Wilson in the 100 backstroke, with a time of 59.67.

Altoona's 400 boys free relay team of freshmen Seth Beere and Zakaria Streightiff, along with junior Seth Goheen and senior Bruce Gurganus, won that event with a time of 4:35.37.

"The boys team was very good tonight, they gave it their all,'' Altoona coach Nanette Cummings said. "Trevor Wilson and Chris Fox are extremely hard workers who give it their all every time they're in the water.''

Led by sophomore Kara Neeley and freshman Jacqueline Bevan, the Hollidaysburg girls breezed to victory.

Neeley won the 500 freestyle in 6:15.09 and also competed on Hollidaysburg's winning 200 medley and 400 free relay teams, which took first places in respective times of 2:07.76 and 4:15.35.

Bevan won the 200 individual medley in 2:38.48 and was on both the 200 medley and 400 free relay teams.

Hollidaysburg sophomore Bailey Henry won the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:25.37 and also participated on the winning 200 free relay team, which posted a winning time of 1:54.92.

Other individual winners for the Hollidaysburg girls squad included seniors Ryann Pope, who won the 50 freestyle in 30.24, and Cecelia Williams, who won the 100 backstroke in 1:13.91.

Altoona senior Alexis Fraundorfer won the 100 breaststroke in 1:17.18.

"She's a hard worker who deserves everything she gets,'' Cummings said of Fraundorfer.

Both Hollidaysburg teams, but especially the girls squad, showed superior depth Monday.

"I'm really excited with how everybody did tonight,'' Rubritz said.

"Being from New Jersey, I hadn't been familiar with the rivalries around here,'' Rubritz added. "But it's pretty fun to be part of this rivalry that spans multiple sports and has spanned multiple generations.''

BOYS

Hollidaysburg 82, Altoona 70

200 medley relay: 1, Hollidaysburg (Shilaos, Henderson, Baronner, Shanefelt), 1:49.78. 2, Altoona, 2:01.14. 3, Hollidaysburg, 2:27.17.

200 freestyle: 1, C. Fox, A, 2:06.78. 2, Baronner, H, 2:07.27. 3, Beere, A, 2:27.

200 IM: 1, Henderson, H, 2:08.54. 2, Wilson, A, 2:14.09. 3, Gurganus, A, 2:52.60.

50 freestyle: 1, Baronner, H, 24.93. 2, Webster, A, 27.42. 3, Myers, A, 28.48.

100 butterfly: 1, Shanefelt, H, 1:06.02. 2, Myers, A, 1:14.21. 3, Geesey, H, 1:14.92.

100 freestyle: 1, Shilaos, H, 57.61. 2, C. Fox, A, 58.99. 3, Beere, A, 1:08.01.

500 freestyle: 1, Shanefelt, H, 5:41.81. 2, Webster, A, 5:54.18. 3, Goheen, A, 6:51.73.

200 free relay: 1, Hollidaysburg (Baronner, Shilaos, Shanefelt, Henderson), 1:40.18. 2, Altoona, 1:49.90.

100 backstroke: 1, Wilson, A, 59.67. 2, Shilaos, H, 1:02.26. 3, Gurganus, H, 1:16.14.

100 breaststroke: 1, Henderson, H, 1:06.50. 2, Goheen, A, 1:27.48. 3, Diaz, H, 1:35.68.

400 free relay: 1, Altoona (Beere, Streightiff, Goheen, Gurganus), 4:35.37. 2, Hollidaysburg, 4:37.84.

GIRLS

Hollidaysburg 117, Altoona 51

200 medley relay: 1, Hollidaysburg (Kara Neeley, Dahal, Dick, Bevan), 2:07.76. 2, Hollidaysburg, 2:21.40. 3, Altoona, 2:22.01.

200 freestyle: 1, Henry, H, 2:25.37. 2, A. Fox, A, 2:38.18. 3, Amell, H, 2:41.37.

200 IM: 1, Bevan, H, 2:38.48. 2, Kaelyn Neeley, H, 2:46.17. 3, Price, A, 2:48.58.

50 freestyle: 1, Pope, H, 30.24. 2, Williams, H 31.56. 3, Luke, A, 34.88.

500 freestyle: 1, Kara Neeley, H, 6:15.09. 2, A. Fox, A, 7:08.71. 3, Seymour, H, 7:32.13.

200 free relay: 1, Hollidaysburg (Henry, Dougherty, Dick, Smith), 1:54.95. 2, Altoona, 2:03.05. 3, Hollidaysburg, 2:04.32.

100 backstroke: 1, Williams, H, 1:13.91. 2, Price, A, 1:19.75. 3, Leonard, H, 1:30.18.

100 breaststroke: 1, Fraundorfer, A, 1:17.18. 2, Dougherty, H, 1:25.12. 3, Dahal, H, 1:25.90.

400 free relay: 1, Hollidaysburg (Kara Neeley, Dahal, Bevan, Smith), 4:15.35. 2, Hollidaysburg, 4:57.28. 3, Hollidaysburg, 5:39.67.

Records: Hollidaysburg boys and girls are both 10-3. Altoona's records were unavailable.