Naturally, it was going to take a while before the top swimmers and divers started getting into some resemblance of what they expect from themselves.

They have all had to take a new approach to where  they are physically in the calendar because of the limited summer schedule, the reduced preseason and the shutdown in late December.

But as the yards start to get in for their training, we expect the stars to shine even more brightly. And last week, we had some really outstanding efforts. More on that in our results list below.

But first, congratulations to West Scranton junior Victoria Watkins. She set a school record last week with a six dive score of 250.25.

She has been a shooting star in diving since her freshman season. That’s when she burst upon the scene and won the Les Richards Championship gold and a silver at the District 2 Class 2A Championships.

Already, Watkins has scripted an impressive resume:

 

 

VICTORIA WATKINS | WEST SCRANTON

• 2020 ALL-REGION
• 2020 DISTRICT 2 CLASS 2A: Gold (399.20).
• 2020 LES RICHARDS: Gold (357.55).
• 2019 ALL-REGION
• 2019 DISTRICT 2 CLASS 2A: Silver (357.75).
• 2019 LES RICHARDS: Gold (357.15).

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

2021 STANDINGS

 

OK, we have completed several meets and some we have completed virtually, which is a really interesting concept that could be used more in the future when it appears both weather and pool availability become issues for schedule makers. Kudos to Scott Gower, LIAA Swim President, for implementing the process and Scranton coach Dave Drouse for gathering and exporting the data.

Here is what the standings look like after the first full week of competition.

 

 

NOTES

• Scranton Prep Classics have won 39 straight dual meets in the Lackawanna League.
• Valley View Cougars girls team has won 11 straight dual meets.
• Delaware Valley Warriors boys are 106-2 since the Lackawanna League formed in 2007.

 

 

A LOOK AHEAD

 

Clearly, weather is going to play a factor this week. A major snow storm is crippling the area, and why not? What else do these athletes have to endure?

This, again, will create a jammed calendar as we navigate toward the postseason.

 

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 1

HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING

Valley View at West Scranton — PPD TO FEB. 3

Dunmore at Elk Lake — PPD TO TBA

Dunmore vs. Valley View (virtual) — PPD TO TBA

 

TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 2

HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING

Delaware Valley at Scranton

 

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 3

HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING

Holy Cross at Abington Heights

Valley View at West Scranton

 

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4

HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING

Wallenpaupack at Delaware Valley

Dunmore at West Scranton

Wallenpaupack vs. Dunmore (virtual)

 

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5

HIGH SCHOOL SWIMMING

Scranton at West Scranton

Elk Lake at Abington Heights

 

 

---

 

 

 

 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

 

If you didn’t already, please check out this week’s feature on Carbondale Area’s Maddie Borders.

 

 

 

 

No Limits

Maddie Borders never shies away from a challenge.
Whether it’s swimming the choppy waters of Crystal Lake, racing in pools or on tracks, biking or running, or even climbing a massive volcano shield mountain in Hawaii, the Carbondale Area sophomore pushes herself and refuses to give in to limits.
A multi-sport athlete, Borders is a swimmer in the Lackawanna League who carries into her meets a competitive spirit and fearlessness she developed through training for triathlons and a half marathon.
“Once you touch the pad after a swimming race and cross the finish line in a triathlon, you are so proud of yourself and you feel like you accomplished something so great,” Borders, 16, said. “You feel like you are on top of the world. You feel like you can do anything.”

CLICK TO READ ENTIRE FEATURE

 

WINNING TIMES

 

Again, we are tracking the winning times in races from dual meets held this week.

 

GIRLS

200 Medley Relay
Scranton Prep 1:57.69
Valley View (Jervis, Chiricos, O’Leary, M. Hubal) 2:01.71
Delaware Valley (Weinreb, Ristaino, Hartmann, L. Fuchs) 2:05.47
Wallenpaupack (Fago, Keane, Peppiatt, Ezra) 2:16.38
Wallenpaupack (Kreiter, Keane, Fago, Ezra) 2:23.16

200 Free
Lauren Schofield (SP) 2:06.75
Abby Brock (AH) 2:10.05
Molly Kawash (LAK) 2:15.74
Aubrey Mangan (WS) 2:16.09
Della Noon (VV) 2:19.5
Grace Peppiatt (WAL) 2:21.92

200 IM
Lily Nemeth (VV) 2:25.02
Hope Gilgallon (NP) 2:29.75
Olivia Turner Havira (SP) 2:27.07
Victoria Corcoran (DV) 2:31.77
Grace Peppiatt (WAL) 2:36.16
Sophie Petraitis (SCR) 2:53.49

50 Free
Molly Hubal (VV) 26.16
Carly Schofield (SP) 27.02
Maddie Borders (CAR) 27.33
Sierra Hartmann (DV) 27.37
Kaylee Butler (SCR) 29.13
Abby Ezra (WAL) 30.7

Diving
Victoria Watkins (WS) 250.25 — PA No. 11 (paswimming.com)
Victoria Willson (DV) 149.65
Dalia Ofalt (EL) 149.05

100 Fly
Sierra Hartmann (DV) 1:05.24
Camdyn Jervis (VV) 1:07.85
Grace Peppiatt (WAL) 1:11.72
Grace Peppiatt (WAL) 1:11.78
Taylor Newton (SP) 1:13.72
Molly Kawash (LAK) 1:15.49

100 Free
Lily Nemeth (VV) 57.18
Mackenzie Cross (SP) 59.83
Julia Weinreb (DV) 1:00.54
Maddie Borders (CAR) 1:01.72
Rachel Keane (WAL) 1:10.75
Gabriella Pessenti (WAL) 1:12.27

500 Free
Molly Hubal (VV) 5:51.55
Ava Forgione (SP) 5:57.49
Madison O’Donnell (LAK) 6:14.23
Kaylee Butler (SCR) 6:26.83
Kaitlyn O’Connell (DV) 6:32.39
Kirsten Kreiter (WAL) 6:42.6

200 Free Relay
Scranton Prep (Iriza, Turner Havira, Mangan, C. Schofield) 1:46.53
Valley View (Nemeth, Noon, Chiricos, M. Hubal) 1:48.05
Delaware Valley (Corcoran, Lee, Ruiz, Hartmann) 1:53.19
Wallenpaupack (Keane, Passenti, Karp, Peppiatt) 2:07.15
Wallenpaupack 2:15.3

100 Back
Lauren Schofield (SP) 1:03.25
Camdyn Jervis (VV) 1:06.79
Julia Weinreb (DV) 1:09.4
Madison O’Donnell (LAK) 1:10.60
Kirsten Kreiter (WAL) 1:21.46
Ellen Fago (WAL) 1:22.74

100 Breast
Nicole Iriza (SP) 1:12.86
Abby Brock (AH) 1:13.28
Nicole Chiricos (VV) 1:16.69
Aubrey Mangan (WS) 1:21.58
Hope Gilgallon (NP) 1:22.75
Sophie Petraitis (SCR) 1:28.12

400 Free Relay
Scranton Prep 3:56.93
Valley View (Nemeth, Jervis, O’Leary, Noon) 4:10.52
Delaware Valley (Weinreb, L. Fuchs, O’Connell, Corcoran) 4:14.96
West Scranton (Ratchford, Watkins, Gallagher, Mangan) 4:39.19
Wallenpaupack (Kreiter, McShane, Karp, Peppiatt) 4:58.76

BOYS

200 Medley Relay
Delaware Valley (Holderith, Naturale, Dong, Ciralli) 1:50.49
Scranton Prep 1:51.74
Elk Lake (Noldy, Shields, Grosvenor, Lincoln) 1:56.6
Wallenpaupack (Keane, Remelgado, Celona, H. Vargo) 2:00:72
Wallenpaupack (Keane, Remelgado, Celona, H. Vargo) 2:04.9

200 Free
Lucas Santiago (DV) 1:54.86
Ethan Haggerty (SP) 2:03.55
Aaron Fontanella (VV) 2:16.79
Brendan Creamer (WAL) 2:17.24
Brendan Creamer (WAL) 2:18.61

200 IM
Robert Holderith (DV) 2:19.39
Nico Spataro (LAK) 2:23.66
Liam Ong (SP) 2:24.85
Hunter Vargo (WAL) 2:25.96
Quinn Grosvenor (EL) 2:31.47
Patrick Remelgado (WAL) 2:43.44

50 Free
Peter Kawash (LAK) 22.41
Evan Dong (DV) 23.32
Hunter Vargo (WAL) 23.53
Kevin Noldy (EL) 23.7
Gordon Kopa (SP) 26.18
David Day (DUN) 27.26
John Keane (WAL) 27.71

Diving
Jacob Wenzel (DV) 166.05

100 Fly
Evan Dong (DV) 1:01.09
Quinn Grosvenor (EL) 1:02.34
Nathan Micknick (LAK) 1:02.80
Corey Mayer (SCR) 1:06.31
Benjamin Galko (SP) 1:06.56
Anthony Celona (WAL) 1:13.27

100 Free
Nathan Thayer (SP) 51.44
Kevin Noldy (EL) 53.08
Hunter Vargo (WAL) 53.25
Kevin Guditus (AH) 54.41
Nico Spataro (LAK) 55.60
John Keane (WAL) 1:02.39
David Day (DUN) 1:07.01

500 Free
Ethan Haggerty (SP) 5:36.39
Robert Holderith (DV) 5:38.19
Ashton Dainty (SCR) 6:24.95
Joe Ferrero (WAL) 6:45.1
Mitchell Delano (EL) 6:50.64

200 Free Relay
Delaware Valley (Naturale, Ciralli, Dong, Santiago) 1:38.17
Valley View (Duffield, Jenkins, Schack, Fontanella) 1:51.38
Scranton (Mayer, Sutton, Dainty, Miller) 1:53.51
Scranton Prep (Walsh, Galko, Ong, VanPelt) 1:54.99
Wallenpaupack (Celona, Vargo, Mead, Remelgado) 1:58.09

100 Back
Peter Kawash (LAK) 53.53
Alex Iannone (SP) 1:03.25
Jacob Schultz (WS) 1:09.17
Dan Matyushin (DV) 1:11.91
John Keane (WAL) 1:14.44
Damian Jenkins (VV) 1:16.26
Thomas Ferrara (WAL) 1:21.13

100 Breast
Lucas Santiago (DV) 1:02.56
Nathan Thayer (SP) 1:09.28
Corey Mayer (SCR) 1:13.86
Zachary Shields (EL) 1:16.95
Patrick Remelgado (WAL) 1:21.14
Louis Hanni (DUN) 1:27.53

400 Free Relay
Scranton Prep (Haggerty, Iannone, Galko, Thayer) 3:49.54
Delaware Valley (Holderith, Manning, Sussman, Santiago) 3:52.7
Elk Lake (Grosvenor, Lincoln, Shields, Noldy) 3:53.65.
Wallenpaupack (Creamer, Ferrara, Keane, H. Vargo) 4:11.13
Wallenpaupack (Creamer, Keane, Ferrero, Vargo) 4:19.1.

 

 

---

---