Ryan Thiel 6-TimeWinner
Leitzinger Sets School Record
GOLDEN EAGLE MEN 2ND/WOMEN 5TH AT ZIPPY INVITATIONAL
(Akron, Oh.): Both the Clarion men’s and women’s swimming and diving teams turned in outstanding overall performances this weekend as the men placed second and the women fifth at the Zippy Invitational Swimming and Diving Meet. The meet was held at the Ocasek Natatorium and held from Friday, November 30th through Sunday Dec. 2nd.
MEN’S RESULTS: Clarion led the meet for two days as a team, but finished in second place with 1,322 points behind NCAA D-I Xavier who had 1,390 points. St. Bonaventure was third with 1,247 and Shippensburg fourth with 1,056 in the nine team field.
Ryan Thiel (So. Ligonier) and Mike Kerr (Sr. Lansdale/North Penn) were individual winners for the Golden Eagles. Thiel won the 50 free with an NCAA Qualifying time of 20.70. He went 20.58 in the prelims. He also won the 100 free (45.73) and was second in the 200 free (1:42.01). Thiel was also part of four winning relays (200 & 400 free, and 200 and 400 medley). The 200 (1:33.10) and 400 (3:24.31) medley relays both were NCAA Qualifying times and the 400 medley set a new school record.
Kerr meanwhile won the 100 backstroke (51.70) and also placed third in the 200 backstroke (1:53.70). He was part of both medley relay wins giving him three wins.
Also having quality performances in the pool were Dustin Fedunok (So. Gibsonia/Pine Richland), Rich Eckert (SO. Versailles/McKeesport), AJ Claypool (So. Kittanning), Andy Helm (Fr. E. Petersburg/Hempfield), Jon Kofmehl (Fr. Johnstown/Richland) and Mike Cohen (Sr. Pickerington, Oh.).
Fedunok was second in the 500 free (4:39.04), third in the 200 free (1:43.10) and 9th in the 100 free (47.49). He was also part of the 400 medley relay.
Eckert was third in the 200 breaststroke (2:08.73) and fourth in the 100 breast (58.70), plus was on both the winning 200 and 400 medley relays.
Claypool was fifth in the 100 fly (52.34), 5th in the 50 free (21.62) and on the winning 200 and 400 free relays and the record setting 400 medley relay.
Helm, also part of the winning 200 and 400 free relays, placed 8th in the 50 free (21.86) and 100 free (48.43). Kofmehl was 4th in the 100 back (53.08) and 6th in the 200 back (1:57.30). Mike Cohen was 8th in the 100 fly (53.30) and was part of the winning 200 medley relay.
Clarion divers also placed high. James Kane (Sr. Plymouth)was 5th on 1 meter and 6th on 3 meter, with teammates Clay Bowers (Fr. Weedville/St. Marys) was 4th on 1 meter and 6th on 3 meter and Nathan Rhodaberger (Fr. Butler) was 5th on 1 meter and 7th on 3 meter.
WOMEN’S RESULTS: Clarion finished 5th in the women’s standings out of 11 teams. Ohio University was first with 1588.5, Buffalo second at 1,289, Illinois State third with 1,167, Xavier fourth at 1,073 and Clarion fifth with 926.6. Akron was sixth with 919, Duquesne seventh with 851, Shippensburg eighth with 456, Bloomsburg ninth at 344, Niagara tenth at 210 and Alama last with 33.
Lori Leitzinger (Sr. State College) was the top swimmer. She won the 100 backstroke, qualified for NCAA D-II nationals and set a new Clarion record in the process with a time of 2:03.71. She topped Regan Rickert’s record of 2:05.20 which stood for many years. Leitzinger was also 3rd in the 100 back (58.64) and part of the 4th place 400 medley relay (3:57.35) and the 5th place 200 medley relay (1:49.24).
Also qualifying for nationals were Kaitlyn Johnson (Fr. Uniontown), Jamie Maloney (So. York/Dallastown), Gina Mattucci (Fr. Jeannette/Penn Trafford) and Kelly Connolly (Fr. Cranberry Twp./ Seneca Valley) who swam a 1:36.07 in the 200 medley relay and finished second.
Johnson also was part of the 4th place 400 medley and 4th place 400 free relays (3:33.13), plus finished 6th in the 100 free (53.30), 7th in the 50 free (24.32) and 7th in the 100 fly (58.45).
Mattucci was also 10th in the 50 free (24.33)on the 400 free relay and the 5th place 200 medley relay. Connolly was third in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.52) and the 400 free relay that finished 4th.
Denise Simens (Jr. Hollister, Ca.) swam strong in her specialty, the 100 and 200 breaststroke. She was 4th in the 100 (1:06.74) and 5th in the 200 (2:26.82), plus was part of the 200 (5th) and 400 (4th) medley relays.
The women’s diving contingent was also strong. Teagan Riggs (Sr. Meadville) was third (259.40) on 3 meter and 7th (196.60) on 1 meter, while Ginny Saras (Sr. Sugarloaf/Hazleton) was 3rd (228.6) on 1 meter. Kayla Kelosky (Fr. Ellwood City/Riverside) was 4th (211.55) on 1 meter and 5th (228.80) on 3 meter.
The Golden Eagles under coach Mark VanDyke (8th Season) are now off until January. The next dual meet is at Edinboro on January 19th with Gannon. The women’s team is 3-1 and the men are 2-2.