Butler sails to wins over NH

Butler sails to wins over NH

BUTLER TWP — For years, it seemed the Butler swimming and diving team's goal was just to qualify as many athletes as possible for the WPIAL Championships.
That appears the least of its goals now.
The Golden Tornado program is having one of its best seasons in recent years, as evidenced by the girls' 96-89 victory and boys' 105-81 triumph over North Hills Thursday.
“I thought (Thursday's meets) would be tight all the way down the line,” said first-year Butler coach Ken Bedford.
Both meets were tight until the Tornado opened a double-digit lead with three events to go.
“The boys 500 freestyle made the meet,” Bedford said. “Ian (Gillan) was first and Cole (Chamberlain) was third. That was huge jump for us.
“I was joking that I never knew the 500 could be so exciting,” the coach added.
The wins pushed the Butler girls to 7-2 and the boys to 6-3. Last year, the girls were 4-7, the boys 2-9.
“It's just the chemistry of this team,” Bedford said. “They're together. I don't know, from last year, what made the difference. But there's a different feel this year.”
Jordan McElhaney led the way for the girls team as she captured the 100 butterfly (1 minute 4.51 seconds, which qualified her for the WPIAL meet) and the 100 breaststroke (1:16.70), and was a member of the winning 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays.
Taylor Campbell won the 200 individual medley (2:23.46) and was on both relays. Brianna Keelan won the 200 free (2:05.12) and Macie Pennington the 500 free (5:38.58).
Keelan was a member of the 200 medley relay and Pennington the 200 free relay.
The Tornado boys, who swept all three relays, also received individual wins from Jake Kaufman (50 freestyle, 24.25), Ryan Deemer (100 butterfly, 59.40) and Dante Cicco (100 breaststroke, 1:12.31).
Deemer qualified for the WPIAL meet in the 100 backstroke (1:00.70), as did the 200 medley relay team of Travis Myers, Cicco, Kaufman and Keegan Walters (1:48.36).
“The big thing this year is the seniors,” Bedford said. “They pulled the team together and talked to the team midway through this meet and told them how to swim this year.
“It showed. They're the leaders.”
Girls
Butler 96, North Hills 89
200 medley relay: 1-Butler (Emily Bruce, Taylor Campbell, Jordan McElhaney, Brianna Keelan) 1:58.86
200 freestyle: 1-Brianna Keelan (B) 2:05.12
200 individual medley: 1-Taylor Campbell (B) 2:23.46
50 freestyle: 1-Rachel Trocchio (NH) 26.08
100 butterfly: 1-Jordan McElhaney (B) 1:04.51
1-meter diving: 1-Kristen McCarthy (NH) 179.70
100 freestyle: 1-Elizabeth Czachowski (NH) 56.07
500 freestyle: 1-Macie Pennington (B) 5:38.58
200 freestyle relay: 1-Butler (Jordan McElhaney, Amelia Rashid, Taylor Campbell, Macie Pennington) 1:49.64
100 backstroke: 1-Rachel Trocchio (NH) 1:03.80
100 breaststroke: 1-Jordan McElhaney (B) 1:16.70
400 freestyle relay: 1-North Hills (Rachel Trocchio, Regina Sencak, Kylie Marshalek, Elizabeth Czachowski) 3:54.78
Boys
Butler 105, North Hills 81
200 medley relay: 1-Butler (Travis Myers, Dante Cicco, Jake Kaufman, Keegan Walters) 1:48.36
200 freestyle: 1-Zach Hebda (NH) 1:57.10
200 individual medley: 1-John Witherel (NH) 2:13.87
50 freestyle: 1-Jake Kaufman (B) 24.25
100 butterfly: 1-Ryan Deemer (B) 59.40
1-meter diving: 1-Noah Bostick (NH) 245.05
100 freestyle: 1-Zach Hebda (NH) 52.45
500 freestyle: 1-Ian Gillan (B) 5;47.07
200 freestyle relay: 1-Butler (Jake Kaufman, Sam Cleary, Keegan Walters, Travis Myers) 1:36.91
100 backstroke: 1-Tommy Herman (NH) 59.65
100 breaststroke: 1-Dante Cicco (B) 1:12.31
400 freestyle relay: 1-Butler (Ian Gillan, Cole Chamberlain, Sam Cleary, Ryan Deemer) 3:50.77