Switching up roles works for Keelan
Butler swimmers sweep Penn Hills
By Derek Pyda
Eagle
Staff Writer
BUTLER TWP — As the only senior on the Butler girls swimming and diving team,
Morgan Keelan's responsibilities exceed scoring points in freestyle and relay
events.
“In the past, we had
captains on a meet-by-meet basis,” said Golden Tornado coach Dave Bocci. “This
is the first time in my five years here that we've had designated captains for
the whole season and I thought before the year started that Morgan would make a
good leader. She's done a great job of bringing the girls together.”
Keelan also took on a new
role in the water this year. Previously competing in the 100-yard breaststroke,
she switched to the 50 and 100 freestyles.
“I swam those two events in
YMCA meets before, but rarely in high school,” said Keelan. “We had a really
good girl in those events the last few years, Jillian McElhaney. She graduated
and a spot opened up for me.”
Keelan won both the 50 and
100 Tuesday night with times of 26.56 seconds and 58.49, respectively, to help
the Golden Tornado defeat Penn Hills 91-78.
Butler improved to 4-3 with
the victory.
“I'm very happy with how
I've done so far this year,” Keelan said. “My times are better than I thought
they'd be.”
Bocci said Keelan's best
event is the 50 freestyle.
“She's only about
eight-tenths of a second from reaching the qualifying time (25.8) for WPIALs,”
he said. “I'm very confident she can make it.”
Keelan is no stranger to
the WPIAL meet. She made it the last three years.
“I will be swimming in
relays at WPIALs, but making the individual cut to get there, no matter where I
place, would mean a lot to me.
“I'm going to Pitt and may
swim on a club team, but it's definitely going to be different, not getting up
for morning practices and going to ones in the afternoon. I've been swimming
competitively since I was 5-years-old.”
Butler's other individual
to win two events was Laura Goettler, who captured the 200 IM and breaststroke.
Paige Williams won the
diving event with a score of 212.2.
Boys Butler 85, Penn Hills
73
Alex Deemer (200 IM, 500
freestyle) and Nathan Callithen (backstroke, breaststroke) both won two events
as the Tornado pushed their season record to 5-2.
Bocci said leadership on
the boys team is in good hands.
“We have four seniors (Trai
Kish, Nathan Callithen, Joe Deemer and Luke Puchnick),” he said.
“Aside from our top
swimmers, Simon Diehl and Zach Callithen have provided depth, adding points
where we need them with second and third-place finishes.”
Jon Hansotte earned six
points toward Butler's team total with a win in diving. His score was 224.35.
Girls
Butler 91, Penn Hills 78
200 medley relay: 1-Butler
(Rachel Ledford, Laura Goettler, Emma Weiss, Morgan Keelan) 1:55.01
200 freestyle: 1-Stephanie
Sipple (PH) 2:01.27
200 individual medley:
1-Laura Goettler (B) 2:10.74
50 freestyle: 1-Morgan
Keelan (B) 26.56
1-meter diving: 1-Paige
Williams (B) 212.2
100 butterfly: 1-Emma Weiss
(B) 1:04.24
100 freestyle: 1-Morgan
Keelan (B) 58.49
500 freestyle: 1-Ellie
Weiss (B) 5:48.79
200 freestyle relay: 1-Penn
Hills 1:49.93
100 backstroke: 1-Rachel
Ledford (B) 1:03.73
100 breaststroke: 1-Laura
Goettler (B) 1:09.08
400 freestyle relay: 1-Penn
Hills 4:18.21
Boys
Butler 85, Penn Hills 73
200 medley relay: 1-Penn
Hills 1:52.48
200 freestyle: 1-Joe Deemer
(B) 1:50.0
200 individual medley:
1-Alex Deemer (B) 2:04.01
50 freestyle: 1-Glenn Hanna
(PH) 23.23
1-meter diving: 1-Jon
Hansotte (B) 224.35
100 butterfly: 1-Isaiah
Gregory (PH) 54.34
100 freestyle: 1-Glenn
Hanna (PH) 53.38
500 freestyle: 1-Alex
Deemer (B) 5:09.39
200 freestyle relay: 1-Penn
Hills 1:40.93
100 backstroke: 1-Nathan
Callithen (B) 56.97
100 breaststroke: 1-Nathan
Callithen (B) 1:10.82
400 freestyle relay: 1-Penn
Hills 3:28.5