Quaker Valley swimmers find success in postseason pools

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, March 24, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Two Quaker Valley girls, senior Emily Connors and junior Margaret Getty, qualified for the PIAA Class 2A championships in four events.

Connors, a UNC Wilmington recruit, advanced in the 50-yard freestyle and 100 butterfly off her third-place showing in both at the WPIAL finals.

She also competed on the Quakers’ two state-qualifying relay teams, the 200 medley and 200 freestyle. Both finished fifth at WPIALs.

“Our relays did pretty well, but we have more room to improve,” Connors said. “As for me individually, I was going for the win in the 50 free and a better time in the 100 fly, but still went pretty solidly considering I swam them back-to-back with very little break.”

Getty qualified for the PIAA championships in the 200 and 500 freestyle events along with the two relays.

“Both of the girls and guys 200 medley relay and 200 free relay qualified for states,” Connors said, “so we were all very excited to travel to Bucknell University together.”

Getty registered a personal-best time of 1:57.10 to place fifth in the 200 free at WPIALs; she also logged a PR of 5:19.48 to take third in the 500 free.

“Overall I’m very pleased with how I did,” Getty said. “This season has overall been very positive and exciting and I am sad to see it come to an end. (Mercedes McCarthy and Amelia Besterman) have been wonderful coaches, helping us get prepared for all of our races and supporting all of us throughout the season.”

Senior Rena Gilligan, who will attend Stonehill College in the fall, qualified for the state meet as the first alternate in the 100 breaststroke. She also was a WPIAL qualifier in the 200 IM.

Gilligan, freshman Lydia Kilpela, Getty and Connors were the Quakers relayers.

“I was very happy with how I competed both individually and as a relayer,” Kilpela said. “Both our girls medley and 200 free relays qualified for states. Having qualified in two of our three relays truly shows the depth of our team this year.”

Kilpela finished in the top 20 in two individual events, the 100 backstroke and 200 IM, with personal-best times in both. She placed 10th in the backstroke.

“As a girls team, we accomplished a lot at the WPIAL finals and (were) super excited moving into states.”

Quaker Valley’s girls team placed sixth at the WPIAL finals; the QV boys ended up 12th.

“I’m very happy with how the girls team did at WPIALs,” Getty said. “Even though we had a small group of girls at WPIALs, we didn’t let that stop us from having amazing races and supporting our team. There were several time drops in both relay splits and in individual events.”

Other WPIAL qualifiers for the girls team included Kilpela (100 back, 200 IM), senior Kate Hines (100 fly) and sophomore Alexa Westwood (100 back).

“I was proud of the way our relays competed,” Westwood said. “Making states in two out of the three relays was a huge accomplishment and showed the depth of our team.

“It was a little sad that it (was) one of the last events I will swim with the seniors. I have grown close to many of them, especially Kate Hines, and all of their leadership will be missed. Emily Connors finished her career strong and will be remembered as one of Quaker valley’s all-time best swimmers.”

The QV diving trio of junior Ruby Olliffe (second), senior Kate Blackmer (third) and junior Ruby Krotine (fifth) repeated as state qualifiers as all three landed in the top five at the WPIAL finals.

Sophomore Marcuz Zhan made his presence felt on the QV boys team this season.

Zhan advanced to the PIAA championships in the 200 and 500 freestyle events with seeded times of 1:46.54 and 4:45.69.

He also swam with the PIAA-qualifying 200 medley and 200 free relayers

Thomas Fuener, a junior, advanced to the state finals in the 100 butterfly; junior Ryan Steinfurth was an alternate in the 100 backstroke.

Fuener, Steinfurth, junior Adlan Hifri and Zhan teamed up in both relay races.

Other WPIAL qualifiers for the QV boys included Fuener (100 free), Steinfurth (100 free), Hifri (100 breast) and sophomore Austin Young (100 free).

PIAA medalists

Connors finished fourth in the 50 free in 24.12 and fifth in the 100 butterfly in 56.96 at the state meet.

Zhan placed seventh in the 500 free with a 4:46.65 time at the state meet.

All three QV divers landed in the PIAA top 10. Olliffe earned fourth place, Blackmer ended up sixth and Krotine followed in 10th.

Tags: Quaker Valley