STATE COLLEGE — Clearfield’s Boy’s and Girl’s Swimming and Diving team will compete at the District VI-IX Class AA Regional Championships Friday and Saturday at Penn State University.
“This is what we’ve been preparing for all season,” said head swimming coach Jackie Morrison. “We’ve been focusing on individual performances and staying focused. We talk about the factors we can control. We can’t control other teams. We work on controlling our strategy — race technique, nutrition and sleeping habits. All we talk about is the controllables involved in the mental and physical preparation. If we do well, it will reflect what we did to prepare at the start of the season, not just these past few weeks.”
The boys won last year’s regional championship and are in position to repeat that success with 11 entries seeded in the top two.
Shay Flanagan is the top-seed in the 200 and 500 free. Flanagan won the 500 free in last year’s competition, while taking fourth in the 200 free.
Flanagan won both the 200 and 500 free two weeks ago at the District IX League Championships.
Flanagan’s performance in the 500 free was a University of Pittsburgh-Bradford pool record.
Jason Maines (one meter dive) and Logan Shirey (100 breaststroke) are also on top.
Shirey posted a third place finish in the 100 breaststroke at districts, as well as in last year’s regional tournament.
Morrison is confident in her top entrants while she said, “Shay Flanagan is looking good. Brandon Boyer is looking good. Logan Shirey and Mark Krchnak are also seeded high in their events. Those four boys are definitely in contention.”
Clearfield is seeded first in two of the three relay events, including both the 200 medley and 400 free. The Bisons owned both events last season, and look to repeat after winning both at districts.
The 200 free relay team is ranked second.
Tyler Shaw (one meter dive), Brandon Boyer (100 free and backstroke) and Shirey (100 fly) are also in position to win as second seeds.
Boyer won the 100 backstroke at districts, while taking third in the 100 free. He posted a second place finish in the backstroke last year at regionals.
Shirey will look to improve in the 100 fly, as he took 12th last season. He recorded a second place finish at districts.
On the girl’s side, Clearfield took second in last year’s meet and will look to join the boy’s team back on top. However, the Lady Bisons only have two top seeds.
“I’ve been telling my kids that ‘rankings mean nothing. You have to go and swim hard.’ There will be all kinds of surprises the day of the meet,” said Morrison. “If a couple teams have good days that changes everything. Also, you’ll have small schools come out of the woodwork.”
Carolyn Shurer (500 free) is the only top-seeded swimmer, but she will be joined by diver Christie Pizzella.
Shurer shattered a UPB pool record in her 500 free win at league championships.
Shurer placed eighth in the 500 free at last year‘s meet. She also finished 11th in the 200 free, where she’s currently seeded third.
“Shurer looks pretty good,” said Morrison. “It’s not a granted or given. She has a lot of work to do, but she’s in position. Dufour same deal. Shurer and Dufour definitely have the opportunity, but it’s going to be very close.”
Clearfield has two individual entrants seeded second in Chelsey Dufour (100 backstroke) and Amber Centi (one meter dive).
Dufour notched fifth place in the 100 backstroke last season, while taking 13th in the 50 free.
Dufour won the backstroke at districts and took second in the 50 free, where she’s currently seeded fifth.
The Lady Bisons are also ranked second in both the 200 medley and free relays.
Morrison doesn‘t want to write the girls off, but believes relays will be their ticket to states.
“For the girls, we don’t have a lot of power. We’re seeded first in one event – Carolyn Shurer in the 500 free, and even that’s close. We don’t have the power to get there [states] individually, but if you put four of my girls together, we’ve got power. Some of my girls know their only ticket to states will be in a relay event. I really think they’re taking that seriously.”
However, Morrison’s focus remains on times and performance rather than individual medals.
“Really, what were looking for is the best performances and peaking at this meet. I would really like to see everyone, boys and girls, walk away with a career best time. If we could do that, we’d come out victorious. At districts, we stressed depth, but that’s out with 26 teams competing at regions. We’ll need really fast times if we’re going to have kids at the top. So, we’ll have to go out and swim times — career best times. And, it would be really cool if my girls came away with a relay win.”
The top three divers and top two swimmers in each event will compete at the PIAA State Championships at Bucknell University.
Additional swimmers, who didn’t qualify, will be invited once all the districts have swam. The 16 fastest individual swimmers and the eight fastest relays will advance to states.
Time Schedule
Friday, March 2, 2007
12:00 p.m. — AA Diving Warm-ups
1:00 p.m. — AA Diving
2:30 p.m. — AA Swimming Warm-ups
4:30 p.m. — AA Swimming
200 Medley Relay
200 Freestyle
200 Individual Medley
50 Freestyle
100 Butterfly
200 Free Relay
Saturday, March 3, 2007
1:30 p.m. — AA Swimming Warm-ups
3:30 p.m. — AA Swimming
100 Freestyle
500 Freestyle
100 Backstroke
100 Breaststroke
400 Free Relay
*Admission will be $5 for adults and $2 for students per day. In addition, parking will be available at the East Parking Deck on Bigler Road for $4 per day.