The Emmaus boys swim team has had an incredible streak of winning consecutive District XI Championships –16 straight from the 2007-08 season to 2022-23,
Their archrival Parkland had ended that streak two years ago and the Trojans were looking for the 3-Peat.
During the regular season in the Eastern Pennsylvania Conference, the Hornets and Trojans were both unbeaten and finished atop the standings after tying in a meet held back on December 19 at Parkland High School.
Something had to give when the two Cedar Crest Boulevard rivals met for the second time with much more on the line in this past weekend’s District XI Class AAA Tournament.
And it did, in favor of head coach Tim O’Connor’s boys as they got back on top of the local high school swim scene, claiming the district title by rallying for a 516-488.5 win over Parkland in the Trojans home pool.
“Our boys were simply a determined group who showed up and ready to compete,” said O’Connor, the Hornets 29th year head coach. “I think after tying Parkland in the dual meet, they believed they could compete with them at the district level.
“We were down 61 points after the diving competition, and it was a tremendous endeavor to overcome. Our seniors have a special bond, and it showed at the meet.”
Emmaus captured just three first-place finishes in 11 events, but the Hornets overall depth proved to be too much as they captured their first championship since the 2022-23 season.
Senior Roman Herman won a pair of individual races capturing gold in both the 100 and 200 free. The Hornets 200 medley relay team of senior Bryce King, juniors Carson Mosel and Carter Smith and senior Joe Lyons also won gold.
In the girls meet, the Hornets captured first place in five of the 11 events, but Parkland had too much as the Trojans won their seventh straight district championship.
“On the girls’ side, this was an impressive runner-up finish,” said O’Connor. “Our relays and girls competed both in the pool and on the boards. I know so many were excited to be a part of the meet, and it showed with their performances. For so many of our girls, this was their first taste of a meet at this level and they did tremendously.”
Emmaus freshman Kayla Kenner had an outstanding meet winning both the 50 free and 100 free. She was also part of first place 200 free relay along with teammates sophomore Babs Lyons an, junior Mabry Krause and senior Sophia Harmon. Krause also won gold in the 200 free, while freshman Ellie Bowen also took first place in the 500 free.
In the diving competition, Emmaus freshman Addie Cornish finished second with a final score of 422.80. Freedom senior Hayden Taylor won the title.
Next up is the PIAA State Championships which will be held on March 11 and 12 at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.
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District XI Class 3A Swimming Championships (@ Parkland HS)
Results (Boys)
200 medley relay – 1. Emmaus (Bryce King, Carson Mosel, Carter Smith, Joe Lyons, 1:34.59), 2. Parkland 1:34.67, 3. Nazareth 1:36.47
200 free – 1. Emmaus (Roman Herman) 1:40.32, 2. Parkland (Dom Faenza) 1:40.74, 3. Emmaus (Reid Lovett) 1:45.64
200 IM – 1. Liberty (Adam Barlow) 1:54.09, 2. Parkland (Ethan Coleman), 1:54.99, 3. Emmaus (Parker Gamler) 1:58.24
50 free – 1. Easton (James Bevins) 21.39, 2. Parkland (Jacob Piccini) 21.82, 3. Emmaus (Joe Lyons) 22.04
100 fly – 1. Parkland (Thomas Price) 50.40, 2. Emmaus (Carter Smith) 50.72, 3. Nazareth (Ian Barrey) 51.52
200 free relay – 1. Parkland 1:26.70, 2. Emmaus (Joe Lyons, Reid Lovett, Carson Mosel, Roman Herman) 1:26.73, 3. Nazareth 1:28.80
100 free – 1. Emmaus (Roman Herman) 45.66, 2. Parkland (Thomas Price) 46.66, 3. Parkland (Jacob Piccini) 47.58
500 free – 1. Parkland 4:34.75, 2. Emmaus (Reid Lovett) 4:43.64, 3. Emmaus (Will Reichart) 4:50.93
100 back – 1. Nazareth 51.76, 2. Easton 52.45, 3. Emmaus (Bryce King) 52.96
100 breast – 1. Liberty 55.13, 2. Parkland 57.52, 3. Stroudsburg 59.31
400 free relay – 1. Parkland 3:10.68, 2. Emmaus (Brennan Smith, Reid Lovett, Roman Herman, Nate Peters), 3:10.73, 3. Northampton 3:17.72
Team scores (Top 5) – 1. Emmaus 516, 2. Parkland 488.5, 3. Northampton 219, 4. Liberty 198.5, 5. Easton 194
Results (Girls)
200 medley relay – 1. Parkland 1:42.66, 2. Liberty 1:51.98, 3. Emmaus (Ellie Bowen, Chloe Mosel, Sriya Reddy, Babs Lyons) 1:52.65
200 free – 1. Emmaus (Mabry Krause) 1:55.69, 2. Parkland 1:57.90, 3. Parkland 1:59.12
200 IM – 1. Parkland 2:09.33, 2. Parkland 2:11.53, 3. Emmaus (Ellie Bowen) 2:11.53
50 free – 1. Emmaus (Kayla Kenner) 23.34, 2. Emmaus (Babs Lyons) 24.62, 3. Nazareth 25.12
100 butterfly – 1. Parkland 56.25, 2. Parkland 1:00.37, 3. Emmaus (Babs Lyons) 1:01.37
200 free relay – 1. Emmaus (Kayla Kenner, Mabry Krause, Sophia Harmon, Babs Lyons) 1:37.02, 2. Parkland 1:39.07, 3. Nazareth 1:42.58
100 free – 1. Emmaus (Kayla Kenner) 51.26, 2. Emmaus (Mabry Krause) 53.18, 3. Emmaus (Sriya Reddy) 55.77
500 free – 1. Emmaus (Ellie Bowen) 5:15.42, 2. Parkland 5:19.54, 3. Parkland 5:28.48
100 back – 1. Parkland 55.90, 2. Parkland 56.47, 3. Parkland 58.39
100 breast – 1. Parkland 1:02.03, 2. Parkland 1:06.50, 3. Liberty 1:09.58
400 free relay – 1. Parkland 3:32.99, 2. Emmaus (Mabry Krause, Ellie Bowen, Kayla Kenner, Sriya Reddy) 3:34.38, 2. Solehi 3:50.70
Team scores (Top 5) – 1. Parkland 613, 2. Emmaus 415, 3. Solehi 224, 4. Nazareth 184, 5. Liberty 183