Aaron Workman had plans for the tracker.
It doubled as a white eraser board and the property of the girls swimming program at State College. Workman would routinely update the tracker, adjusting the state’s top times in each discipline as the season progressed.
The message, of course, became clear to the Little Lions, as in this is what the team is shooting for when the PIAA Championships roll around.
Well, Saturday was SC’s shot to not just relish in qualifying for the state’s most prestigious meet, but actually digging deep with the state’s perennial favorites.
And when the waves subsided Saturday at Cumberland Valley’s Natatorium, the Little Lions celebrated a team bronze, the program’s best finish since 2004.
“I’m super excited for the girls. They worked super hard, obviously, in a crazy year,” said Workman, seconds after notifying his team of their third-place showing. The Little Lions (114) were tucked behind 3A champion North Allegheny (167) and runner-up Wilson (152).
“That was the goal. At the beginning of the year, we kind of had this change of culture, a change of emphasis of not just celebrating making it here but trying to gets wins and trying our best to score more points.”
The Lions opened their agenda in a heartbeat, rolling to a second-place finish in the opening event, the 200 medley relay.
State College’s Colleen Adams in the 500 yard freestyle during the girls Class 3A state swimming championships at Cumberland Valley High School. March 20, 2021 Sean Simmers |ssimmers@pennlive.com
Sophomore Jade Castro, junior MacKenzie Pagett and seniors Maddy Koehle and Colleen Adams cut more than 2 seconds off their seed time to post 1:44.70 behind Upper Dublin (1:43.92). The effort was a school record in the event.
Minutes later, Adams, a team captain with Koehle, landed a personal-best 1:53.44 in the 200 free, good for 10th-place. It was a big 1-2 shot of adrenaline.
“I just think our team atmosphere was absolutely amazing because we are all best friends with each other,” Castro said.
“Everything just seemed to align when we came to this meet. Obviously, leading off the meet with our amazing medley relay just set the tone. It just snowballed into one of the best states we’ve had in so long.”
Maddy Koehle further helped the cause with her 14th-place finish in the 200 IM, while sophomore Ally Koehle continued with a PR (24.92) in the 50 free. Castro added a silver medal (54.53) in the 100 back.
Freshman Kelly Brownstead then joined Castro, Ally Koehle and Adams in the 200 free relay. SC’s 1:37.77, nearly four seconds faster than its seed time, was good for 13th.
It was validation for the District 6 reps, which typically don’t face the top-to-bottom competition of other 3A strongholds like the WPIAL (Pittsburgh) or District 3.
“We can’t swim in our own bubble. We wanted to know where everyone else was at in the state. We had a tracker on our white board on who was going to be in the top 16,” Workman said.
“For them to see the bigger picture and know that they were helping the team to get here and do some big things is great. It started with that relay and it snowballed, everybody had best times all around.”
The surge also set up the Little Lions for future PIAA runs, especially with Workman’s rising underclassmen soaking up Saturday’s big performance. Pagett was eighth in the 100 breaststroke, right behind Maddy Koehle.
“I told Maddy and Colleen that our entire year is their leadership, them helping to push us,” said Workman. “Having them here is everything.”
Castro agreed.
“Both of our team captains are our seniors and their communication is amazing,” she said.
“They let us know everything that the coaches want. Everything that they do, from hyping us up to getting us ready and telling us what it’s like, it makes everything else so easy. When we get there, we are ready to swim and ready to go fast.”
Follow Eric Epler on Twitter -- @threejacker
The Link LonkMarch 21, 2021 at 04:04AM
https://www.pennlive.com/sports/2021/03/state-college-girls-swimming-take-third-place-at-states-little-lions-mark-best-season-since-2004.html
State College girls swimming take third place at states, Little Lions mark best season since 2004 - PennLive
https://news.google.com/search?q=little&hl=en-US&gl=US&ceid=US:en
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