Phoenixville’s Cooke makes states with 4th in 50 free at districts

PHILADELPHIA >> The meet didn’t go exactly as either had hoped.

Both admitting to battling illness in the days leading up to the District 1 Championships at LaSalle University’s Kinney Natatorium, Phoenixville junior Maddie Cooke and Pottsgrove senior Emily Glinecke echoed similar sentiments after opening day.

“Hey, I survived and I’m moving on to states,” said Cooke. “That was the goal coming into today. I’m excited to get back into it and see what I can do once I get back there.”

“No gold medals today,” said Glinecke with a laugh. “I don’t have a gold to show for it, but I’m happy. I put up a better time than I did last year and hopefully I’ll be moving on to states. That’s all I can really ask for.”

At the conclusion of day one action, Pottsgrove currently sits in eighth place in the AA standings with 60 team points. Perennial powerhouse Villa Maria seems well on its way to earning its 14th district title, leading the way with 314.5 team points. Upper Perkiomen sits in sixth place with 82 team points.

In AAA action, Cooke and Phoenixville sit in ninth place with 47 team points while North Penn leads the way with 228. Owen J. Roberts is currently tied for 12th with 44, while Methacton has 34 points for 17th.

After making a splash in her district debut last season — where she captured two gold medals over the two-day span — Glinecke took home the bronze in the 200 free with a time of 1:52.72 on Friday. Ahead of Glinecke, Gwynedd Mercy’s Stephanie Szekely broke the district record with a 1:50.57 while Villa Maria’s Emily Cornell was right behind with a 1:51.69 which also broke the previous district record. Though her time isn’t an automatic qualifier, Glinecke could make it to states through time qualification.

“This is a fun meet, no matter what,” she said. “I love the atmosphere. Just like last year, I’m taken back by the amount of talent and the energy that everyone brings to it.”

Cooke captured fourth place in the 50 free, touching the wall at 24.05, just 0.03 behind Downingtown West’s Meghan Keithly for third place. That aside, she earned her third consecutive trip to the PIAA Championships and her second straight at the AAA level.

“It’s a good feeling,” said Cooke of returning to states. “That’s what this meet is all about. Survive and move on — that’s the goal for tomorrow.”

Upper Perkiomen took fifth place in both the 200 medley relay (1:57.22) and the 200 free relay (1:44.14). Both relays consisted of Melissa Kilroy, Bailey McCausland, Kirsten Siwy and Maddie Madungo.

“We had some really good cuts,” said Upper Perkiomen head coach Brien Kalnoski, “so I know the girls are really happy about that. I couldn’t be happier for them. We had girls put up personal bests in their cuts — that’s what this meet is all about.”

Methacton’s Emily Sykes finished right on the cusp of an automatic bid. The junior finished up at 2:05.35 in the 200 IM, good enough for sixth place.

“I’m not fully-tapered right now,” she admitted, “so I’m hoping that time can get me to states and I can be fully-tapered once I get there. We’ll see what happens.

“I wasn’t sure how today would go. The more I look at it, though, I’m definitely happy about my time. I’ll be even happier if it can help me move on.”

Owen J. Roberts’ Morgan Hansen posted a seventh-place finish in the 100 fly, touching the wall at 57.85. Like Sykes, she didn’t automatically qualify for states, but still can through time qualifications.

Coming off her finish last season, she has plenty of confidence in her time.

“Last year I finished ninth and got to states,” she said. “So hopefully my time will hold up and get me back to that point.”

Owen J. Roberts also took an eighth-place medal in the 200 medley relay, with Hansen swimming the lead leg followed by Morgan Aicher, Madison Gadzicki and anchored by Laurel Fink.
Fink had a 10th-place finish in the 200 free, posting a 1:54.32.

With the district meet coming to a close on Saturday evening, the locals will have one last shot to earn a trip to Bucknell.

NOTES >> Perkiomen Valley’s best finish came in the 200 free relay. The Vikings posted a 1:39.79, good enough for 14th place.