Sykes shines for Methacton at Upper Dublin Cardinal Classic
UPPER DUBLIN >> Emily Sykes grew up in the Upper Dublin pool so it was only fitting she leave a little something behind.
“To get the pool record here, it means a lot,” the Methacton senior said just a little while after setting a new standard in the 100-yard breaststroke. “It kinds of documents that I swim here.
“I was definitely going for the record,” Sykes said. “I’m not shaved — I was suited up because I was like ‘why not?’ And that was my last individual race in this pool probably so it has a lot of meaning to it. I’m really excited.”
Sykes, who cranks out many morning laps in the Upper Dublin waters as a member of the Upper Dublin Aquatic Club for USA Swimming, won a pair of events for the Warriors in a very satisfying early-season performance at Saturday’s Cardinal Classic.
“I love this meet,” Sykes said. “Because it’s a time when my Upper Dublin family is here hosting and my Methacton family is here visiting. It’s a little bit of a home and away meet at the same time, really cool.”
In addition to her record-setting swim in the breast with a time of 1 minute, 2.68 seconds, Sykes also raced to first in the 200 IM, going 2:06.63.
“I’m happy with my IM — I wasn’t suited up for that because it was at the beginning of the meet, but it was a solid swim,” Sykes said. “It puts me in a good position for districts.
“The team has a really good energy to start the season and there were some really good swims today. It’s a really good start.”
Host Upper Dublin won seven of the remaining nine races, sweeping the relays and getting a pair of wins from Abbie Amdor (200 free/100 fly) and one each from Jenna Johns (100 free) and Samie Hubbard (500 free).
“I just wanted to get up and race today because I’m coming off of taper so I just wanted to see what I could do,” said Amdor, who also swam a leg on the first-place 200 and 400 free relays. “I feel really confident about this season — our team is really strong — so I’m really confident in what we can do.”
Amdor, whose brother, Wyatt, swims for the University of Kentucky, is off to a tremendous start in what is only her sophomore season at U-Dub.
Success carried over to the boys side for the Cardinals, with Alex Flynn touching first in the 100 freestyle. Haverford rumbled in and took six of the 100 events on the boys side.
Hatboro-Horsham’s Andy Thomas was a double winner in the 200 IM and the 100 breast, and Souderton Area got a relay victory from the 200 free foursome of Reid Sinkinson, Michael Dechert, Storm Krader and Cristian Musterait, and a first in the 500 free from sophomore Jake Kramer.
“We’re really pleased with our sophomores and juniors — we had some career-best times today,” Big Red coach Rob Faccenda said. “We didn’t rest for this meet at all and we still had some personal-best times. The relays did really well — both boys and girls. Just really pleased with the team effort.
“What a facility — Upper Dublin runs such a great meet, the competition is at a high level, and this is what we want. We wanna be challenged and we wanna swim the best.”
Top Photo: Methacton’s Amanda Groff swims in the girls 100-yard butterfly at the Upper Dublin Cardinal Classic on Saturday, Dec. 17, 2016. (Bob Raines/Digital First Media)
