Wait is worth it for Penncrest’s Colizzo, several others from Delco
The wait proved worthwhile for Penncrest’s Julia Colizzo, who finished 14th in the 100 backstroke at the District 1 Class 3A championships Friday but earned a berth to the PIAA championships when the state psych sheets were released Sunday.
In each individual event, 16 bids are meted out based on district finish (including five for District 1). The next 16 fastest times statewide are granted at-large berths.
Colizzo clocked in at 58.57 seconds, outside the final at-large time of 58.13 to get to Bucknell last year. But this year, the threshold slowed to 58.61, a rare event on either side with a slower cutoff. Strath Haven’s Liz Olszewski, who finished 15th at districts in 58.62, missed out by one-hundredth of a second, though her time in the 100 butterfly warranted inclusion.
Also on the wrong side of the cut line by .01 seconds was Haverford’s Matthew Bochanski, whose time of 59.90 in the 100 breast was as close as possible to qualification without getting there.
Colizzo joins two teammates at states: Claire Walsh, an auto qualifier in the 50 freestyle who added a time cut in the 100 free, and Madison Dickert in the 100 breast.
Ridley senior Gab Rudy qualified comfortably in two events by the watch, the 100 breast and 200 individual medley.
Several girls swimmers added second swims Sunday. Springfield’s Georgia Apostolu, who booked a trip with a silver medal in the 100 back, qualified on time in the 200 IM. Radnor’s Julia Cullen, an auto qualifier in the 100 free, added the 100 fly, while Summer Martin augmented her schedule with the 200 free to go with the 100.
Distance served the Delco boys contingent well. Ridley’s Alex Boeckx, Radnor’s James El-Deiry and Strath Haven’s Oliver Yancey earned at-larges in the 200 IM (Yancey also obtaining one in the 100 breast). In the 500, the Strath Haven duo of Will Resweber and Sean Adams will join Haverford’s Collin Pettit. Haverford’s David Abrahams is also a time qualifier in the 100 breast.
Seven of the 11 events in each gender in Class 3A have faster 16th at-large times than last year. The biggest jump is in the girls 200 free relay, where the at-large time is a 1.43 second quicker this year.
District 1 is a bigger player in the girls competition this year: In seven of eight individual events, District 1 pushed across double-figures in qualifiers between auto berths and at-larges, led by 14 each in the 200 IM and 100 back. Only four of eight boys individual events feature 10 or more District 1 qualifiers.
Class 2A competed Wednesday and Thursday, March 15-16, with 3A Friday and Saturday, the 17th and 18th.
PIAA qualifiers
Class 3A
Greg Giannella, Radnor, 50 free, 100 free
Patrick Cullen, Radnor, 50 free, 100 free
Will Canny, Haverford, Diving
Madison Kolessar, Garnet Valley, 200 free, 500 free
Victoria Patota, Arch. Carroll, 200 IM
Claire Walsh, Penncrest, 50 free, 100 free*
Julia Cullen, Radnor, 100 fly, 100 free*
Summer Martin, Strath Haven, 200 free,* 100 free
Georgia Apostolu, Springfield, 100 back, 200 IM*
Gab Rudy, Ridley, 200 IM,* 100 breast*
Liz Olszewski, Strath Haven, 100 fly*
Julia Colizzo, Penncrest, 100 back*
Madison Dickert, Penncrest, 100 breast*
Alex Boeckx, Ridley, 200 IM*
James El-Deiry, Radnor, 200 IM*
Oliver Yancey, Strath Haven, 200 IM,* 100 breast*
Will Resweber, Strath Haven, 500 free*
Collin Pettit, Haverford, 500 free*
Sean Adams, Strath Haven, 500 free*
David Abrahams, Haverford, 100 breast*
Radnor boys 200 free relay
Radnor boys 400 freestyle relay
Class AA
Claire McBlain, Bonner & Prendergast, 200 free, 500 free
Daniel Bieter, Cardinal O’Hara, 100 free
Theodore Greiner, Bonner & Prendergast, 500 free
Luke McDevitt, Bonner & Prendergast, 100 back
Bonner & Prendergast boys medley relay
Bonner & Prendergast boys 200 free relay
*at-large time qualifier
