Boyertown’s McKee heads to PIAA Championships with sister’s support

Gabrielle McKee’s first exposure to swimming came watching her older sister Grace swim for the Hillside Aquatic Club.

Not long after the two sisters were sharing the pool together, where they’ve competed with and against each other for the past eight years, including the last two for the Boyertown swim team.

“She got bored of sitting at my meets, so she decided to join,” Bears senior Grace McKee said.

While sophomore Gabrielle McKee grew up watching her sister swim, the roles will be reversed at this weekend’s PIAA Girls Swimming Championships at Bucknell University. Grace McKee will watch her sister race in the 200 individual medley from the stands, and be poolside as Gabrielle’s counter for the 500 free.

“It’s more special than having a friend down there because my sister’s probably the most supportive person I have in my life,” Gabrielle said.

This is Gabrielle McKee’s second time swimming at the state meet. She competed in the 200 IM and 500 free at last year’s meet.

She finished 26th in the 200 IM and 23rd in 500 free, missing out on the finals in both events in her first state experience. She said she if hoping to get her seeding time of 5:08.93 in the 500 free closer to 5:03 this year.

“My goal was to make it back to states, and my goal is to make it into a final,” Gabrielle said. “But my other goal is just to have fun, enjoy the experience, not get upset.”

When Gabrielle first got to Boyertown as a freshman last year, she looked to her sister for help with lots of little things like where to sit on the bus to-and-from meets. She also looked to her sister for motivation.

“She helped me with my training a lot because she would always push me to do my best,” Gabrielle said. “I always wanted to go in front her because I never wanted her to beat me in practice. That also pushed me.”

The two both competed at the District 1 meet the past two seasons, including together on the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay.

Gabrielle placed eighth in the 200 IM and 12th in the 500 free at the District 1 meet March 2 and 3. Grace finished 27th in the 200 free and 32nd in the 100 back. Their 200 medley relay and 400 free relay teams placed 13th and 17th, respectively.

While Grace didn’t qualify for the state meet, she made a sign to bring up in the stands with her on Friday morning for the 200 IM. She will be on the pool deck on Saturday morning for the 500 free and hopes to be back later in the day for the 500 free final.

“It’s special to watch her,” Grace said. “Of course I would love to have that opportunity, but I know she works hard for what she has, so I can’t get jealous or anything. I’m very proud of her for working hard.”

The two sisters will get one more chance to swim together when they compete for TOPS Swimming’s final club meet at the end of the month.

After that, Grace will start at Bloomsburg, and Gabrielle will need to find a new ride to morning and after school practices.

“It’s going to be different without her,” Gabrielle said. “I’m used to practicing with her and seeing her at practice all the time. She’s not going to be there.”

“My dad is over the moon that we were both on the same team and have both been on district relays together,” Grace added. “I think it’s gonna tear his heart a little when I leave for college.”

* * *

Other are area swimmers competing in 3A include Owen J. Roberts’ Mikayla Niness (50 free and 100 free) and Meredith Mutter (100 breast) and Phoenixville’s Erini Pappas (200 IM and 100 fly). Niness, a junior, won gold at the District 1 meet and comes into states as the second seed in the event. Owen J. Roberts is also sending teams in the 200 free relay and 200 medley relay.

Class 2A

Upper Perkiomen will have several competitors racing in the PIAA Class 2A championships on Wednesday and Thursday.

Junior Noel Fresa is seeded third in the 200 free and 100 free. Fresa won both events at the District 1 meet. Senior Bailey McCausland is the 28th seed in the 100 breaststroke. This is the first time the girls program has ever had two swimmers qualify for individual events.

Upper Perkiomen also has teams competing in the 200 free relay, seeded fifth, and the 400 free relay, seeded eighth. The 200 free relay won the District 1 championship. Maddie Modugno and Devin Romanowski will join Fresa and McCausland on both relay teams with Darragh Martin as the alternate.

“This will be the first time since the program started in either that late 60s or early 70s that we have ever, ever had two girls qualify in individual events,” Upper Perkiomen coach Brien Kalnoski said. “That’s never happened before. And it’s the first time in the history of the program where the girls swim team, they were district champions in that 200 relay. That’s never happened before. I’m pretty excited about that.”