Wins over CB South, record by Clark make it a special Senior Knight for North Penn
TOWAMENCIN >> In more ways than one, it is Nick Clark’s time.
“He’s got some goals,” North Penn coach Jeff Faikish said. “He grew up in the program and he saw the older kids. The little kids watch the older kids and then they wanna become the next generation that comes through and does everything as awesome as they did.”
Clark’s time will now reside on the record board, as his 100-yard freestyle mark of 44.86 is now the best ever at the Rick Carroll Natatorium and for North Penn as a team, anywhere.
“It’s really still hard for me to process it,” Clark said with a big smile afterwards. “One of my goals going into the year was to get an individual record. I went 45.7 at a tapered, shaved meet about a month and a half ago. So I thought this is gonna take a long time. The fact that I dropped a second from a tapered time and I went a 44, I’m really still processing it.”
Clark’s heroics were part of a special Senior Night for North Penn, as the Knights earned dual meet wins over Central Bucks South — 105-66 for the boys, 106-80 for the girls — to stay unbeaten and continue their January push.
Clark’s time of 44.86 surpassed the NP team record time of 45.17 by Jason Deana (North Carolina State), set in 2012, and the pool record time of 45.93 by the Knights’ Ryley Fein (West Virginia), set in 2019.
“To be able to leave an impression like this, to be able to leave a legacy in a program that has meant to so much to me, it means a lot,” said Clark, a senior bound for Brown next year.
The NP boys rolled, winning eight of the first nine events before swimming the final three as exhibitions.
Clark also swam on the winning 200 medley and 200 free relays. Ryan Faikish won the 50 free and swam on both winning relays, and Mason Potts won the 100 fly and swam on both relays as well.
“There were some other amazing times,” Clark said. “Mason went 53 in the 100 fly as a freshman. Nathan Rawa dropped a second in his 100 fly as well. Max Bachman went his best time in the 100 free. So the fact this meet was so successful makes our future look a lot brighter.”
The North Penn girls held off a strong challenge from the Titans in this Suburban One League Colonial Division clash.
“What makes it so special is that it was our Senior Night,” coach Faikish said. “And the awesome part is that most of these kids are a part of the aquatic club too. So it really is a lifetime here. And we got to celebrate the seniors’ achievements.”
Kaelan Daly (Kentucky) won both the 50 free and 100 fly for the Knights and anchored both the first-place 200 medley relay and first-place 200 free relay.
“It’s a special night for these kids,” coach Faikish said.
North Penn hosts Central Bucks East Tuesday and the Titans host Council Rock South Monday.
Boys Swimming
North Penn 105, Central Bucks South 66
200 medley relay: North Penn (M. Potts, R. Freece, N. Clark, R. Faikish), 138:08
200 free: R. Kircher (C) 1:54.73
200 IM: K. Stressman (NP) 2:00.92
50 free: R. Faikish (NP) 21.81
Diving: Brady Stanton (NP) 229.70
100 fly: M. Potts (NP) 53.30
100 free: N. Clark 44.86 (pool and team record)
500 free: S. Klein (NP) 5:06.83
200 free relay: North Penn (Harkrader, Faikish, Potts, Clark), 1:27.84
100 back: A. Mistry (C) 1:03.06
100 breast: R. Scholer (C) 1:04.78
400 free relay: CB South (Wise, Simon, Berger, Lee), 3:21.74
Girls Swimming
North Penn 106, Central Bucks South 80
200 medley relay: North Penn (C. Thamm, M. Fritz, E. Raser, K. Daly), 1:50.08
200 free: J. Riegel (C) 2:00.32
200 IM: H. Schuler (C) 2:09.41
50 free: K. Daly (NP) 24.43
Diving: M. Zartman (NP) 225.05
100 fly: K. Daly (NP) 1:01.53
100 free: C. Thamm (NP) 53.97
500 free: E. Raser (NP) 527.73
200 free relay: North Penn (E. Raser, C. Thamm, L. Robey, K. Daly), 1:41.03
100 back: H. Scholer (C) 58.98
100 breast: J. Riegel (C) 1:08.45
400 free relay: North Penn (Robey, Zollars, Koerper, Fritz), 3:55.71.
