2022-23 Mercury Girls Swimming Team-By-Team Previews

Boyertown

Head coach: Hannah Scheiry, 2nd season

Last year’s record: 5-5 PAC and overall

Swimmers to watch: Tamara Engler (100 breast)

Outlook: “Our outlook as a team is just to continue sharing the love of the sport and positivity,” Scheiry said.

Daniel Boone

Head coach: Amy Demberger, 2nd season

Last year’s record: 1-6 Central Penn League and overall

Swimmers to watch: Shailla Mejia

Outlook: Mejia has won twice in the 200 IM and 100 back in the Blazers’ first three meets.

“We’re a small team this season,” Demberger said. “Last year we had 11 graduating seniors. This year we are looking to improve all our best times from last season and hopefully send more swimmers to districts.”

Hill School

Head coach: Jay Spencer, 9th season

Last year’s record: 0-2 MAPL, 2-4 overall

Swimmers to watch: Summer Lam, Sr., (school 100 fly record holder, captain); Aryanna Bodge, Sr., (top returning diver); Ella Grindle, Jr.; Annabelle Lombardi, Fr. (distance specialist)

Outlook: The Blues have much greater depth this year, especially in distance freestyle.

“The team is young, with only two seniors and two juniors, but we have a strong group of freshmen who will contribute greatly this season,” Spencer said. “We are away for most of our meets, and our opponents are perennial powerhouses. We might just surprise one or two of them, though, with some high-level swimming and diving Once we return from our team training trip to Fort Lauderdale in January, we should be in a strong position to win a few meets and perform well at the post-season meets, the Mid-Atlantic Prep League Championship meet and Easterns.”

Methacton

Head coach: Tori Rosa, 2nd season

Last year’s record: 8-2 PAC, 9-4 overall

Swimmers to watch: Madison Wimmer, Jr. (3rd in district and state qualifier in 200 free, district qualifier in 100 free, 200 and 500 free); Truly Sommer, So., (district qualifier in 200 IM and 500 free, 100 fly);  Amanda Tsai, Sr. , (back); Lucy Michel, Fr. (sprint free); Ava Sgarra, Fr. (distance free, IM, and breast)

Outlook: “I am hoping to see some great swims out of these freshmen with hopes of qualifying for districts,” Rosa said. “As for the team as a whole, I look forward to a great season with six incoming freshmen. We are hoping to win more league and out of league meets.”

Owen J. Roberts

Head coach: Kevin Bott, 23rd season

Last year’s record: 10-0 PAC and overall

Swimmers to watch: Eliana Crew, Sr. (free, IM); Natalie Spencer, Sr. (free); Mackenzie Gorma, Jr. (back, fly); Olivia Cooper, So. (free); Jane Hummel, So. (fly, IM); Kaitlyn McGuire, So. (free)

Outlook: Wildcats return six district qualifiers.

“The girls team is well-rounded in numbers, with a nice blend of athletes within each class,” Bott said. “The senior girls have been helping transition the younger athletes, and the team is coming together nicely. We like the effort, support, and positivity in practices so far, and look forward to continuing to see the team gel.”

Coaching staff also includes Colin Bauer (1st year), Lindsay Staufenberg (6th year), Rebekah Elliott (11th year,diving).

Perkiomen Valley

Head coach: Mitchell Zackowski, 6th season

Last year’s record: 3-4 PAC and overall

Swimmers to watch: Camryn Beers, Sr. (sprint free, team captain); Ella Dittmar, Sr. (breast); Elyse Tancini, Sr. (distance free)
Outlook: Vikings graduated district champion and state diving silver medalist Gabby Filzen.

“With 13 new freshman on the team, many with a few years of competitive swimming experience, we are looking forward to a building year,” Zackowski said. “We will rely heavily on our juniors and seniors to help guide and teach our young swimmers the ropes. We are looking forward to another exciting season with many swimmers looking ahead to districts and even states.”

Phoenixville

Head coach: Dan Weinstein, 11th season

Last year’s record: 7-3 PAC and overall

Swimmers to watch: Kenzie Padilla, Jr. (4th in state in 100 fly and 6th in 500 free); Maddie Deeney, So.(district qualifier in 200 IM and 500 free); Hadley Mardis, Sr. (200 medley relay district qualifier, sprint free, back); Liza Barbash, Jr. (200 medley relay district qualifier, free)

Outlook: Phantoms are essentially returning their entire squad from last year.

“The girls expect to be right where they were last year, competing for a conference championship and returning to district and state competition,” Weinstein said.

Pope John Paul II

Head coach: Emily Thomas, 6th season

Last year’s record: 2-7 PAC and overall

Swimmers to watch: Haley Lindenmuth, Jr.; Tori Sills, Jr.; Maria Souder, Jr.; Shae Gonzales, So. (5th in District 1-2A 200 free); Molly Houchins, So.; Annette Testa, Fr.

Outlook: “Continuing to grow the program, looking to better our district appearances from last year with more individuals and relays making it,” Thomas said concerning the team’s goals. “Looking to better our records from last season.”

Pottsgrove

Head coach: Alex Diehl, 8th season

Last year’s record: 3-6 PAC, 4-6 overall

Swimmers to watch: Bayley Richard, Jr.; Kennedy Krock, So.; Elsa Lucus, Fr.; Ava Reicher, Fr.; Olivia Chapman, Fr.
Outlook: “We are looking forward to another strong and competitive season from our girls team with several girls and relays making it to the district level,” Diehl said.

Jack Hughes is in his fourth season as assistant coach for the Falcons.

Spring-Ford

Head coach: Jack Graham, 2nd season

Last year’s record: 9-1 PAC and overall

Swimmers to watch: Ashley Gutshall, Sr. (2-time state medalist in 50 free and 100 free), Maris Sadowski, Sr. (district qualifier in back and 200 free); Izzy Rouyer, Sr. (sprint free), Cierra Griffith, Sr. (IM, breast); Sydney Koeler, Jr. (district qualifier in IM, breast); Leah Koons, Jr. (dIstance free); Juliana Metry, Jr. (back, distance free); Kaia Griffith, So. (district qualifier in fly, free), Abby Koehler, So. (district qualifier fly, free), Alex Parsia, So. (free, IM), Jordyn Gutshall, So. (diving, back); Gabby Metry, Fr.; Nadia Karalius, Fr.; Chloe Fennimore, Fr.; Karina Figueroa, Fr.

Outlook: “Owen J. Roberts will continue to be the favorite, but we were able to return all five members of our state relay teams last year,” Graham said. “Last year, we set seven team records and all of those girls returned. We have excellent front line swimmers, and also possess a great deal of depth with the addition of incoming freshmen swimmers.”

Upper Perkiomen

Head coach: Brien Kalnoski, 10th season

Last year’s record: 1-9 PAC, 1-11 overall

Swimmers to watch: Beatriz Santos, Fr. (100 back); Katie Kovalenko, Fr. (100 breast)

Outlook: “We have a small girls team,” Kalnoski said. “Looking to be competitive in individual races. Goal is to get some girls qualified for the District I-2A meet this year.”