PIAA Swimming: Radnor’s Cullen shrugs off scratch, earns state bronze
LEWISBURG — Casey Cullen’s is the classic tale of a first trip to the PIAA Championships.
The anticipation, the preparation, the freak accident that leaves you in the emergency room until 1 a.m., complete with a staple to close a cut in your head. All followed by a run to a bronze medal in the 100-yard butterfly for the gashed Radnor freshman.
Wait, what?
“It was kind of hard when I was at the ER,” Cullen said Friday. “I didn’t want to swim as much, but then when I got here, I was really happy to be here.”
While at dinner in Lewisburg Thursday night, Cullen somehow fell back and hit her head. That led to the ER scene, which led to a 1 a.m. lights out with girls warmups starting at 7:30.
“It was really stressful because we didn’t know if she’d be able to swim,” Radnor senior and older brother Patrick said. “We didn’t know what time she was going to get home. She was unable to prepare for this meet, and that was a big worry last night, but thank God she was able to.”
All Casey did was finish second in her heat in prelims to steal the fourth seed in finals at 56.20 seconds, then speed up to 55.74 for third place in finals.
“It’s just swim as fast as I can,” she said.
.@RHSwimDive‘s Casey Cullen (lane 6, top) goes 55.74 to take 3rd in the 100 fly. @GVAthletics‘ Catherine Weaverling (lane 2) 4th in 56.08. pic.twitter.com/g82vxHuHpd
— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) March 15, 2019
Her swim may have had a knock-on effect, with Patrick setting a Radnor record in the 50 free. He tied the mark of Greg Giannella with 20.66 in the event to take the fourth seed in finals, then went 20.58 off the front of the 200 free relay in prelims.
“It totally motivates me, seeing her do well,” Patrick said. “It gives everyone the confidence. If she as a freshman can go out there and crush it, so can we.”
Patrick fell to sixth in the evening with a time of 21.02. The event was highlighted by State College junior Matt Brownstead obliterating the field in 19.55 seconds, a state record that displaces David Nolan’s standard from 2011 (19.58) and challenges the national mark (Vladimir Morozov, 19.43).
Matt Brownstead of State College SAVAGED a 19.55 50 free. State record to take down David Nolan’s 19.58. pic.twitter.com/cSD0zICqGO
— Matthew De George (@sportsdoctormd) March 16, 2019
Patrick rallied in the relay, again going quicker with team honors at stake. His leadoff leg of 20.62 helped the squad of Nick Mlodzienski, Wil Cosgrove and Andrew Davis finish fourth in 1:24.89, a school record.
“It’s so tough after a swim like that,” Patrick said. “You come in with all these expectations and hopes in your last individual (50), but for adversity to happen there, it takes everything in you to try to do it for the relay this time, not just yourself. And thankfully I was able to help out my team.”
Casey has been the spectator for years at states, first for All-Delco big sister Julia, then Patrick. So she wasn’t going to miss her chance to add to the family lore, and her only shot at a states meet with her older brother.
“It’s very cool,” Casey said. “It’s a whole different environment being with everyone on the pool deck.”
