Clarion County YMCA Riversharks Make Waves At CENKEY Championships
(By Dan Clark)
The Clarion County YMCA Riversharks swim team closed out the regular season with new Meet Records, Club Records, Personal Bests, and additional District Qualifying times at the 2024 CENKEY League Championships for swimmers from ten teams across the central keystone region held on February 10-11 at the Zimmerli Natatorium at Lock Haven University. The Riversharks team placed 6th overall in combined points with four 1st place, seven 2nd place, and five 3rd place podium winners.
The Saturday morning session was for the 8 & Under age group. Dylan Space led the way for the boys on the podium with 2nd place finishes in the 100-yard Individual Medley and 25-yard Breaststroke, with a Personal Best time, and a 3rd place finish in the 50-yard Freestyle. Addison Space led the way for the girls with a 2nd place finish in the 25-yard Breaststroke, and a Personal Best time in the 100-yard individual medley.
The Saturday afternoon session featured the 9-10 and 11-12 age groups where, Declan Kelley led the 9-10 boys with a 3rd place finish in the 50-yard Backstroke while securing both District Qualifying and Personal Best times in the 50-yard Backstroke and 50-yard Freestyle and a Personal Best time in the 100-yard Individual Medley. Jocelyn Parkinson lead the way for the 9-10 girls with a District Qualifying time in both the 50-yard Freestyle and 100-yard Breaststroke and achieving Personal Best times in the 50-yard Freestyle, 100-yard Freestyle, and 50-yard Backstroke. The 11-12 girls were led by Samantha Lewis who won 1st place in the 200-yard Breaststroke, secured a 3rd place finish in the 50-yard Backstroke with a District Qualifying and Personal Best time, and achieved a Personal Best time in the 100-yard Individual Medley.
The Sunday morning session capped off the meet with the 13-14 and 15 & Over age groups. The 13-14 girls had an impressive showing overall while being highlighted by the performance of Callie Snodgrass who earned District Qualifying times in each of her events while winning 1st place in the 100-yard Backstroke with a Personal Best time and 1st place the 100-yard Butterfly, setting a CENKEY meet record with a time of 1:01.33. Callie also had a 2nd place finish in the 200-yard Individual Medley. Additionally, she was part of the CENKEY Championships meet record setting 400-yard Freestyle Relay along with Ashlyn Clark, Maggie Snodgrass, and Lila Gourley for a District Qualifying time of 3:56.05.
The 15 & Over group was led by Kylan Clark who earned 5th place in the 200-yard Freestyle and having Personal Best times in the 100- and 200-yard Freestyle and 100-yard Breaststroke.
The next action for the Riversharks will be at the Pennsylvania West District swim meet held at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, OH March 7-10.
RESULTS SUMMARY
Event (distance & stroke: Freestyle, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Backstroke, or Individual Medley)- Swimmer; & Overall Place for award winners (1st-12th).
DIST signifies a District Qualifying time; MR signifies a CENKEY Champs Meet Record; and CR signifies a new Clarion County YMCA Riversharks Record.
8 & Under Age Group
Girls
25 Free
Hannah Lawrence (11th)
50 Free
Addyson Space (6th)
25 Back
Leona Renninger (6th); Hannah Lawrence (12th)
25 Breast
Addyson Space (2nd)
25 Fly
Addyson Space (4th); Hannah Lawrence (11th)
100 IM
Addyson Space (5th)
8 & Under Age Group
Boys
25 Free
Connor Chesterfield (4th)
50 Free
Dylan Space (2nd); Connor Chesterfield (9th)
25 Back
Dylan Space (3rd); Connor Chesterfield (9th)
25 Breast
Dylan Space (2nd)
100 IM
Dylan Space (2nd); Conner Chesterfield (6th)
9-10 Age Group
Girls
50 Free
Jocelyn Parkinson (9th) DIST
100 Free
Jocelyn Parkinson (7th)
50 Back
Jocelyn Parkinson (10th)
100 Breast
Jocelyn Parkinson (6th) DIST
9-10 Age Group
Boys
50 Free
Declan Kelley (4th) DIST
50 Back
Declan Kelley (3rd) DIST
50 Breast
Declan Kelley (12nd)
100 IM
Declan Kelley (4th)
11-12 Age Group
Girls
50 Back
Samantha Lewis (3rd) DIST
100 Back
Audrey Oakes (12th)
100 Breast
Brylie Glenn (12th)
200 Breast
Samantha Lewis (1st)
50 Fly
Lillian Shifflet (8th); Addison Lechner (12th)
100 Fly
Lillian Shifflet (3rd)
100 IM
Samantha Lewis (4th); Lillian Shifflet (9th)
200 Medley Relay
Lillian Shifflet, Samantha Lewis, Addison Lechner, and Destiny Towner (5th) DIST
13-14 Age Group
Girls
50 Free
Ashlyn Clark (3rd) DIST CR
100 Free
Lila Gourley (6th) DIST; Ashlyn Clark (7th) DIST; Megan Fenske (12th) DIST
200 Free
Lila Gourley (2nd) DIST; Megan Fenske (5th) DIST
100 Back
Callie Snodgrass (1st) DIST CR; Lila Gourley (6th) DIST; Ashlyn Clark (7th) DIST
200 Breast
Maggie Snodgrass (2nd) DIST
100 Fly
Callie Snodgrass (1st) DIST MR
200 IM
Callie Snodgrass (2nd) DIST
400 IM
Maggie Snodgrass (2nd) DIST
400 Free Relay
Ashlyn Clark, Lila Gourley, Maggie Snodgrass, and Callie Snodgrass (1st) DIST MR CR
15 & Over Age Group
Boys
200 Free
Kylan Clark (5th); Theodore Sweet (8th)
100 Breast
Kylan Clark (8th); Theodore Sweet (10th)
(Congratulations Riversharks!!!! Thanks to Dan Clark for this article and to Maribeth Chesterfield, Kristine Lewis and Susanne Fenske for their photos!!)