Callie Snodgrass “Flys” to Win Two YMCA States Championships And Qualify For Nationals; Other Riversharks Also Have Other Big Performances

Photos by Wendy Snodgrass: Above – Callie Snodgrass

(By Dan Clark)

The Clarion County YMCA Riversharks State Swim Team comprised of Callie Snodgrass, Maggie Snodgrass, Lila Gourley, Ashlyn Clark, and Declan Kelley competed at the 2024 Pennsylvania YMCA State Championships in The Aquatic Center at Mylan Park, at Morgantown, West Virginia, March 22nd-24th.  

These swimmers earned their tickets to States by placing in the top six of their age group events at the Western District Championships or were among the fastest swimmers across all three districts (West, Central, and East).  The meet had a preliminary/finals format for individual events, where the top eight swimmers from the preliminary heats of twenty-four swimmers competed in the finals to be crowned among best swimmers from across the entire state.

Callie Snodgrass had an extraordinary meet where she swept the butterfly events on her way to two State Championship titles in both the 100-yard butterfly and the 200-yard butterfly!  Her time in the 100-yard butterfly represented an improvement to her team record and will improve her seed time at YMCA National Championships.  Callie also earned a spot on the podium in the 100-yard backstroke where she secured a 4th place finish and improved upon her team record.

Maggie Snodgrass also turned in two impressive individual medal performances and improved upon her team record in each one.  She earned 5th place in the 200-yard breaststroke and placed 6th  in the 400-yard individual medley.

Callie Snodgrass, Maggie Snodgrass, Lila Gourley, and Ashlyn Clark teamed up for three different relays and reached the podium and improved upon their team record times in each one!  This squad has had an amazing season and proudly capped it off to earn 3rd place finishes in both the 200-yard medley relay and the 200-yard freestyle relay.  This foursome also earned a 4th place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay where lead-off swimmer Ashlyn Clark improved upon her team record time in the 100-yard free.

These Riversharks also competed in the preliminaries of other individual events where Ashlyn Clark notably placed 9th to improve upon her team record time in the 50-yard freestyle and Declan Kelley, in his first trip to states, placed 21st in the 100-yard backstroke.  

With the completion of States, most of the Riversharks have concluded their season but Callie Snodgrass will be the first Clarion Rivershark to compete at Nationals.  She will be competing in the 100 yard butterfly at the 2024 YMCA Short Course National Swimming Championship in Greensboro, North Carolina.

The Riversharks swimmers and coaches (Aidan Mohren, Mason Irwin, and Wendy Snodgrass) should be very proud of their excellent performances. 

RESULTS SUMMARY: Event: Swimmer Prelims or Finals (Time, and Overall Place Finish)

NAT signifies a National Qualifying time; and CR signifies a new Clarion County YMCA Riversharks Record.

10 & Under Boys

100 Back: Declan Kelley Prelims (1:23.58, 21st)

13-14 Age Group Girls

50 Free: Ashlyn Clark Prelims (25.50, 9th) CR

100 Free: Ashlyn Clark Prelims (57.23, 17th) 

100 Back: Callie Snodgrass Prelims (1:02.41, 8th), Finals (1:00.80, 4th) CR

100 Breast: Maggie Snodgrass Prelims (1:10.53, 11th)

200 Breast: Maggie Snodgrass Prelims (2:34.51, 5th), Finals (2.32.79 ,5th) CR

100 Fly: Callie Snodgrass Prelims (59.22, 1st), Finals(58.40, 1st) NAT, CR

200 Fly: Callie Snodgrass Prelims (2:14.24 1st), Finals (2:13.18, 1st)

200 IM: Maggie Snodgrass Prelims (2:20.58, 14th)

400 IM: Maggie Snodgrass Prelims (4:59.15, 5th), Finals (4:57.64, 6th) CR

200 Free Relay: Clark, Gourley, M. Snodgrass, and C. Snodgrass (1:42.67, 3rd) CR

400 Free Relay: Clark*, C. Snodgrass, M. Snodgrass, and L. Gourley Finals (3:46.95, 4th) CR [*100 Free Lead Off Split: Ashlyn Clark (56:22) CR]

200 Medley Relay: Clark, M. Snodgrass, C. Snodgrass, and Gourley (1:53.30, 3rd) CR

(Congratulations to Callie and all the best at Nationals!!!! Congratulations to the rest of the Riversharks who swam in the State Meet!!!! Thanks to Dan Clark for this article and to Wendy Snodgrass for her photos!!)