Riversharks: Space Out Of This World At The West District Swimming Championships

Photos Courtesy of Wendy Snodgrass

(By Dan Clark)The Clarion County YMCA Riversharks took twenty-nine swimmers to the three-day 2026 Pennsylvania YMCA West District Championships at the SPIRE Institute, in Geneva, Ohio over the weekend of March 6-8. These athletes earned their spots by achieving age-group qualifying times and competed against the region’s top YMCA swimmers. The top twelve place finishers in each event reached the podium, while the top six individual finishers and the top four relay teams automatically qualified for the 2026 Pennsylvania YMCA State Championship. Additional podium finishers may also qualify for States based on their times.

DISTRICT CHAMPIONS
Dylan Space had a fantastic weekend to earn a spot at States in each individual event that he swam. He also won the 100-yard breaststroke while reaching the podium in the 50-yard butterfly in 4th place, 50-yard backstroke in 6th place, 50-yard breaststroke in 3rd place, 100- and 200-yard individual medley in 3rd place and 4th place, respectively.

Kevin Young also had an impressive meet where he won the 1650-yard freestyle and earned a spot at States in the 50-, 200-, and 500-yard freestyle in 8th, 5th, and 4th place, respectively.

The girls 200-yard medley relay team of Callie Snodgrass, Maggie Snodgrass, Ashlyn Clark, and Lila Gourley won the event with a 2026 National YMCA Qualifying Time. These ladies also teamed up in the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays to place 3rd and 2nd, respectively, to earn their spot at States.

NATIONAL QUALIFIERS AND OTHER STATE QUALIFIERS
Maggie Snodgrass also had a great weekend and punched her ticket to States in all seven events that she swam. Most notably, she achieved a 2026 National YMCA Qualifying Time in the 100-yard breaststroke while placing 4th overall. She also reached the podium in the 200-yard backstroke in 5th place, 200-yard breaststroke in 4th place, and 200-yard individual medley in 4th place.

Callie Snodgrass earned her way to States in all six events that she participated in. Most impressively, she achieved a 2026 National YMCA Qualifying Time in the 100-yard backstroke while placing 2nd overall. She also will be swimming the 100- and 200-yard butterfly events at States after placing 3rd in each.

Addyson Space will be going to States from her performances in five events- 8th place for the 50-yard backstroke, 4th place and 3rd place in the 50- and 100-yard breaststroke events, respectively, and 5th place and 6th place in the 100- and 200-yard individual medleys, respectively.

Ashlyn Clark qualified for States in three individual events by placing 11th in the 100-yard butterfly and 5th and 9th place in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events.

Declan Kelley earned a spot at States in two events from placing 5th and 3rd in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events, respectively. Megan Fenske will be headed to States in two events from her 10th place finishes in the 100- and 200-yard backstroke events.

Rounding out the Riversharks States team is Klayton Bell who reached 3rd place in the 100-yard breaststroke for his inaugural trip to States.

Shown below is a summary of Western Districts results for the Riversharks competitors; swimmers who will be competing at the 2026 Pennsylvania YMCA State Swimming Championships (indicated by “STATES”) and swimmers who have achieved the National YMCA qualifying standard (indicated as “NATS”).

GIRLS 10 & UNDER
Hannah Lawrence: 50 back (26th); 50 free (34th); 100 free (30th); 200 free (24th).
Addyson Space: 50 back (8th) STATES; 50 breast (4th) STATES; 100 breast (3rd) STATES; 100 free (10th); 100 IM (5th) STATES; 200 IM (6th) STATES.
Leona Renninger: 50 back (17th).
Sutton Wilson: 50 breast (30th).

Relay Teams
200 free relay: Cora Fink, Hannah Lawrence, Sutton Wilson, and Addyson Space (16th)
200 medley relay: Hannah Lawrence, Sutton Wilson, Addyson Space, and Leona Renninger (9th)

GIRLS 11-12
Relay Teams
200 medley relay: Lorelei Casale, Gabrielle Humell, Bryn Hunsberger, Emelia Larson (21st)

GIRLS 13-14
Aubree Conticelli: 100 breast (18th); 200 breast (15th); 50 free (43rd).
Mya Coradi: 50 free (60th).
Samantha Lewis: 100 fly (22nd); 100 breast (20th); 200 breast (16th); 200 free (31st); 200 IM (23rd)
Audrey Oakes: 50 free (69th).

Relay Teams
200 medley relay: Mya Coradi, Aubree Conticelli, Samantha Lewis, Lilian Shifflet (9th)

GIRLS 15 & OVER
Ashlyn Clark: 100 breast (15th); 100 fly (11th) STATES; 50 free (5th) STATES; 100 free (9th) STATES.
Megan Fenske: 100 back (10th) STATES; 200 back (10th) STATES; 50 free (16th); 100 free (25th).
Lila Gourley: 50 free (22nd); 100 free (17th); 500 free (20th); 1000 free (10th).
Callie Snodgrass: 100 fly (3rd) STATES; 200 fly (3rd) STATES; 100 back (2nd) STATES NATS.
Maggie Snodgrass: 200 back (5th) STATES; 100 breast (4th) STATES NATS; 200 breast (4th) STATES; 200 IM (4th) STATES.
Relay Teams

200 medley relay: Callie Snodgrass, Maggie Snodgrass, Ashlyn Clark, and Lila Gourley (1st) STATES, NATS.
200 free relay: Maggie Snodgrass, Callie Snodgrass, Lila Gourley, and Ashlyn Clark (3rd) STATES.
400 free relay: Maggie Snodgrass, Lila Gourley, Callie Snodgrass, and Ashlyn Clark (2nd) STATES.

BOYS 10 & UNDER
Klayton Bell: 50 fly (8th); 50 breast (14th); 100 breast (3rd) STATES; 50 free (7th); 100 free (12th); 100 IM (10th).

Connor Chesterfield: 50 back (22nd); 50 free (19th); 100 free (15th).
Dylan Space: 50 fly (4th) STATES; 50 back (6th) STATES; 50 breast (3rd) STATES; 100 breast (1st) STATES; 100 IM (3rd) STATES; 200 IM (4th) STATES.
Relay Teams
200 free relay: Connor Chesterfield, Klayton Bell, Cody Chesterfield, Dylan Space (8th).

BOYS 11-12
Jacob Bohlander: 50 fly (11th); 50 back (9th); 50 breast (9th); 100 breast (11th); 50 free (20th); 100 IM (9th).
Declan Kelley: 50 back (7th); 100 back (5th) STATES; 200 back (3rd) STATES; 100 free (13th).
Graeme Smith: 50 back (14th); 50 free (23rd).
Relay Teams
200 medley relay: Graeme Smith, Jacob Bohlander, Declan Kelley, Jayce Shick (7th)
200 free relay: Jacob Bohlander, Jayce Shick, Graeme Smith, and Declan Kelley (8th)
400 free relay: Jacob Bohlander, Jayce Shick, Graeme Smith, and Declan Kelley (5th)

BOYS 15 & OVER
Ky Clark: 50 free (47th); 100 free (63rd).
Kevin Young: 100 breast (18th); 50 free (8th) STATES; 200 free (5th) STATES; 500 free (4th) STATES; 1650 free (1st) STATES.

(Way to go, Riversharks!!!! Thanks to Dan Clark for this article and to Wendy Snodgrass for her photos!!)