ERIE – The McDowell boys and girls swim teams dominated the pool at the Hallman Aquatic Center Saturday as both teams won the District 10 Class 3A Team Swimming championship.
The Lady Trojans, led by a pair of individual wins from Lexi Pierce (200 IM, 100 Breast) won the team title despite having fewer individual champions than third-place Meadville.
McDowell had four winners, while the Bulldogs claimed six titles, including all three relays. DuBois, competing at the D10 championships because they are the only 3A team in District 9, had just a single individual winner in Abby Dressler (200 Free) but finished second in the team standings.
In addition to Pierce, the Lady Trojans will send Jordan Nuzback (100 Fly) and Jazmy Myers (500 Free) on to the PIAA State Swimming Championships at Cumberland Valley High School on March 20.
Heading to CVHS for Meadville are Maura Bloss (50 Free), J.J. Gowetski (100 Free), Olivia Philbrick (100 Back) and the 200 Medley Relay (Philbrick, Brielle Cheney, Bloss and Gowetski), 200 Free Relay (Gowetski, Jordan, Philbrick and Bloss) and 400 Free Relay (Bloss, Gowetski, Jordan and Philbrick) teams.
On the boys side, the Trojans claimed seven individual championships, including the 200 and 400 Free Relays. Owen Hardner took the gold in the 200 Free and 500 Free. Aidan Fickenworth (100 Free), Nicolin Pierce (100 Back) and Christopher Zhou (100 Breast) will join Hardner at CVHS as will the 200 Free Relay (Hardner, Matthew Su, Zhou and Fickenworth and 400 Free Relay (Hardner, Matthew Lee, Su and Fickenworth) teams.
Meadville’s Josh Merchbaker (50 Free, 100 Fly) and 200 Medley Relay (Merchbaker, Braden Bosco, Isaac Johnson and Gabe Cummings) will also head to states, as will Warren’s Hugh Harrison (200 IM).
Meadville finished second in the team standings, with Warren third and Erie fourth.
GIRLS TEAM POINTS
1. McDowell 414
2. DuBois 233
3. Meadville 218
4. Erie High 99
BOYS TEAM POINTS
1. McDowell 398
2. Meadville 221
3. Warren 167
4. Erie High 54
