The Schuylkill League claimed the top three spots on the podium in the boys' 200 freestyle, with Blue Mountain's Porter Sarnes, left, taking second; Marian's Michael Strucko grabbing gold; and North Schuylkill's Brendan Fetterolf placing third (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

Moyer pulls out victory in thrilling 100 butterfly finish

ALLENTOWN — Brody Moyer quickly turned around to look at the scoreboard.

Then the celebration began.

Loud cheers toward his rowdy teammates on the side of the pool. A few fist pumps in the air. A couple of large splashes.

The Blue Mountain junior became a District 11 swimming champion Friday evening, taking first in a thrilling Class AA boys’ 100-yard butterfly race at Parkland High School.

The top seed, Moyer needed to rally over the final 25 yards to nip Saucon Valley’s Brody Warner and Allentown Central Catholic’s Colin Fitzpatrick.

Moyer was clocked in 52.88, Warner in 52.99 and Fitzpatrick in 53.08.

Getting gold was a step up the podium from last season, when Moyer earned silver in 54.93.

“I didn’t breathe from halfway in,” Moyer said. “I saw that I got first … I wasn’t expecting it, to be totally honest.

“That was an amazing feeling. It just feels so amazing to get first this year. I’m going to states … hopefully I can make finals at states. That would be awesome.”

The trio was close throughout, with Fitzpatrick holding a slight lead after 50 yards. Fitzpatrick was still ahead after the final turn, but Moyer surged late to just nip Fitzpatrick and Warner for the gold medal.

Schuylkill Haven’s Ethan Miller was fourth in 54.03.

“I knew it was going to be a close race,” Moyer said. “I’ve seen those two kids, Fitzpatrick and Warner, and their times throughout the season. They both go equally fast.

“That first 50, off that wall, I saw Fitzpatrick out of the corner of my eye ahead of me and I was like, “I have to pick it up now.’ I picked it up.”

Moyer was joined atop the podium by Marian senior Michael Strucko, who won his third straight 200 freestyle gold in 1:43.28.

Strucko was pushed by Blue Mountain’s Porter Sarnes over the first 50 yards, then switched into a different gear and quickly pulled away.

Sarnes was second in 1:46.76, with North Schuylkill freshman Brendan Fetterolf taking bronze in 1:49.74.

“It was a fun race,” Strucko said. “Every year is something new. Competition comes and goes. Every year you have to be on your toes. It’s never easy. I love coming here, I love this meet, the crowd gives you a lot of energy.

“I’m blessed and happy that I could find a race that I could excel in and have success in three years in a row.”

Strucko said after the Schuylkill League Swimming Championships in January that he would compete in the 50 freestyle and not the 200 free at districts and states. He changed his mind over the past week and returned to the 200 freestyle.

“It was kind of a last-minute decision,” Strucko said of picking the 200. “Me and my coaches were looking at the times in the state, how I compared, what we thought I could do. We ultimately decided that I have a little bit more room for improvement in the 200. I’m not tapered, I’m not rested and I just dropped two seconds.

“I’m happy with my choice right now.”

Moyer and Strucko were the only Schuylkill League boys to earn gold medals. On the girls’ side, Mahanoy Area’s Lily Brown, Marian’s Lydia Strucko, the Tamaqua medley relay and the Blue Mountain 200 free relay team grabbed gold (See related story).

While Moyer and Strucko were the only Schuylkill boys to climb to the top of the podium, several others made the walk across the bulkhead to receive hardware, in addition to Miller in the fly and Sarnes and Fetterolf in the 200 free.

** Pottsville’s Noah Bevan clocked his fastest 50 freestyle time to place second in that event.

Bevan finished in 21.80, almost a full second faster than his seed time of 22.79. Allentown Central Catholic’s Liam Fitzpatrick was first in 21.51.

“That was the fastest I’ve gone in that race ever. That was it, that was it right there,” Bevan said. “It was a lot of hard work this year. I had a solid year of training this year. We haven’t had that since my freshman year. It was great to have a good year of training.

“I tried some new things in the 50 this year. I switched up my stroke recovery, changed the way I breath in the 50. Everything is different than how I swam it in the past. It’s good to see that that paid off. It’s reassuring to know that I’m not working for nothing.

“Hopefully that time takes me (to states).”

** In the 200 medley relay, the Pottsville quartet of Ashton Maroukis, Jamison Walsh, John Mohl and Bevan was third in 1:44.48. The Blue Mountain foursome of Evan Varney, Zach Scala, Seth Nester and Gabe Kamarousky was fourth in 1:45.94.

** The Eagles’ foursome of Sarnes, Scala, Aidan Varney and Moyer was second in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:29.96. ACC took gold in 1:28.69.

Through the first day of competition, Blue Mountain was third in the team standings with 176 points, trailing Southern Lehigh (198) and Allentown Central Catholic (185).

Action continues Saturday morning at 10 a.m. with competition in the 100 freestyle, 500 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke and 400 freestyle relay.