The Blue Mountain boys' 400 freestyle relay poses after placing eighth in the morning preliminaries Saturday at the PIAA Swimming Championships at Bucknell University. From left are Porter Sarnes, Gabe Kamarousky, Aidan Varney and Brody Moyer (Photo by Leroy Boyer).

Schuylkill League medal count grows to 9

LEWISBURG — Porter Sarnes says he usually doesn’t hear people cheering and yelling while he swims.

He couldn’t help but hear his Blue Mountain coaches and teammates Saturday morning at the PIAA Swimming Championships at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium.

With his coaches and teammates standing poolside, urging him to go faster on every lap, Sarnes broke the Blue Mountain school record and placed eighth in the boys’ Class AA 500-yard freestyle preliminaries.

His time of 4:45.15 breaks the previous mark of 4:46.08 set by Ty Raubenstein in 2019. His eighth-place finish advances him to Saturday night’s championship finals and gives the Blue Mountain his first individual state medal after placing 10th in the event last year.

“I could hear them,” Sarnes said of his teammates and coaches. “I could also see them. It wasn’t like I was paying attention, but they were right there and so loud. I could see them too, which pushed me harder.

“I just really can’t believe it. I was hoping I could get the record, but just getting the medal is awesome. I feel so proud of what my coaches have taught me and the work I’ve put in. It’s an amazing feeling.”

The Schuylkill League garnered three more top-eight medals during Saturday’s boys’ prelims, upping the league’s overall medal count to nine so far.

Marian’s Michael Strucko was second in the boys’ 500 freestyle prelims in 50.03 seconds. After placing second in the 200 freestyle Friday, Strucko will battle for gold Saturday night.

Erie Cathedral Prep’s Jack Raimy posted the fastest time in the 500 freestyle prelims in 49.90.

Blue Mountain’s Brody Moyer was 16th in the prelims in 54.07, qualifying for Saturday night’s consolation finals. He can finish no higher than ninth.

“Going into today, there wasn’t too many nerves. My main goal was just to make it to finals,” Strucko said of his race. “I think I’m more of a finals swimmer and the atmosphere at night helps a better swim.

“I didn’t feel the sharpest, I didn’t feel amazing. It happens sometimes. I’m not too worried or upset about anything. I swim again tonight.”

The final medal will come in the 400 freestyle relay as the Blue Mountain quartet of Sarnes, Aidan Varney, Gabe Kamarousky and Moyer took eighth in the prelims in 3:17.52.

Varney swam the key leg after the Eagles were fifth or sixth in their heat after Sarnes’ lead-off 100. His split of 48.96 put the Eagles in third and they held it until the end.

Blue Mountain will join Schuylkill Valley (3:12.17), Northgate (3:14.10), Erie Cathedral Prep (3:14.11), Allentown Central Catholic (3:14.87), Tunkhannock (3:14.98), Springfield Township (3:15.21) and Bishop McDevitt (3:16.11) in the finals.

It will be Blue Mountain’s second relay medal after the Eagles took eighth in the 200 freestyle relay Friday.

“My mindset was the past two years we’ve gotten ninth place in this relay and I wanted to break that streak,” Varney said. “I just swam as fast as I could, especially for Gabe, because it’s his senior year and I wanted to get him a medal.

“I looked around a little bit and I could see we were falling behind. I was hoping we could catch up so I could Gabe as much of an advantage as I could.”

Several other Schuylkill League swimmers competed in Saturday’s boys’ preliminaries but didn’t advance.

Pottsville’s Noah Bevan was 19th in the 100 freestyle in 49.06, North Schuylkill’s Brendan Fetterolf was 30th in the 500 freestyle in 5:04.81 and Schuylkill Haven’s Ethan Miller was 27th in the 100 breaststroke in 1:01.73.

Miller, who was 22nd in Friday’s 100 butterfly, was happy he went faster than his District 11 breaststroke time of 1:01.81.

“It does feel good,” Miller said. “I wanted to make finals, obviously, but I dropped time. That’s all you can ask for.”

The boys’ consolation and championship finals get under way at 4:30 p.m. today. The girls’ prelims begin at 10:55 a.m., followed by the PIAA Class AA Girls’ Diving Championships at 12:40 p.m.

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PIAA Swimming Championships

Class AA Boys

At Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium

Saturday’s local preliminary results

100 freestyle — 19. Noah Bevan (Pottsville) 49.06

500 freestyle — 8. Porter Sarnes (Blue Mountain) 4:45.15; 30. Brendan Fetterolf (North Schuylkill) 5:04.81

100 backstroke — 2. Michael Strucko (Marian) 50.03; 16. Brody Moyer (Blue Mountain) 54.07

100 breaststroke — 27. Ethan Miller (Schuylkill Haven) 1:01.73

400 freestyle relay — 8. Blue Mountain (Sarnes, A. Varney, Kamarousky, Moyer) 3:17.52