Marian's Michael Strucko, middle, takes off from the blocks in the 50-yard freestyle at Saturday's Schuylkill League Swimming Championships at Pottsville's Ned Hampford Natatorium (Photo by Rebecca Donohue).

POTTSVILLE — Michael Strucko went out with a bang Saturday at the Schuylkill League Swimming Championships.

The Marian senior captured two golds, including a record-breaking swim in the 100-yard backstroke, and helped the Colts garner their first-ever relay medal during the annual league meet at Pottsville’s Ned Hampford Natatorium.

A state medalist in the 100 back last season, Strucko broke the Schuylkill League, meet, area and pool records in the event Saturday with a time of 50.81 seconds.

The time shattered the previous league, meet and pool mark of 52.13 set by Blue Mountain’s Noah Powers in 2024 and eclipsed his own area record of 51.49 set last year at states.

“It was definitely very exciting,” Strucko said. “I’m just happy I got to go fast.

“(The record) was my big goal. I got pretty psyched and pumped up, I was locked in for the race. I executed it well. I’m really happy that I got to break the record and by a lot. I’m really happy about that.”

Strucko also won the 50 freestyle in 21.89, an event he usually doesn’t swim in the postseason. Strucko has competed in the 200 freestyle at districts and states the past three seasons, placing eighth in the event at states last year at Bucknell.

With Powers, the PIAA record-holder and 2025 state gold-medal winner in that event, off to the University of Virginia, Strucko said he’s going to swim the 50 free at districts and states.

In his final race at the Ned Hampford Natatorium, Strucko teamed with James Gomez, Reece Steibler and Andrew Metters to take third in the 400 free relay in 3:41.25.

“I think my sprinting has really developed over the past year and I think I can go much faster than that,” Strucko said. “I went faster at a meet at Blue Mountain, so there’s a lot of potential there.

“I switched it up. It’s definitely fun to try new things, race new people. Overall, I’m happy with how it went. It was a super fun day. Shoutout to the Marian relay, getting on the podium for the first time. Definitely a great way to end my league career.”

Strucko was one of three boys’ swimmers to win two individual events Saturday, as Blue Mountain’s Porter Sarnes captured the 200 freestyle (1:50.89) and 500 freestyle (4:58.54) and Schuylkill Haven’s Ethan Miller took first in the 200 IM (2:03.99) and 100 breaststroke (1:02.63).

Sarnes, a sophomore, also helped Blue Mountain to victories in the 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay. The Eagles’ Brody Moyer scored an individual win, taking first place in the 100 butterfly in 54.63, and swam on both winning relays.

“It feels great to win two events,” said Sarnes, a District 11 champ in the 500 and a state qualifier in both of his individual events last season. “It’s a good start for districts. I like to see what I’m going to do at districts.”

Miller, also a sophomore, is bulked up from last season. He won both of his races convincingly, taking the 200 IM by 7.15 seconds over Blue Mountain’s Seth Nester and the 100 backstroke by 5.80 seconds over Blue Mountain’s Zach Scala.

Miller was the District 11 runner-up in both events last year, qualifying for states in the 200 IM.

“It’s helped me a lot,” Miller said of his weight training. “Over the summer I lifted almost every single day. I think that’s helped the most this season. It’s helped me in sprints with my power and everything.

“This is definitely a big meet to prepare for districts. I think it’s very important. I wanted to go 1:02 in my breast, and that’s what I did. My IM was OK. I think I did a pretty good job today.”

Saturday also featured a pair of personal milestones as Pottsville’s Noah Bevan and Blue Mountain’s Aidan Varney registered their 1,000th career point.

Bevan, a senior, seized two golds on the day, teaming with Ashton Maroukis, Jamison Walsh and John Mohl to win the 200 medley relay in 1:46.33, then taking first in the 100 freestyle in 50.10. He was also second to Strucko in the 50 freestyle in 22.79.

Varney, a junior, swam a leg on both of Blue Mountain’s winning relays, was third in the 50 freestyle and second to Bevan in the 100 freestyle.

He’s the fourth Blue Mountain boys’ swimmer to reach 1,000 points this season, joining Gabe Kamarousky, Liam Magdeburg and Moyer.

“Getting 1,000 points, that was pretty cool,” Bevan said. “I didn’t know when I was going to hit it. I spent a lot of time this year not knowing where I was with my points. My dad actually calculated all my points for me the past couple weeks. We tried to line it up so I would hit it at this meet. Big meet to hit it on.

“The 100 free … it was my last-ever competitive swim in this pool. I felt it would only be right if I gave it all I had and won the event, did my best to win.”

Schuylkill League Swimming Championships

At Ned Hampford Natatorium, Pottsville

Saturday’s Boys’ Results 

Teams participating: Blue Mountain (BM), Mahanoy Area (Mah), Marian (Mar), North Schuylkill (NS), Pottsville (Potts), Schuylkill Haven (SH), Tamaqua (Tam)

200 medley relay — 1. Pottsville A (Maroukis, Walsh, Mohl, Bevan) 1:46.33, 2. Blue Mountain A 1:49.96, 3. Schuylkill Haven A 1:59.92, 4. Marian A 2:04.39

200 freestyle — 1. Porter Sarnes (BM) 1:50.89, 2. Fetterolf (NS) 1:53.32, 3. Kamarousky (BM) 1:56.44, 4. Magdeburg (BM) 1:56.81, 5. Steibler (Mar) 2:02.64, 6. Strauss (Potts) 2:06.58

200 IM — 1. Ethan Miller (SH) 2:03.99, 2. Nester (BM) 2:11.14, 3. E. Varney (BM) 2:21.29, 4. A. Metters (Mar) 2:22.19, 5. Luna (NS) 2:27.92

50 freestyle — 1. Michael Strucko (Mar) 21.89, 2. Bevan (Potts) 22.79, 3. A. Varney (BM) 23.54, 4. Scala (BM) 23.91, 5. Mentzer (NS) 24.18, 6. Maroukis (Potts) 24.32

100 butterfly — 1. Brody Moyer (BM) 54.63, 2. Nester (BM) 58.66, 3. Mohl (Potts) 58.79, 4. Luna (NS) 1:07.73, 5. Hart (BM) 1:12.09

200 freestyle relay — 1. Blue Mountain A (Sarnes, Scala, A. Varney, Moyer) 1:31.89, 2. Pottsville A 1:35.50, 3. North Schuylkill A 1:37.50, 4. Blue Mountain B 1:40.25, 5. Schuylkill Haven A 1:41.70, 6. Tamaqua A 1:45.09

100 freestyle — 1. Noah Bevan (Potts) 50.10, 2. A. Varney (BM) 51.52, 3. Kamarousky (BM) 52.61, 4. Mangianello (NS) 54.25, 5. Mohl (Potts) 54.29, 6. Walsh (Potts) 54.55

500 freestyle — 1. Porter Sarnes (BM) 4:58.54, 2. Fetterolf (NS) 5:07.56, 3. Magdeburg (BM) 5:15.93, 4. Frantz (BM) 5:44.02, 5. Strauss (Potts) 5:48.55, 6. Keck (BM) 6:02.28

100 backstroke — 1. Michael Strucko (Mar) 50.81 (league, meet, area, pool record), 2. Moyer (BM) 55.70, 3. Mentzer (NS) 1:00.96, 4. E. Varney (BM) 1:02.95, 5. Maroukis (Potts) 1:03.27, 6. Heidelbaugh (NS) 1:07.93

100 breaststroke — 1. Ethan Miller (SH) 1:02.63, 2. Scala (BM) 1:08.43, 3. Walsh (Potts) 1:10.16, 4. Temarantz (Tam) 1:11.41, 5. Wehr (SH) 1:22.57, 6. Tang (Potts) 1:26.88

400 freestyle relay — 1. Blue Mountain A (Sarnes, Kamarousky, A. Varney, Moyer) 3:24.24, 2. North Schuylkill A 3:35.99, 3. Marian 3:41.25, 4. Pottsville A 3:42.47, 5. Blue Mountain B 3:51.58, 6. Tamaqua A 4:02.01