The Tyrone swim teams emerged from the Tyrone Area High School pool on Monday evening with a pair of victories over rival Central, winning by almost identical scores.
The boys team (2-0) won their second straight meet with strong performances from Ethan Nulton and Chris Bradigan, with two victories each, defeating the Scarlet Dragons 91-70. The girls team meanwhile, continued their comeback after several seasons below the .500 level by downing the Central girls 91-74 with veterans Leah Cherry, Paige Black and Kelly Pearson taking two individual events each.
Ethan Nulton, just a sophomore, won the 100 individual medley and the 100 butterfly, and senior Chris Bradigan won the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. Both swimmers also were members of the 200 medley relay and 200 free relays, both wins for the Eagles.
Senior classmates Matt Elder won the 100 backstroke and was a member of both winning relays, and Zac Yeaton won the 100 breaststroke and swam a leg on the 200 medley relay.
Elder was second in the 200 freestyle and the 400 relay team of Randy Wilson, Dudley McNitt, Nick Diehl and Tyler Thompson was second.
“We were able to win all but three of the 11 events, in what was a good effort by the guys,” said Tyrone coach Todd Cammarata. “Matt Elder in the 100 back, and Ethan Nulton in the 100 fly really picked it up for us.”
The Lady Eagles got firsts from Cherry in the 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle, Pearson in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke, and Black in the 50 freestyle and 100 freestyle. Zoe Yeaton added a first place in the 100 butterfly and the four veteran Lady Eagle leaders combined to win both the 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay.
Brittney Day came in second in both the 50 free and 100 free and Salena Bradigan was second in the 100 butterfly and third in the 500 free. Day and Bradigan, both ninth graders, were joined by Kassie Markel and Amy Liu in the 200 medley relay and the 200 free relay, with both teams placing second to provide important points to the team total. Kassie Markel add a third place finish in the 100 breaststroke.
“We are extremely happy for both teams to start the season 2-0, but especially for the girls,” exclaimed Cammarata. “They have gone through several down years, in which one of the major reasons was simply a lack of numbers. This year, we are getting the big wins we hope for from the veterans, like our three seniors Leah Cherry, Paige Black and Zoe Yeaton. Plus we have Kelly Pearson, who although just a sophomore is already a veteran we count on. Now, are starting to get help from our younger swimmers like Brittney Day and Salena Bradigan and those second and third place points are very valuable in securing enough points to get wins.”
Boys
Tyrone 91 Central 70
200 Medley Relay: 1. Tyrone (Ethan Nulton, Zac Yeaton, Matt Elder, Chris Bradigan) 1:58.84, 2. Central 2:10.59, 3. Tyrone (Dustin Elder, Nick Diehl, Matt Grimm, Tyler Thompson) 2:12.09; 200 Freestyle: 1. Robbins (C) 1:56.22, 2. M. Elder (T) 2:20.52, 3. D. Elder (T) 2:22.53; 200 IM: 1. Nulton (T) 2:17.17*, 2. Stinedorf (C) 2:28.36, 3. Yeaton (T) 2:41.09; 50 Freestyle: 1. Bradigan (T) :24.59*, 2. Miller (C) :25.44, 3. Philip Kreckle (T) :26.86; 100 Butterfly: 1. Nulton (T) 1:01.46, 2. Stinedorf (C) 1:07.17, 3. Grimm (T) 1:13.58; 100 Freestyle: 1. Bradigan (T) :55.13, 2. Miller (C) :58.27, 3. D. Elder (T) 1:02.71; 500 Freestyle: 1. Robbins (C) 5:17.52, 2. Mingle (C) 7:39.14, 3. Thompson (T) 7:56.59; 200 Free Relay: 1. Tyrone (M. Elder, Kreckle, Bradigan, Nulton) 1:42.82, 2. Central 1:43.27, 3. Tyrone (Grimm, D. Elder, Dudley McNitt, Yeaton) 1:58.26; 100 Backstroke: 1. M. Elder (T) 1:13.15, 2. Green (C) 1:13.76, 3. Mingle (C) 1:15.09; 100 Breastroke: 1. Yeaton (T) 1:18.00, 2. Smith (C) 1:21.99, 3. Diehl (T) 1:22.24; 400 Free Relay: 1. Central 4:01.83, 2. Tyrone (Randy Wilson, McNitt, Diehl, Thompson) 5:09.62, 3. Central 6:04.07.
Girls
Tyrone 91 Central 74
200 Medley Relay: 1. Central 2:31.44, 2. Tyrone (Brittney Day, Kassie Markel, Salena Bradigan, Amy Liu) 2:33.66; 200 Freestyle: 1. Leah Cherry(T) 2:26.87*, 2. Hoffner (C) 2: 44.40, 3. Wiest (C) 2:53.52; 200 IM: 1. Kelly Pearson (T) 2:44.22*, 2. Hall (C) 2:50.56, 3. Mock (C) 3:08.44; 50 Freestyle: 1. Paige Black (T) :27.48*, 2. Day (T) :28.07, 3. Long (C) :31.53; 100 Butterfly: 1. Zoe Yeaton (T) 1:19.80, 2. Bradigan (T) 1:23.81, 3. Hoffner (C) 1:39.95; 100 Freestyle: 1. Black (T) 1:02.90, 2. Day (T) 1:05.07, 3. Long (C) 1:14.54; 500 Freestyle: 1. Cherry (T) 6:42.42, 2. Hall (C) 6:58.28, 3. Bradigan (T) 7:29.39; 200 Free Relay: 1. Tyrone (Cherry, Yeaton, Pearson, Black) 2:01.75, 2. Tyrone (Liu, Markel, Bradigan, Day) 2:10.43, 3. Central 2:12.63; 100 Backstroke: 1. Pearson (T) 1:13.50, Mock (C) 1:26.47, 3. Long 1:27.38; 100 Breaststroke: 1. Eicher (C) 1:28.31, 2. Kreider (C) 1:32.37; 3. Markel (T) 1:49.61; 400 Free Relay: 1. Tyrone (Cherry Yeaton, Pearson, Black) 4:30.89, 2. Central 5:17.35, 3. Central 5:47.27.
