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Column: It’s better late than never

JERSEY SHORE-It has been a pretty good season for the Jersey Shore swim team. While the boys were undermanned, they were able to finish 3-9, while the girls stormed to an 11-1 record. With the regular season over, the next step is the District IV Championship meet in Williamsport. And this is one of Jersey Shore’s biggest teams in recent history to be competing this late into the season.

On the girl’s side, more than half of the District team is comprised of freshmen (5) plus two juniors and seniors. But it is a special moment for senior Alexa Shadle. Throughout her first three years of high school swimming, she was oh-so-close to qualifying for the District meet but always came up short. This year appeared no different as she was 7/100s of a second away from qualifying in the 100-yard backstroke but could not get any closer.

Meet after meet she dropped hundredths of a second but she couldn’t quite reach that 1:14.00 qualifying standard. Between getting sick and injured throughout the season, she never gave up. It all came down to one of the season’s last meets; the Williamsport Coaches Invite. “We suited her up in a fast skin and told her to focus on a great start, great turns, and kick like crazy,” said Shore’s head coach Jenna Brooks.

After four long 25s in the backstroke, she lunged into the wall for her finish. Not only did she drop the 7/100s of a second that has been hanging over her head all year but she also dropped another three seconds to secure her spot on the District team. “I was so happy that I broke that time, it was just hanging over my head, said Shadle. “Coach Brooks gave me some great advice and Coach Palumbo told me just to have fun with the race.”

But it just wasn’t Shadle that saved the best for last. Senior Ethan Alexander swam competitively for the first time last year but fell just short of qualifying for Districts.

He worked hard over the summer and all season to ensure he wouldn’t come up short again. He had no problem with obtaining the qualifying time in the 100-yard freestyle, but wanted to make the trip worthwhile and make a second event. “For some reason the 50 free was just taunting him so I decided to have him try something else,” said Brooks. “He looked really good in the 50-yard breaststroke leg of the medley relay so we gave him a go in the individual 100 yard breaststroke.” It was within reach and so in one of his last shots, the Williamsport Coaches Invite, he successfully secured a spot in a second individual event.

Jersey Shore’s District IV Team

Girls

Gabrielle Moore (2 Relays, 100 Fly, 100 Back)

Alexa Shadle (100 Back)

Emma Butzler (2 Relays, 100 Fly, 100 Free)

Kendra White (2 Relays, 200 Free, 500 Free)

Taylor Fleming (2 Relays, 100 Free, 100 Breast)

Allison Moore (1 Relay, 200 IM, 100 Fly)

Jordan O’Connor (2 Relays, 50 Free, 100 Back)

Veronica Sander (1 Relay, 200 Free, 100 Free)

Maegan Sorgen (200 Free, 500 Free)

Boys

Ethan Alexander (2 Relays, 100 Free, 100 Breast)

Luke Engel (2 Relays, 100 Fly, 100 Free)

John Duda (50 free, 100 free)

Dakota Gardner (2 Relays)

Jacob Bower (2 Relays)

Tyler Wirth (2 Relays)

Garrett Worth (2 Relays)

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