Swimmers throughout District 11 will be traveling to Parkland Area High School's Natatorium Friday and Saturday to take part in the Swimming Championships over the course of the two-day competition. The TIMES NEWS area, once again, has plenty of area student-athletes taking part in the event, representing their schools, either with or without a team to back them up.

Leading the locals is last year's TIMES NEWS Male Swimmer of the Year in Northwestern's Trey Shackleton, as the junior returns to defend his two individual titles in two events. Last season, he swept through the 200- and 500-freestyle races and broke district records in the process. However, this season, he is hoping to duplicate those efforts with wins in both, along with improving his times, as well."I'm pretty excited about doing my best and swimming fast this weekend," he mentioned. "I do want to break the pool record in the 200 and even though it will be hard to get, it's still a goal that's within reach."Shackleton is seeded first in the 500 free, but second in the 200, as Southern Lehigh senior Josh Kreider has a higher qualifying time than the Tiger."It's funny, because earlier in the year, at a club meet, there was a girl there that is friends with (Kreider), and she was on the phone with him and I overheard her telling him my times," he recalls. "Having him there will definitely help me out, and I'm hoping that it brings out my best. The atmosphere at districts is great and it's something that you don't normally get at club meets."With the heightened atmosphere and the best of the best throughout the district in attendance, Shackleton is hoping to rise to that challenge. "I feel I thrive when I'm put under pressure, and I'm looking forward to it."Along with Shackleton, the Tamaqua Blue Raiders are sending some athletes to put up their best times of the season and none moreso than senior Joann Butkus. The Lady Raider is seeded second in the 50-Free and 100-Breast, and head coach Ashley Stanek is hoping for some good results from one of her team leaders. "She has three years of experience under her belt in meets like this, and even though she switched things up this year by doing the breast stroke, I think she could definitely earn a medal," Stanek said.Butkus is also representing Stanek's squads in two relays that have qualified with noteworthy seeds, as the 200 freestyle relay (third), and the 400 freestyle relay (second) are both made up of the same four swimmers senior Miranda Amey, Butkus, junior Danielle DeCindio, and freshman Rebecca Kanaskie. Butkus is the anchor of both teams and is hoping to be in the water with a chance to take gold."They're all really excited about swimming this weekend in the relays," Stanek commented. "They've been working so well together and practicing hard."As for the remainder of the team, Stanek knows that this is what every swimmer on her roster has been showing up at practices and training hard for throughout the season. "This has been all of our goal this season, because we make all of our training towards districts," she said. "A lot of them worked hard all season with this as their main focus, so we're hoping for some good results."Marian Catholic also has a three seed in freshman Katie Kurzinsky, who is hoping to crack into the medal hunt with a strong showing, as well.Palmerton, Northern Lehigh and Weatherly also have swimmers taking part in the event.DISTRICT 11 CHAMPIONSHIPSWIMMING MEETAA BOYS(Top seeds; other local qualifiers)200 Medley Relay - 1. Salisbury (Ryan Andrews, Ian Carey, Tyler Lesko, AJ Oliver) 1:45.44; 9. Tamaqua (Ethan Eberts, Ryan Alicandri, Damon Gulick, Jake Kropp)200 Freestyle - 1. Josh Kreider (SL) 1:44.11; 2. Trey Shackleton (NW), 6. Timmy Dando (Mar), 8. Jose Avila (NL), 9. Matt Stanek (Tam), 15. Jake Wenzel (Tam)200 IM - 1. Tim Constantini (Sal) 2:09.57; 10. Jacob Sirkot (Weath), 12. Patrick McMullen (Tam), 16. Ryan Alicandri (Tam)50 Freestyle - 1. Jon Anderson (Sal) 21.66; 9. Eberts (Tam), 14. Ben Turrano (Tam)100 Butterfly - 1. Jarod LaSelva (Beth) 55.50; 6. Turrano (Tam), 12. Keith Cullen (Weath), 13. Alicandri (Tam)200 Freestyle Relay - 1. Southern Lehigh (Trevor Decastro, Mitchell Stayer, Gavin Gunkle, Josh Kreider) 1:29.91; 7. Tamaqua (Turrano, Matt Stanek, Ebert, Jake Kropp)100 Freestyle - Kreider (SL) 47.19; 8. Kropp (Tam), 14. Jake Wenzel (Tam), 15. Eberts (Tam)500 Freestyle - 1. Trey Shackleton (NW) 4:48.59; 4. Avila (NL), 5. Dando (Mar), 11. Stanek (Tam), 26. Damon Gulick (Tam)100 Backstroke - 1. Mark Boran (BM) 57.04; 4. Jake Kropp (Tam), 18. Cullen (Weath)100 Breaststroke - 1. Craig Weeks (PA) 1:04.76; 9. Sirkot (Weath), 20. Wyatt Delans (NL), 21. McMullen (Tam)400 Freestyle Relay - 1. Southern Lehigh (Decastro, Stayer, Gunkle, Kreider) 3:18.38; 8. Tamaqua (Turrano, Stanek, Wenzel, Kropp)AA GIRLS(Top seeds; other local qualifiers)200 Medley Relay - 1. Southern Lehigh (Rhyan Rodriguez, Raechel Rodriguez, Makena Glemser, Zoe Geis) 1:50.90; 9. Tamaqua (Makayla Boyle, Carly Trovinger, Abby Brickler, Amber Gulick)200 Freestyle - 1. Madison Amann (SL) 1:56.16; 6. Miranda Amey (Tam), 12. Karli Blanchard (Palm), 20. Nichelle Pucklavage (Tam)200 IM - 1. Ra. Rodriguez (SL) 2:20.43; 2. Rebecca Kanaskie (Tam), 5. Scarlet Ojeda (NL), 6. Trovinger (Tam)50 Freestyle - 1. Jenna Forrester (SL) 24.92; 2. Joann Butkus (Tam), 4. Katie Kurzinsky (Mar), 9. Danielle DeCindio (Tam), 24. Brickler (Tam)100 Butterfly - 1. Rh. Rodriguez (SL) 1:00.50; 6. DeCindio (Tam), 8. Ojeda (NL), 13. Angelina Krupko (Mar)200 Freestyle Relay - 1. Southern Lehigh (Amann, Geis, Santina Schiaretta, Forrester) 1:43.01; 3. Tamaqua (Amey, DeCindio, Kanaskie, Butkus)100 Freestyle - 1. Sydnee Karam (Beth) 54.50; 17. Boyle (Tam), 22. Gulick (Tam)500 Freestyle - 1. Colleen Daday (ACC) 5:05.44; 8. Amey (Tam), 11. Blanchard (Palm), 20. Pucklavage (Tam)100 Backstroke - 1. Amann (SL) 59.48; 3. Kurzinsky (Mar), 15. Boyle (Tam)100 Breaststroke - Ra. Rodriguez (SL) 1:10.08; 2. Butkus (Tam), 6. Trovinger (Tam), 7. Kanaskie (Tam), 8. Krupko (Mar), 22. Gulick (Tam)400 Freestyle Relay - 1. Southern Lehigh (Amann, Glemser, Rh. Rodriguez, Forrester) 3:41.99; 2. Tamaqua (Amey, DeCindio, Kanaskie, Butkus)