LEWISBURG - Danny Berlitz couldn't help but smile.

After advancing to the 200IM finals at the PIAA Swimming Championships Friday, the talented Marian freshman added another piece of history to what has already been a remarkable season.Berlitz hopped off the medal stand at Bucknell University's Kinney Natatorium following a fifth-place finish in the event to give the program its first-ever state medalist in boys' competition."It's pretty amazing," he said. "It's my first states ever and I got a medal."I was a little disappointed because I botched the back-to-breast turn. But I have three more years so hopefully I can do better and move up the medal stand."Berlitz made the finals after taking fourth in the morning preliminary session with a time of 1:56.79. He was seeded seventh with a mark of 1:57.62.After getting his feet wet in the morning session, Berlitz returned with a strategy that resulted in an even faster time of 1:56.60 in the finals."My game plan was to pick it up a little bit in the first half (of the race)," Berlitz noted. "I know my second half is really strong so I was going to see what I could do in the second half of the race and hopefully get a better time, and I did."While Berlitz has much to look forward to in the years to come, he's going to enjoy this moment at least for one night."It's exciting," he said. "I feel like I'm setting the path for others to come."I'm proud of what I accomplished and hopefully setting the way for everyone else. I want to set the bar high, and we'll see what happens."Berlitz wasn't the only Colt to advance to the night session, as teammate Timmy Dando took 16th in the 200-yard freestyle consolation finals."It means a lot," said Dando. "Just to make it to the consolations (finals) meant a lot to me. That was my goal coming in and I got it."Dando was seeded 18th in the event with a time of 1:47.91, but moved on with a 14th place finish in the morning prelims with a time of 1:48.04.In the finals, the junior swam a 1:48.70."It didn't feel that great, honestly," he said. "Swimming in the morning then coming back at night (was tough). But my time was better than I thought; when I finished I though I would be over 1:50."It didn't feel that good and my legs started to give out a little bit but I was very happy with it."Northern Lehigh's Jose Avila was also in the 200-yard freestyle, but did not make it out of the morning preliminaries. Avila took 28th with a time of 1:50.73."I was going in feeling really good," said Avila, who was seeded 20th in the event with a time of 1:49.64. "But the turns really got me. I just flipped too early."I wanted to turn fast and knew I needed to turn fast, but I ended up turning too early and that cost me."In the girls' competition, Marian's Katie Kurzinsky took 27th with a time of 25.44 in the 50-yard freestyle morning preliminary session and did not advance.Kurzinsky, who was seeded 24th with a time of 24.89, admitted that the nerves got to her."Nerves were definitely a factor," she said. "I always try to stay as calm as possible, but I was anxious and had trouble seeing the wall."Tomorrow will be a better day."All four will come back today to compete, as will Northern Lehigh's Wyatt Delans.Berlitz is the No. 9 seed in the 500 freestyle. Avila is seeded 16th in the event, while Dando is 30th.Delans earned the No. 31 seed in the 100 breast stroke, while Kurzinsky is seeded 15th in the 100 backstroke.Action will resume Saturday with boys' Class AA preliminary events from 8 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.