POTTSVILLE – Michael Strucko became the latest example of an area swimmer who doesn’t let a lack of a pool at his high school prevent him from finding success.

The Marian freshman followed in the footsteps of numerous independent swimmers in recent years who have shined in the biggest meets.

On Saturday at Martz Hall’s Ned Hampford Natatorium, Strucko captured a pair of gold medals at the highly-competitive Schuylkill League Swimming championships. The Jim Thorpe resident showed his versatility in the process, winning both the arduous 500 freestyle, while also sprinting to first in the 100 backstroke.

In addition to Strucko’s shining moments, it was also a remarkable and memorable day for Blue Mountain and Mahanoy Area swimmers, with meet records falling by the wayside in numerous events.

Mickey did It

With no “home” pool, Strucko was taxed like few other swimmers as he travels to Parkland High School five-to-six days a week to practice his passion.

When asked if he was surprised to win his first gold medal in the 100 backstroke, he bluntly said “yes!”

“I came in here just to do my best and see what happens. I just kept telling myself ‘come here and do your best,’” said Strucko.

Andrea Feathers, the second-year Marian coach, wasn’t surprised, however.

“Coming in, I had all the confidence he could win the event,” Feathers said. “He’s very dedicated. He has to train by himself, but when it’s time to go, he’s always prepared. I knew he would do very well.”

Feathers felt that the second gold medal in the 500 was a bonus for the young Strucko.

“I think the 100 (backstroke) is his best event, but he had a great performances in the 500. His time (5:14.12) was just three seconds off his personal best.”

Strucko was very happy.

“I was hoping to perform well,” he said humbly. “I know the competition, and try to build my strategy around it.”

Strucko was followed by Blue Mountain freshman Liam Magdeburg, North Schuylkill’s sophomore Chase Myers and Tamaqua junior Jathan Krell in the 500.

Jack and the guys

In an added event, Tamaqua’s Jack Tharp swam without any other competitors in the 100 IM, and picked up a gold medal for his efforts in a time of 1:09,23.

Tharp was also part of Tamaqua’s 400 freestyle relay team, joining Brandon Long, Jathan Krall and Stephen Behun. The team came in second place behind Pottsville with a time of 3:43.93.

“What we’re aiming for is to get into the district meet,” said Tamaqua coach Jen Paisley about the performance of the 400 freestyle team.

The Blue Raiders’ 200 relay team (Jacob Hehn, Krall, Tharp and Behun) placed third.

In the 100 breaststroke, Long was third, while Panther Valley’s Mike Williams - the lone swimmer for his school - was fourth.

Long also had a solid effort in the 50 backstroke, finishing second to Blue Mountain’s talented Hogan Power in a time of 29.62. The Raiders’ Peter McGinley, Caleb Wolbach and Logan Morgans placed fourth, fifth and seventh in the event, respectively.

Krall added a silver medal in the 200 freestyle, won by Blue Mountain’s Bair Matheson,

Hehn earned a bronze in the 50 butterfly, which was also won by Matheson.

Behun was fourth in the 100 freestyle.

Lexi and the girls

Tamaqua’s Lexi Buchala came ever so close to a gold in the 200 freestyle when she finished second with a time of 2:06.1, just behind North Schuylkill’s Kamryn Wolfe who was first at 2:05.62.

Buchala, a junior, also captured a bronze in the 500 freestyle, finishing behind Blue Mountain swimmers Victoria Elex and Mollie Sarnes. Buchala’s teammate Gabby Blasko placed fifth in the event.

Also for the Blue Raiders, Audrey Nattress came in fourth in the 50-yard backstroke, while teammate Lily McNutt added a fifth place in the 50 backstroke.

Tamaqua’s 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams finished fifth and fourth, respectively.

Marian’s Zoe Katona placed second to Mahanoy Area’s Tabatha Ward in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:11.76.

Record-setting day

Highlighting the Blue Mountain performances in the boys meet was Power - who entered the meet as not only the defending league champion in 50 freestyle - but as last season’s District 11 and PIAA Class 2A state champion as well. Power didn’t disappoint, etching his name into the record books with a winning time of 21.56 in the event.

The Eagles were also soaring in the girls meet, racking up three new records - two of which are league marks and the other a meet mark.

Hanna Magdeburg was at the top of the heap, surpassing Marian’s Kristen Shickora’s 50-yard freestyle event record (24.46) with a time of 23.88. Magdeburg also smashed the 50 butterfly record with a time of 26.29. Magdeburg also swam a leg in the team’s 200 medley relay as the Eagles set a meet mark of 1:52.38, breaking Panther Valley’s mark from 2007 (1:52.76).

Meanwhile, the Golden Bears’ Jake Hillibush and Ward were beaming brightly, too.

Hillibush, a senior, sliced through the waters en route to a pair of victories. He set a league and meet record in the 50-yard breaststroke with a time of 27:11, and then shattered the Mahanoy Area school record in winning the 100 breaststroke. Ward, also a senior, set a meet record in capturing the girls’ 50-yard breaststroke in a time of 32.17 in addition to winning the 100 breaststroke.

SCHUYLKILL LEAGUE SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

Legend: Blue Mountain (BM), Mahanoy Area (MA), Marian Catholic (MC), Minersville (Min), North Schuylkill (NS), Panther Valley (PV), Pine Grove (PG), Pottsville (P), Schuylkill Haven (SH), Tamaqua (T)

GIRLS

200 Medley Relay - 1. Blue Mountain A (Kaplafka, Bensinger, H. Magdeburg, Ellex) 1:52.38, 2. Mahanoy Area A 1:54.79, 3. North Schuylkill A 2:00.02; 200 Freestyle - 1. Wolfe (NS) 2:05.62, 2. Buchala (T) 2:06.01, 3. Sarnes (BM) 2:07.54; 200 IM - 1. Welna (NS) 2:25.61, 2. Senglar (MA) 2:31.21, 3. Wilson (T) 2:31.35; 100 Butterfly - 1. Domermuth (SH) 1:04.35, 2. Chilinskas (MA) 1:06.64, 3. S. Magdeburg (BM) 1:09.71; 50 Freestyle - 1. H. Magdeburg (BM) 23.88, 2. Ellex (BM) 25.22, 3. Kaplafka (BM) 26.17; 100 Backstroke - 1. Dudash (MA) 1:00.82, 2. Senglar (MA) 1:06.65, 3. Stank (SH) 1:08.75; 50 Breaststroke - 1. Ward (MA) 32.17, 2. Bensinger (BM) 32.45, 3. Wonsock (NS) 33.51; 200 Freestyle Relay - 1. Blue Mountain A (Ellex, Bensinger, Kaplafka, H. Magdeburg) 1:40.89, 2. North Schuylkill A 1:47.83, 3. Pottsville A 1:48.06; 500 Freestyle - 1. Ellex (BM) 5:37.64, 2. Sarnes (BM) 5:39.98, 3. Buchala (T) 5:40.92; 100 IM - 1. Bensinger (BM) 1:05.13, 2. Wonsock (NS) 1:09.65, 3. Chilinskas (MA) 1:10.16; 50 Butterfly - 1. H. Magdeburg (BM) 26.29, 2. LaSelva (P) 27.31, 3. O’Boyle (MA) 30.43; 100 Freestyle - 1. Wolfe (NS) 56.65, 2. Welna (NS) 57.04, 3. Kaplafka (BM) 57.18; 50 Backstroke - 1. Dudash (MA) 28.47, 2. Farrone (NS) 32.25, 3. Zeplin (BM) 33.41; 100 Breaststroke - 1. Ward (MA) 1:10.36, 2. Katona (MA) 1:11.79, 3. Wilson (T) 1:16.24; 400 Freestyle Relay

- 1. Pottsville A (Mohl, Wright, Martinko, LaSelva) 3:56.76, 2. Mahanoy Area A 3:59.31, 3. Blue Mountain A 4:11.22.

BOYS

200 Medley Relay - 1. Pottsville A (Bevan, V. Prestileo, Ott, Hirsch) 1:45.38, 2. Blue Mountain A 1:45.92, 3. Tamaqua A 1:55.76; 200 Freestyle - 1. Bair (BM) 1:53.78, 2. Krall (T) 2:00.08, 3. Meyers (NS) 2:03.27; 200 IM - 1. Kamarousky (BM) 2:24.38, 2. Fisher (BM) 2:26.86, 3. Caliendo (BM) 2:36.76; 100 Butterfly - 1. Van Horn (MA) 1:01.75, 2. Chescavage (P) 1:18.53; 50 Freestyle - 1. Powers (BM) 21.56, 2. Felty (SH) 22.30, 3. S. Behun (T) 22.98; 100 Backstroke - 1. Strucko (MC) 56.32, 2. Mentzer (NS) 1:00.25, 3. Long (T) 1:05.28; 50 Breaststroke - 1. Hillibush (MA) 27.11, 2. Ott (P) 28.71, 3. V. Prestileo (P) 29.53; 200 Freestyle Relay - 1. Blue Mountain (Bair, Mitchell, Fisher, Powers) 1:33.17, 2. Pottsville A 1:35.09, 3. Tamaqua A 1:37.02; 500 Freestyle - 1. Strucko (MC) 5:14.12, 2. Magdeburg (BM) 5:30.81, 3. Meyers (NS) 5:38.03; 100 IM - 1. Tharp (T) 1:08.23; 50 Butterfly - 1. Bair (BM) 25.01, 2. Van Horn (MA) 26.30, 3. Hehn (T) 27.03; 100 Freestyle - 1. Felty (SH) 50.46, 2. Mentzer (NS) 53.00, 3. Hirsch (P) 53.21; 50 Backstroke - 1. Powers (BM) 25.80, 2. Long (T) 29.61, 3. Caliendo (BM) 33.16; 100 Breaststroke - 1. Hillibush (MA) 1:00.10, 2. McKee (SH) 1:10.70, 3. Fisher (BM) 1:11.77; 400 Freestyle Relay

- 1. Pottsville A (Ott, V. Prestileo, Hirsch, Bevan) 3:32.10, 2. Tamaqua A 3:43.93, 3. Pottsville B 3:55.41.