ALLENTOWN — It was a strong start for Tamaqua and Marian swimmers Friday at Parkland High School on Day 1 of the District 11 Swimming Championships.

As expected, Tamaqua’s 200 medley relay team — Kate Behun, Savannah Wilson, Audrey Nattress and Ava Jones — struck gold.

Marian siblings Michael Strucko and Lydia Strucko also captured first-place finishes.

Winning at this level is a major accomplishment. All of Friday’s champions advanced to next month’s PIAA championships at Bucknell University.

The gold medalists entered as favorites and delivered. The Tamaqua relay team set a school record, and Michael Strucko posted a personal best in the 200 freestyle.

“It was something that I was aiming for coming into the meet,” Strucko said after defeating Blue Mountain’s Porter Sarnes. Strucko was clocked at 1:43.28, while Sarnes finished in 1:46.76.

Strucko’s interim coach, Kristen Shickora, a former standout at Marian and the University of Georgia, called it an “interesting race.”

“From my perspective, I thought he had a great time,” said Shickora, a teacher at Parkland High School. “He had a very interesting race strategy, and when he drops time at states, it’s gonna be a little change in race strategy. His starts and turns were great ... hopefully he’s happy with that.”

Strucko earned his third straight district medal in the 200.

“It was my best time ever,” said the senior, who will swim at the College of New Jersey. “I know I can go faster at states ... there is always a little pressure at (districts), there’s medals on the line, family is here, parents, friends so you really want to (excel). This was by far my favorite stage to be on.”

Tamaqua’s quartet of Behun, Wilson, Nattress and Jones also delivered in the 200 medley relay, breaking a school record that had stood for more than 10 years.

“They’ve been working for this (record) for the past two (seasons),” Tamaqua coach Jen Paisley said. “It truly was hard work they’ve put in and now they attained that record.”

Behun and Wilson set the tone in the opening legs. Paisley said both posted splits under 29 seconds, giving Nattress and Jones a strong lead.

“We had a really good lead when Savanah got going, I felt really comfortable, but you never know,” Paisley said. “And Ava just finished it off in fantastic way. It is such a great win and getting the record makes me so happy for them.”

Nattress called it a team effort.

“We were really excited and have been working for this since last year,” the sophomore said. “We were really close to (breaking) it last year.”

Wilson added a silver medal in the 100 butterfly behind Lydia Strucko.

“This (race) has been on our minds for quite (sometime) now,” said the Tamaqua senior. “… we’ve put a lot of work into this season to get it.”

Nattress, the third leg of the relay, said the team knew a record was possible.

“Today we raced a 1:54.68 nearly two seconds better than the last team to win it from Tamaqua,” the senior said. “It’s been something we wanted since last year ... we came super close to getting it.”

Jones did not realize they had broken the record until she saw the scoreboard.

“I just wanted to race my fastest time,” Jones said. “When I saw the time, I just wanted to jump out of the pool, I was so excited for all of us.”

Paisley said being the top seed brought pressure.

“Any time you come in as the (No. 1) seed, you have a target on your back. They knew what they had to do ... just make sure they stayed focus.”

Lydia Strucko stayed focused in the 100 butterfly, winning in 57.49. Wilson finished second in 1:02.00.

“I came here with a positive attitude,” said the sophomore, whose time was not a personal best. “She’s such a fantastic swimmer herself. (Savanah) creates great competition.”

Wilson praised Strucko.

“... an amazing swimmer, I knew she was going to be ahead of me from the start.”

Shickora said she spoke with Lydia Strucko about race strategy.

“I had a lovely chat with Lydia,” Shickora said. “We talked about her race strategy a little bit, but more so the physical aspect of it ... she does a great job with her fly’s and her turns and underwater things are there. We talked about her thinking, for the first 50 (meters) versus her second 50. It’s upper body, physical dominance for everyone ... it’s all about thinking ... psychological.”

Strucko said she took the advice seriously.

“Oh, yes I listened and I know it will help me,” Strucko said.

BOISTEROUS ... The noise inside the natatorium was loud at times. Blue Mountain’s fans were especially vocal.

NOT YET ... Wilson is unsure whether she will qualify for states in the 200 butterfly. Times from across the state will be compared, and she will learn Sunday when the PIAA releases the qualifiers.

NICE TRY ... Tamaqua freshman Shaylee Gromley finished second in the 50 freestyle in 24.82, behind Saucon Valley senior Julia Cort (24.10). “It’s her first time at districts and it can be nervous energy,” Paisley said of the Blue Raiders standout. Gromley, like Wilson, is also on the cusp of a state berth.

IT TAKES TWO ... The two-day meet concludes today. Competition begins at 10 a.m.

District 11 Swimming - Day 1 Results

at Parkland High School

(top 3 plus locals in top 8)

Legend: Allentown Central Catholic (ACC), Blue Mountain (BM), Catasauqua (Cat), East Stroudsburg North (ESN), Mahanoy Area (Mah), Marian (Mar), Moravian Academy (Mor), North Schuylkill (NS), Notre Dame-Green Pond (NDG), Palisades (Pal), Palmerton (Plm), Pen Argyl (Pen), Pottsville (Potts), Salisbury (Sal), Saucon Valley (SV), Schuylkill Haven (SH), Southern Lehigh (SL), Tamaqua (Tam)

GIRLS

200 medley relay - 1. Tamaqua (Behun, Wilson, Nattress, Jones) 1:54.68, 2. Moravian Academy 1:56.82, 3. Allentown Central Catholic 1:59.93, 8. Marian 2:10.61; 200 freestyle - 1. Hummel (ACC) 1:56.45, 2. Ballek (Sal) 1:57.85, 3. Amorim (Sal) 1:58.25; 200 IM - 1. Brown (Mah) 2:14.01, 2. Hensel (BM) 2:21.22, 3. Wegner (Mor) 2:25.50; 50 freestyle - 1. Cort (SV) 24.10, 2. Gormley (Tam) 24.82, 3. H. Stauffer (SH) 25.09; 100 butterfly - 1. Strucko (Mar) 57.49, 2. Wilson (Tam) 1:02.00, 3. Dewalt (Pen) 1:04.54, 5. Nattress (Tam) 1:06.34; 200 freestyle relay - 1. Blue Mountain (Kaplafka, Hensel, Machamer, Lafko) 1:44.59, 2. Tamaqua (Brown, Nattress, Jones, Gormley) 1:46.42, 3. Salisbury 1:47.12.

Team Standings - 1. Blue Mountain 222, 2. Allentown Central Catholic 149, 3. Tamaqua 135, 4. Moravian Academy 131, 5. North Schuylkill 110, 6. Salisbury 103, 7. Saucon Valley 83, 8. Mahanoy Area 82, 9. Schuylkill Haven 76, 10. Pottsville 62, 11. Marian 42

BOYS

200 medley relay - 1. Southern Lehigh (Bigler, Lee, Pachence, Russo) 1:39.79, 2. Saucon Valley 1:40.13, 3. Pottsville (Maroukis, Walsh, Mohl, Bevan) 1:44.48, 6. Marian (Steibler, Strucko, A. Metters, Gomez) 1:51.77; 200 freestyle - 1. Strucko (Mar) 1:43.28, 2. Sarnes (BM) 1:46.76, 3. Fetterolf (NS) 1:49.74; 200 IM - 1. Zabinski (SL) 1:58.87, 2. Amorim (Sal) 2:02.76, 3. Mahon (ACC) 2:05.37; 50 freestyle - 1. Fitzpatrick (ACC) 21.51, 2. Bevan (Potts) 21.80, 3. Bigler (SL) 22.10; 100 butterfly - 1. Moyer (BM) 52.88, 2. Warner (SV) 52.99, 3. C. Fitzpatrick (ACC) 53.08; 200 freestyle relay - 1. Allentown Central Catholic (Rafferty, C. Fitzpatrick, Mahon, L. Fitzpatrick) 1:28.69, 2. Blue Mountain (Sarnes, Scala, A. Varney, Moyer) 1:29.96, 3. Saucon Valley 1:31.72.

Team Standings - 1. Southern Lehigh 198, 2. Allentown Central Catholic 185, 3. Blue Mountain 176, 4. Saucon Valley 151, 5. Pottsville 139, 6. North Schuylkill 90, 7. Marian 74, 8. Salisbury 71, 9. Schuylkill Haven 59, 10. Moravian Academy 52, 11. East Stroudsburg North 33, 12. Tamaqua 1.