Tamaqua’s Behun breaks 22-year-old mark at Anthracite Swim League Championships

A 22-year-old record came crashing down on Saturday, as 8-year-old Katie Behun hit the wall first in the girls 8&U 25 yard backstroke at the Anthracite Swim League Championships.

Tamaqua hosted the meet, which brought together the best young swimmers from Danville, Shamokin, Blue Mountain, Pottsville, Schuylkill Haven, Mahanoy Area, and North Schuylkill.

Former Tamaqua Blue Waves standout Kristen Shickora set the mark in the 25 back in 1997. Behun has been knocking on the door of the record for most of the season, but even though she hit the wall first in her two earlier events — the 25 Free and the 25 Butterfly — her times were slower than usual.

“Since it was my last race as an 8-and-under, and my favorite stroke, I just wanted to have fun,” Behun said. “I didn’t think about the record at all.”

Shaylee Gormley continued the strong performance for the 8&U Blue Waves, capturing gold in the 50 and the 100 Freestyle, and coming up with a bronze in a nail-biting finish where just eight-tenths of a second separated first and third.

Jay Rosenstock brought home two golds, one in the men’s 11-12 50 Fly and one in the 11-12 50 Breast. He added to the medal haul with a silver in the 11-12 50 Backstroke. Gabby Blasko picked up a gold in the women’s 100 IM.

Michael Williams and Brandon Long also touched first in the men’s 200 Freestyle and the men’s 13-14 50-yard backstroke, respectively, bringing Tamaqua’s total to 11 gold medals.

Panther Valley High School standout Emily Newton, who is training with the Blue Waves for the summer, brought home a trio of silver medals in the women’s 15-18 50 Back, 50 Breast, and 100 IM. Tamaqua’s 11-12 women’s medley relay team of Audrey Nattress, Isabella Jones, Emily Kohlmeir, and Ava Jones brought home the team’s only relay hardware, picking up a silver medal in the women’s 200-yard Medley Relay.

Picking up individual silvers were Isabella Jones (11-12 500 Free); Stephen Behun, (13-14 100 IM); Gino Williams (11-12 100 IM); and Brandon Temarantz (9-10 25 Back).

The Blue Waves rounded out their medal haul with third-place wins from Temarantz (9-10 50 Free); M. Williams (11-12 100 Free); Long (13-14 100 Free); I. Jones (11-12 200 Free); and Blasko (13-14 50 Breast).

Over 200 swimmers participated in Saturday’s League Championship meet.

ASL SUMMER CHAMPIONSHIPS

(Results of Tamaqua Blue Waves)

Women

8-&-U

50 Free - 1. Shaylee Gormley 39.51, 3. Riley Miller 44.25; 25 Free - 1. Katie Behun 16.96; 25 Fly - 1. Katie Behun 19.92, 5. Riley Miller 23.43; 100 Free - 1. Shaylee Gormley 1:30.31, 7. Riley Miller 1:44.42; 25 Back - 1. Katie Behun 18.27 (new meet record); 25 Breast - 3. Shaylee Gormley 26.87.

11-12

500 Free - 2. Isabella Jones 6:55.28; 200 Medley Relay - 2. Tamaqua (Audrey Nattress, Isabella Jones, Emily Kohlmeir, Ava Jones) 2:34.29; 100 Free - 5. Ava Jones 1:15.91; 100 IM - 5. Emily Kohlmeir 1:25.19, 7. Audrey Nattress 1:31.13; 50 Fly - 8. Emily Kohlmeir 39.42, 9. Ceanna Gormley 41.64, 12. Audrey Nattress 43.30; 200 Free - 3. Isabella Jones 2:41.44; 50 Back - 4. Audrey Nattress 38.70, 8. Emily Kohlmeir 40.33, 15. Ceanna Gormley 45.41, 18. Kendra Forster 46.65; 50 Breast - 5. Isabella Jones 42.66; 200 Free Relay - 4. Tamaqua (Emily Kohlmeir, Ceanna Gormley, Kendra Forster, Isabella Jones) 2:27.55.

13-14

100 Free - 5. Lillian McNutt 1:15.22; 100 IM - 1. Gabby Blasko 1:16.01; 50 Fly - 4. Gabby Blasko 34.06, 6. Lillian McNutt 38.19; 50 Breast - 3. Gabby Blasko 38.35, 5. Lillian McNutt 42.50.

15-18

100 IM - 2. Emily Newton 1:09.53; 50 Back - 2. Emily Newton 32.76; 50 Breast - 2. Emily Newton 35.33.

Men

8-&-U

50 Free - 6. Preston Schaeffer 49.10, 8. Colby Moyer 51.22; 25 Free - 4. Preston Schaeffer 21.41, 5. Colby Moyer 21.89; 25 Back - 7. Preston Schaeffer 27.44.

9-10

50 Free - 3. Brandon Temarantz 40.28; 25 Fly - 4. Brandon Temarantz 25.28; 25 Back - 2. Brandon Temarantz 22.31.

11-12

200 Medley Relay - Tamaqua (Gino Williams, Michael Williams, Jay Rosenstock, Keagan Coleman) 2:44.43; 100 Free - 3. Michael Williams 1:15.03; 100 IM - 2. Gino Williams 1:35.53; 50 Free - 4. Michael Williams 33.55, 9. Keagan Coleman 37.97; 50 Fly - 1. Jay Rosenstock 32.28; 200 Free - 1. Michael Williams 2:45.29; 50 Back - 2. Jay Rosenstock 39.47, 6. Gino Williams 46.15; 50 Breast - 1. Jay Rosenstock 40.87.

13-14

100 Free - 3. Brandon Long 1:03.64, 7. Alec Nattress 1:12.81; 100 IM - 2. Stephen Behun 1:14.29; 50 Free - 5. Stephen Behun 28.48, 6. Brandon Long 28.76, 9. Alec Nattress 30.87; 50 Back - 1. Brandon Long 32.79; 50 Breast - 4. Stephen Behun 39.70.