TASTE OF VICTORY

The Clarion men’s and women’s swimming teams re-staked their claims as some of the top programs in the conference in February, with both teams finishing in the top five at the 2020 PSAC Swimming Championships in York.

The men’s team improved on their finish from a year ago, taking fifth place overall, thanks to a mix of newcomers and veterans. Senior Josh Thruston wrapped his stellar four-year career with a third-place finish in the 100 Breaststroke, racing through the crowded field and touching the wall with a time of 57.09 for 16 team points. He followed up with a fourth place finish in the 100 Free.

One the other end of the spectrum was freshman Connor Cary, who didn’t let the big stage of the conference championships affect his performance. Cary got the weekend started with a second place finish in the 200 IM, giving the Golden Eagles the kick start they needed, and the next day he made Golden Eagle history by breaking a 25-year-old school record. He set the school record in the 100 Fly during Thursday’s prelims, and that evening took home a sixth place finish with a final time of 49.51.

Sophomore Ty Rabenstein improved on his performance from his previous trip to the PSAC Championships, recording top-10 finishes in almost every distance swimming event. He started with a fourth place finish in the 1000 Free and followed up with a seventh place finish in the 500 Free. On the final day of competition, Rabenstein scored a fifth place finish in the 1650 Free.

On the women’s side, 12 swimmers recorded top-15 finishes as the Blue and Gold finished the weekend in fourth place. Mary Clare Smith got the ball rolling for Clarion, taking home an eighth-place finish in the 1000 Free for the first of two top-eight finishes, and just a few events later Amanda Dial took eighth in the 200 IM. Seniors Abbey Newman and Morgan Manglaviti dominated in the 50 Free with fifth- and seventh-place finishes, respectively. The pair also helped the Golden Eagles navigate their way to a fourth-place finish in the 200 Free Relay. Manglaviti also took fourth in the 200 Free and eighth in the 100 Free to close out her career.

Autumn Fortney recorded one of the best finishes of the week, taking third in the 100 Fly, while Newman and Stephanie Setar finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the same race to rack up the points. Setar placed fifth in the 100 Backstroke with a time of 57.87, while Ava Arnold finished eighth with a final mark. Fortney also made her presence felt in the 200 Fly, placing fifth.