LEWISBURG — Chris Heese swam to a seventh-place medal Wednesday at the PIAA Class 3A championships at Bucknell University. The Latrobe senior came in as the 13th seed in the 50 free, and he made his move.
Heese returned to the pool Thursday hoping for a bigger prize in the 100 breaststroke.
The WPIAL champion’s time was elevated slightly in the prelims and finals from what he recorded at the district meet (54.49), but he was able to swim to sixth in the evening championship finals (55.17).
Heese, who will swim in college at Swarthmore, was reflective after stepping off the medals podium.
“Overall, not bad, but I definitely could’ve done better,” said Heese, who did maintain his top-of-the-WPIAL status. He was the only swimmer from the district who qualified for the championship heat.
“Everything went well. I just wasn’t moving enough water. It still was a great way to finish out the high school career. I can’t wait for the opportunity to do this at NCAAs. I am ready to take that next step.”
The boys 100 breast was fast Thursday with Kyle Spaman, a senior from LaSalle College, leading the pack of state-title contenders with a winning time of 53.83.
Heese was one of a trio of Westmoreland County swimmers to return for evening swims Friday in either the championship or consolation final heats.
Franklin Regional junior Thomas Westerman also swam in a championship heat Friday as he was part of the finals in the 500 freestyle.
The WPIAL runner-up wasn’t able to match or surpass his WPIAL time (4:33.84), but his seventh-place finish in the championship final (4:36.43) had him smiling on the medals stand for the first time.
“My swim was all right,” Westerman said. “It wasn’t as good as WPIALs. But I am definitely happy to be here and swim in a final. It was a great race with amazing competition. I was a little tired, but it was OK.”
Westerman swam to 12th in the 200 free Wednesday. It was his second trip to states in as many seasons. He didn’t swim in high school as a freshman.
“I definitely look forward to hopefully coming back next year and placing better and being even more competitive, for sure,” Westerman said.
Norwin junior Amber Klingensmith, like Westerman, will have a chance to build on this year’s PIAA meet.
She came to states as the No. 9 seed in the 100 back and was on the cusp of a possible trip to the championship finals.
But after her preliminary swim of 56.47, slightly elevated from her time at WPIALs (56.38), she found herself as the third seed for the consolation heat.
In that race, Klingensmith added a half second and stayed in 11th overall.
Klingensmith took 10th in the 100 butterfly (56.38) on Wednesday.
Junior Tad Tompkins got the Mt. Pleasant state-championship events started Thursday with a swim in the para 50 free.
While the rest of the Vikings contingent takes to the pool in the Class 2A competition Friday and Saturday, Tompkins started things off by dropping more than a second from his WPIAL time and finishing fifth (33.13).
Swimmers from schools in both classifications came together to race in a single heat.