The Tyrone boys and girls swim team will open the 2024-2025 season at home tonight against Somerset at TAHS Natatorium. The meet begins at 6 pm.
The varsity team is a coop between Tyrone, Bellwood, and Bishop Guilfoyle athletes.
The boy’s squad, at 17 swimmers, is the largest roster Tyrone has had in at least 25 years.
Eight boys are from Tyrone, six are from Bellwood, and three are from Bishop Guilfoyle.
Tyrone is represented by juniors Dylan Eckenrode, Lucas Bonsell, Caleb Miller, and Nate Erickson, sophomores Isaac Weaver and Eric Goodman, and freshmen Vincent Maloney and Aiden Luther.
Bellwood swimmers are juniors, Lucas Fulmer and Cameron Gallagher, sophomores Ned Smearman, Elijah Grove, and Cam Nelson, and freshman Chase Gallagher.
Bishop Guilfoyle is represented by senior Isaac Yeskey, and freshmen Patrick VanKleunen and Owen Dunkleberger.
Yeskey, Bonsell, and Gallagher were all members of the 200 free relay team that won gold at the District VI Championship meet last season with a 1:36.00, beating their seed time by more than three seconds and second place Bellefonte (1:37.64) by a second and a half.
The team will have a tough time replacing senior anchor Spencer Dunklebarger, but if another sprinter can step up the boys might be able to repeat as district champs.
Maloney is in his first year of swimming for the varsity squad, but has several years of competitive swimming experience under his belt and should be an instant contributor to the boys team.
The team is led by head coach Tom Getz, and assistant coaches Andy Smearman and Randy Wilson.
Last year, the boys finished the season with a record of 10-3.
The girls team has eight varsity swimmers, led by Tyrone senior Sophia Cowher and junior Grace Corl. Also on the team from Tyrone are junior newcomers Bella Laird, Hailey Lowery, sophomores Adalyn Jefferies, and Sophia Witchamp.
Two other swimmers are from Bellwood. They are sophomores Blake Pennington and Julie Kraft.
Due to low numbers, the girls will not be able to fill lanes in some events, but senior Sophia Cowher is looking forward to the start of the season and thinks the girl’s season will be much better than their 1-12 record from last season.
“I am excited about this season because we have a lot of new kids on the team that can participate in many different events,” Cowher said, “I look forward to seeing everyone’s progress throughout the season.”
Tickets are available for purchase for the meet outside of the Natatorium tonight.
