Bellefonte swimmers sweeps PV, falls to Wildcats

By Kenny Varner Jr.
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Updated: January 24, 2024

Photos by Jeff Shomo

By Kenny Varner

STATE COLLEGE – Senior was such a delight for the Bellefonte swimming team.

Tuesday, the Red Raider swimmers welcomed in Central Mountain and Penns Valley while honoring their senior swimmers.

Honored on the day were Katelyn Packer, Carter Boone, Kiaha McCool, Cedric Bagwell, Grace Rossman and Isaiah Johnson.

“They’re irreplaceable (the seniors) not just in the pool but the accolades these kids do outside the pool,” said Bellefonte coach Tony Edmonson. “They will be hard to replace.”

Bellefonte battled but fell in both boys and girls action to Central Mountain.

The boys fell 80-55 while the girls dropped a 86-77 contest.

Central Mountain took care of Penns Valley as well winning 98-42 for the boys and 109.43 on the girls’ side.

Bellefonte swept the Rams 60-50 on the boys’ side and a tally of 87-41 for the girls.

Opening up the competition was the Girls 200-meter relay. The Wildcats and Red Raiders found themselves in a very close race but Central Mountain was able to squeeze out a first place finish of 1:58.89 while Bellefonte finished with a 2:01.03.

“I was really impressed. We have a lot of young kids that keep progressing every week,” said Wildcats coach Scott Bair. “They keep PR’ing every week. As far as the girls go I knew it would be a tight race. They only had seven girls but they (Bellefonte) are solid.”

In the 200- Freestyle, the Lady Raiders notched a strong performance by Katelyn Packer as she finished with a top score of 2.03.60. The Rams’ Charlotte Delaney finished second with a 2:08. 64, rounding out the top three was Wildcat Ana Persun posting a 2:12.67.

Kiaha McCool notched her first win of the night for Bellefonte in the 200-girls IM, posting an impressive time of 2:11.22. Next was Mila Klena of Penns Valley with a 2:21.7. Finishing the top spots was Gabriella Hosley of Central Mountain with a 2:24.03.

Camryn Bair took top honors in the 50-meter freestyle with a top time of 25.19. Bellefonte’s Grace Rossman wasn’t far behind with a time of 26.76. Addie Pringle was third with a mark of 27.13.

Bellefonte took care of the 100-meter butterfly with Katelyn Packer cruising to a 1:01.96 while second place finisher Gabriella Hosley posted a second place finish of 1:04.95 for the Central Mountain squad. Rounding things out was Lily McWilliams with a 1:17.68.

In the 100-meters freestyle, McCool posted her second top finish of the day with a 54.91.

Central Mountain’s Ana Persun followed up with a second place finish time of 1:01.29. Penns Valley’s Abby Haglegans dropped a third place nod of 1:04.23.

In the marathon event, the 500-meter, Central Mountain captured a first and third. Adrianna Hosley led the way with a 5:59.11. Bellefonte’s Sara Litten was next with a 6:36.22. Kaylie McCloskey gave her team some extra points posting a 7:13.20.

The Red Raiders added to their wins with a top time of 1:46.11 in the 200-meter relay. Central Mountain posted a 1:48.25 while the Rams finished things with a 2:00.39.

Penns Valley took the 100-meter backstroke. Charlotte Delaney touched first with a 1:07.13 while Bellefonte’s Sydney Fetters collected a second with a time of 1:08.62. The Wildcats placed third as Adrianna Hosley finished with a 1:09.17.

In the last individual race of the afternoon was the 100 breaststroke. The Wildcats’ Camryn Bair took top honors with a time of 1:11.09.

Penns Valley’s Mila Klena placed second with a 1:12.63 while Bellefonte’s Addie Pringle touched the wall in third with a 1:19.95.

Rounding out the girls events was the 400-free relay.

Bellefonte led from beginning to end posting a 4:23.49 while Central Mountain finished at 4:28.20.

On the boys’ side, in the 200 relay.

Bellefonte was dominant in the opening event placing a time of 1:50.57 while Central Mountain finished with a time of 1:51.78.

In the 200 Freestyle, the Red Raiders got a strong performance by Carter Boone posting a top time of 1:54.61.

Jonathan Hughes CM 2:00.42. Penns Valley’s Lewis Delaney rounded things out with a 2:23.28.

Isaiah Johnson dominated the 200 boys IM finishing with a top time of 2:08.88. The Wildcats Rhys Swift was second with a time of 2:31.32 while teammate Owen Wunder rounded out the top three with a mark of 2:41.19.

Central Mountain took the 50 freestyle. Raiden Newcomer top the chart with a 25.55.

Logan Taylor helped get the Rams a second place time of 27.25. Bellefonte’s Turner Malik rounded things out with a 27.45.

Carter Boone took the 100 butterfly. Boone finished with a top time of 55.33.

Penns Valley got a second place from Liam Quigley posting a 59.24. coming in third was the Wildcats’ Cory Matejovich with a third place finish of 1:08.85.

Penns Valley took the 100 freestyle.

Liam Quigley posted a 52.66 while Central Mountain’s Neil Kaluzny took a second place time of 58.62. Bellefonte’s Cedric Bagwell finished third with a 1:01.20.

In the grueling 500, the Wildcats placed 1-and-2.

Raiden Newcomer finished in first with a 6:24.66 and Owen Wunder’s 6:38.93 was good for second place. The Red Raiders’ Turner Malik finished third with a 6:53.42.

The most exciting contest of the night came in the 200 relay, Bellefonte trailed going into the last leg of the race, passing Central Mountain with by a half stroke. The Red Raiders won with a time of 1:43.47 while the Wildcats touched with a time of 1:44.24. Penns Valley finished things with a time of 1:47.59.

The Red Raiders continued the wins in the 100 backstroke. Cedric Bagwell notched a 1:06.50. The Wildcats Neil Kaluzny and

Matejovich finished with times of 1:07.29 and 1:10.22, respectively.

In the 100 breaststroke, the Wildcats and the Red Raiders battled it out to the end as Jonathan Hughes gave Central Mountain the win with a time of 1:03.1. was just a stroke away as Isaiah Johnson finished just behind with a 1:03.30. The Rams posted a third place nod by Lewis Delaney with a 1:17.88.

Finally in the 400 – freestyle relay, the Wildcats topped out with a time of 4:25.52 while Penns Valley placed second with a time of 4:30.22.