JACKSON TWP — Increasing membership and successful results.

The Seneca Valley Swim Club is enjoying the best of both worlds.

The club fielded 110 competitive members during the short-course season, which wrapped up earlier this spring.

“We're trying to get a few more kids out, but that is the most swimmers we've had in my five seasons here,” said SVSC coach Brian Blackwell.

Seven club members qualified for USA Swimming's Eastern Zone Meet, held in Webster, N.Y. in late March. They included Owen Blazer, Hainan Xu, Connor Quiggle, John Simoes and Daniel Simoes on the boys side and Bella Stefanowicz and Julia Listwak for the girls.

Just making it to the zone meet is an accomplishment. It includes swimmers from New England to Virginia. SVSC is a member of Allegheny Mountain Swimming, which includes 53 clubs. To reach zones, a swimmer age 13 or older must post a time that is in the top two during the AMS season. For swimmers 12 and younger, they need to be in the top three.

Eighty-two swimmers comprised what was, in effect, an AMS all-star team that swam at the zone meet, where the top 10 in each event earn a medal. The seven SVSC swimmers brought home a combined 23 medals.

Blazer, a 14-year old and 8-year member of SVSC, accounted for eight of them. Included were third-place finishes and personal-best times in the 100 and 200 butterfly. He also swam a leg on the 200 and 400 medley relays, which both placed second.

“I swam before at the (short-course) zone meet, but this was the first time I made finals,” Blazer said. “Everybody was pushing me and I was super nervous, but I'm really happy with how I did.”

Blazer displayed his versatility by swimming the 50 and 500 freestyles.

“I feel that I'm a better sprinter, but the longer practices we had with Coach Blackwell allowed me to make it in the 500, too.”

The one first-place medal awarded to SV went to Listwak, who joined three AMS teammates to finish first in the 200 medley relay (14-year-olds).

Listwak has been part of SVSC for seven years.

“I've really enjoyed it and have improved more and more over the years,” said Listwak. “I don't like every set we have to do in practice, but I know they will make me better.”

Listwak placed sixth in the 100 butterfly and ninth in the 200 fly.

“Everybody starts out swimming freestyle events, but it was about two years ago that I started focusing on the fly and I've made progress,” he said.

Both Blazer and Listwak will be freshmen on Seneca Valley's high school team next year and have started thinking about their goals moving forward.

“I want to make WPIALs,” Listwak said. “You have to finish in the top three there to (automatically) make the state meet. I want to get to states by my senior year.”

Blazer is anxious to see how swimming can help build his character.

“I want to make junior nationals and see what it can teach me about work ethic,” he said. “Swimming is not just about fast times. People recognize you for your personality and being a good leader.”