Butler's Evans breaks school record in loss to NA
BUTLER TWP - Molly Evans might not be graduating in June, but she sure knows how to steal the show on Senior Night.
The Golden Tornado sophomore swam the 500-yard freestyle in a time of 5 minutes, 19.05 seconds to break the school record in a dual meet against North Allegheny Thursday night at Butler's pool.
Julie Morrison set the old mark of 5:20.59 in 1997.
"I was hoping that I could break the record this season," said Evans, whose best time prior to Thursday was 5:24. "I've been coming close to it all season.
"I knew I had a chance to get it because I saw (coach) Amber (Schmeider) jumping up and down as I was swimming there at the end," added Evans. "She doesn't do that unless she's excited about something."
"I think she'll swim (the 500 freestyle) in under 5:10 by the end of the year," Schmeider said. "It's an event that's easy to drop time in. If you cut a half second on each turn, that's 10 seconds right there."
Despite Evans' effort, North Allegheny (6-1, 4-0) won the girls meet 118-68. The Tigers boys (7-0, 4-0) stayed undefeated with a 110-60 victory.
But both Butler teams walked away with their share of bright spots.
Qualifying for the WPIAL girls meet were Sarah Clouse in the 200 IM (2:21.26) and Ellen Crummy in the 100 backstroke (1:05.11).
Senior Liz Rhodaberger won the diving competition with a score of 214.65.
On the boys side, Jade Werth made the WPIAL diving meet with a score of 165.15 while the 200 freestyle relay team of Mike Coulter, Shane Gilliland, Eric Clouse and Matt Galante qualified for WPIALs with a mark of 1:37.57.
Galante also won both the 50 freestyle (23.24) and 100 freestyle (50.85).
"This is what 90 percent of our meets are like," said Schmeider of notable individual performances despite team losses. "That's why final scores don't reflect the effort our kids give."
The Butler boys (1-8, 0-4) and girls (3-6, 1-3) will swim at Blackhawk in a non-section affair Monday.
Girls
North Allegheny 118, Butler 68
200 freestyle:
3-Ellen Crummy (B) 2:11.95
200 individual medley:
2-Molly Evans (B) 2:19.13, 3-Sarah Clouse (B) 2:21.26
50 freestyle:
3-Samantha Harris (B) :27.0
1-meter diving:
1-Liz Rhodaberger (B) 214.65, 2-Jess Schnur (B) 210.85
500 freestyle:
1-Molly Evans (B) 5:19.05
100 backstroke:
1-Ellen Crummy (B) 1:05.11, 2-Samantha Harris (B) 1:07.01
100 breaststroke:
1-Sarah Clouse (B) 1:10.13
Boys
North Allegheny 110, Butler 60
50 freestyle:
1-Matt Galante (B) :23.24
1-meter diving:
2-John Rhodaberger (B)
100 butterfly:
2-Eric Clouse (B) :59.27
100 freestyle:
1-Matt Galante (B) :50.85
100 backstroke:
3-Clif McKee (B) 1:04.09
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