SLIPPERY ROCK — The members of the Slippery Rock High School girls swimming team are like sharks this season.

Their prey: school records. All of them.

The Rockets have made a habit of devouring school marks like helpless surfers, breaking one record after another at each meet.

"They are exceeding my early expectations," said Slippery Rock swimming coach Kirby Burns. "I think they are proud of setting the records. I think they are getting the fever."

Against Grove City Wednesday night in a 92-77 win, five more records fell. Some of the records have stood since 1996.

Bethany Johnston, a senior who splits her time between the pool on the Slippery Rock High School team and the pool for a Seneca Valley club team, was part of four record-setting performances against the Eagles.

She broke her own record in the 200 individual medley by six seconds, coming in with a time of 2 minutes, 22.64 seconds, and she eclipsed her mark in the 500 freestyle by a full 20 seconds with a time of 5:39.09.

"I am shocked," Johnston said. "My 500 freestyle time was by far the fastest I have ever swam — ever."

Even

her

records aren't safe in this pool this season.

Victoria Kosiorek broke Johnston's record in the 100 butterfly with a time of 1:10.46. Johnston's previous mark was 1:10.71 earlier this season.

Johnston was part of a 200-medley relay team, which also includes Lauren Tibbens, Britley Raabe and Kosiorek, that established a time to beat of 2:10.20. She also was on the 400 freestyle relay team that eclipsed its previous record by 11 seconds with a time of 4:15.07. Calley Bridges, Tibbens and Kosiorek join her in that foursome.

More records could fall in the future, as Burns said he feels those times can be lowered.

He is keeping a close eye on the 400 freestyle relay team as a possible contender to reach the state championships.

"Bethany is already under the 1-minute mark," Burns said. "The other three are around 1:03, 1:04. If we can get them under a minute, we can get them to state."

There's no concern about Johnston, who already is one of the top distance swimmers in the district and has a good shot at reaching the state championships in March.

"I have never seen her swim this fast," Burns said. "She doesn't have the good sprinter's speed, but she has great technique and great lung capacity. She never tires."

That's because Johnston is rarely ever out of the pool.

She practices with the Rockets, then makes the trek down to Seneca Valley and practices again.

She put in a grueling schedule over the Christmas break, which helped her with the speedy times against Grove City, she said.

"I just worked so hard over break that is was nice to see it pay off and that it is working," Johnston said.

She isn't concerned about burning out too soon or peaking too early in the season. Swimming is what she does and she only knows one way to do it.

"I'm not going to tire myself out," Johnston said. "I know when to stop."

She might not stop until she gets to Bucknell University and the state swimming championships.

Johnston hopes to have some record-breaking company with her. She said she believes more records will fall and that this is just the beginning of a great ride this season.

"We still have most of the year left," Johnston said. "I think it's just a stepping stone to toward the end of the season."