There were times in the last month when Seneca Valley assistant swimming and diving coach Tom Fletcher wanted to quit.

Some of his female swimmers were ready to follow him out the door.

Things are uneasy at Seneca Valley these days. The status of head swimming and diving coach Tom Donati is in limbo following an indefinite suspension for undisclosed disciplinary reasons last month.

But this weekend at the PIAA Class AAA Swimming and Diving Championships, the Seneca Valley girls swim team placed fifth and its 400-meter freestyle relay team finished runner-up in the state at Bucknell University.

"I think that they did it for Tom (Donati)," Fletcher said. "I think they really wanted to swim well for him."

The biggest success of the weekend for the Raiders came in the relay, where the team of Emily Wolfarth, Elyse Dobrick, Rose Snyder and Kelly Connolly, swam a time of 3 minutes, 32.79 seconds to finish behind state champion Emmaus HighSchool.

Wolfarth swam her best time of the season in the opening leg (53.3 seconds) to spur on the effort.

"We got second place, but it feels like we won," Fletcher said.

The relay team came into the meet seeded 11th. Fletcher said before the meet that he thought the team could finish much higher.

He was right.

Connolly also placed fourth in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:05.57. She swam that event and her anchor leg of the relay in back-to-back events.

"She's one of the most talented girls in the WPIAL," Fletcher said. "She had an almost heroic performance."

Fletcher said everyone has been heroic under the recent adversity.

After Donati was suspended, the team and Fletcher had no idea what to expect, or even if they would be around much longer.

"I think a lot of people thought we would collapse," Fletcher said. "I told the girls that everyone expects you to fail. I was worried about giving them an excuse to fail, but they didn't.

"I thought about quitting. A couple of the girls said they didn't feel like swimming. We could have been done right there.

"This is the most satisfying meet I have ever been involved in," Fletcher continued.

PIAA Class AAAGirlsSaturday results100 Freestyle: 11-Rose Snyder (Seneca Valley) 52.95

500 Freestyle: 11-Molly Evans (Butler) 5:07.54

100 Breaststroke: 4-Kelly Connolly (Seneca Valley) 1:05.57

400 Freestyle Relay: 2-Seneca Valley (Emily Wolfarth, Elyse Dobrick, Rose Snyder, Kelly Connolly) 3:32.79

BoysSaturday results100-meter diving: 15-John Rhodaberger (Butler) 378.20