LEWISBURG — Francis Folz came up for air and took a peek at his competition.

He made his turn at the wall and took a another glance.

He came up for air again and took his last quick look at his biggest threats.

“I saw that some kid was pretty close to me,” said the Mars senior swimmer. “I just really threw on the gas.”

The late charge had Folz touching the wall first in the 50-yard freestyle that earned himself a gold medal at the PIAA Class AA Swimming and Diving Championships at Bucknell University Wednesday night.

Folz finished with a time of 21.41 seconds, besting James Orzdek of Bloomsburg, who came in second at 21.63.

“I mean it was insane,” Folz said. “I was praying to God before the race hoping I could pull out the miracle. It was really exciting. My focus on the block before the race was how I needed to do well to represent my school.”

Folz had a state title in his sights in the event all season.

Last year Folz was fourth in the 100-yard freestyle and swam a leg of the Mars’ 400 freestyle relay team that won a state title.

The Planets won a PIAA championship as a team last season.

“It’s been a journey,” Folz said.

“We had a good feeling,” said Mars coach Hans Bergh. “It was very good competition and a tight race. I’m very proud. I want to say it’s been an amazing experience to coach these athletes at Mars.”

Bergh had reason to be giddy.

Folz wasn’t the only Mars swimmer and diver to earn a gold medal.

Planets’ sophomore Taylor Hockenberry won the girls Class AA 1-meter diving competition with a score of 426.75.

Hockenberry saved her best dive for last, executing a complicated back half-somersault, half-twist to clinch the title.

“I definitely did it better than I even have in practice,” Hockenberry said, laughing. “I definitely needed it to win.”

Hockenberry finished sixth in the state meet last season and had to battle not only the competition, but her nerves on the board Wednesday.

“I definitely stress out before meets,” Hockenberry said. “Once I start diving, though, I feel better.”

Hockenberry was particularly worried because she didn’t have a good warm-up.

“I didn’t feel strong,” she said. “I didn’t feel my best.”

But as Hockenberry always does before a meet, she engaged in some deep thinking to get her mind right.

“I do a lot of visualization, internally and externally,” she said. “I visualize doing everything perfectly. Of course, you can never do everything perfectly, but one day maybe I will.”

When Hockenberry realized she had won a gold medal, she said it was surreal.

“It’s really exciting,” she said. “I feel so blessed.”

Grove City also had a big day.

The boys 200 medley relay team of Austin Wilson, Thomas Somora, Rockwell Pokrant and Devin Reynolds won a Class AA state title with a time of 1:36.77, barely edging second-place Quaker Valley, which finished in 1:36.82.

Other Butler County medalists Wednesday were Reed McDonough of Mars, who was eighth in the 50 free, Brooke Zukowski of Knoch, who was fourth in the girls 200 IM and Freeport’s Zoe Pawlak, who was seventh in the girls 50 free.