This hasn’t been quite the year that the Central Bucks East swim team expected to have.
But they’re managing very well in spite of that.
The Patriots were stunned by the sudden death of senior Marcus Papanikolaou in a car accident in October. Papanikolaou, a 10-time PIAA medalist, was a key member of CB East’s relays and was a shoo-in to return to states in two individual events; the 50 and 100-yard freestyles.
Team members have his initials on their caps this season.
“It’s been tough,” CB East senior Owen Lever said. “He was not only a great teammate but also a great competitor. He helped us to win countless meets but that’s the least of why we miss him. We really feel his loss. We remember him every day at practice and in meets and we just try to keep his memory alive.”
The Patriots have gone about the business of swimming and traveled to North Penn’s Rick Carroll Natatorium for a Suburban One League Colonial Division double dual meet on Friday.
The perennial league champion Knights won the boys meet by a score of 102-73 and the girls were winners, 95-82, but the Patriots had some good swims.
Both teams moved swimmers out of their usual events.
“Our team swam really well,” said Lever, who will swim at Lafayette next year. “North Penn swam a lot of ‘off’ events and some of our swimmers did that too and that’s a really good environment to see how you can perform in events you don’t normally swim.”
Lever won the 200 individual medley (2:02.59).
“I typically would swim the 200 and 500 freestyles,” he said. “If I had done my normal events I would have had a nice race with Mason (Potts of North Penn) in the 200 but then I might have lost. It still would have been a good race. They put Nevin (Shaw) in the 500 and I probably would have gotten that one but it was fun to go against Alex (Burns) in the IM.
“This year I definitely want to make it back to districts and I’m working hard to make it to states. Last year I had a bad district meet and I didn’t get to states but a week after states at a club meet I did times that would have gotten me state qualification. I’ve already gotten times untapered that should get me to states so I think it’s definitely in the books for me. I just have to work hard and once I’m there I’ll see what I can do.”
Brady Scott was a double winner for the Patriots, taking first in the 50 freestyle (22.93) and 100 butterfly (54.39).
“This meet we did a great job of cheering everyone on and I think everyone is happy with their times,” said Theo Miksa, a senior captain for the Patriots. “It’s very important to step out of your regular events and do something different. You learn something new about yourself and just see what you can do, plus I think you get stale when you swim the same events all the time.
“So far I think our team dynamic is good. We have some good divers and some of the divers are swimming with us, and I think that’s really cool. I’m hoping we can get a good amount of guys going to districts, and I hope we can get some underclassmen there. I think it would be good to see them at that kind of meet. Hopefully we’ll get some people to states.”
Miksa hopes to swim and major in finance but hasn’t chosen a college yet.
For the girls, Grace Ciepiela won diving (192.40 points) and Grace Petrakis touched first in the 100 freestyle (55.32).
“Honestly, I like swimming North Penn,” said Petrakis, a sophomore. “They’re amazing competition, such great swimmers. It’s a wonderful opportunity to get some good times against some really fast people. I’m really happy with my times.
“I think having this kind of meet really positions me well for champs. I’m starting to think about what events I want to swim at districts so this is a good test.
“Last year I was a freshman so it was all new. This year I know what to expect and I’m having fun with it. This season has been going well. I think our team has more work to do but throughout the season we’ve been getting better.”
She is still considering which events she will choose for the postseason.
“I’m looking at the 200 IM and possibly the 100 free or 100 fly,” she said. “I still have time to figure that out. My goal obviously is to drop some time and I want to go back to states and hopefully make the ‘A’ final. That should be fun, and I think it’s possible.”
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