Richard Scholer and Gianna Bevivino are making the most of their final season of high school swimming.
The seniors at Central Bucks South are both aiming for memorable finales.
“I really believe this is going to be my year,” Scholer said. “I’ve been working harder than I ever have out of the pool and in the pool and focusing on my mental aspects. I think this is my year to shine and show what I’m made of.”
Scholer’s two older sisters, Heidi and Haley, both swam for the Titans. Haley, now a junior swimming at Duquesne, holds multiple school records and was a high school All-American.
“Her name is all over the record board and every time I look up and see that I always think ‘Why not me? Why can’t I be that good?’ and so I work hard in the hope of being a multiple record holder and All-American like her,” Scholer said.
“Hopefully, it’s nothing but hard work away for me, and she’s been really supportive. We’re very close. When she got an Olympic trial cut over the summer I was the first one to hug her and she gives me motivation and technique correction.”
Scholer is hoping for a big finish this season after disappointment in the last few postseasons.
“I didn’t close out the last couple of years well and this year I have to not psych myself out,” he said. “I have a lot of confidence now. I have more experience. I’ve had failure but with failure comes learning and ultimately success.”
He is focusing on the 100-yard breaststroke and recently posted a time of 1:00.85, his best of the season to date in CB South’s 92-91 win over Council Rock North in a Suburban One League crossover meet at CB South. He just nosed out CR North’s Sebastian Vradinskiy, who touched in 1:00.97.
“I had really good competition in that race so that definitely helped me to get that time,” he said. “By the end of the season I hope to make a lot of improvement and I hope to make the finals at states.”
In the meet against CR North, he also won the 200 individual medley (2:02.39) and led off the winning 200 freestyle relay for Dan Conrad, Richard Mahoney and Jack Riegel (1:35.86).
Riegel won the 200 freestyle (1:51.29) and 500 freestyle (5:04.99), Michael Finlaw was first in diving (186.15 points) and Sebastian Peev was the winner of the 100 backstroke (1:01.60) for the Titans.
“It was a big win for us,” Scholer said.
Scholer plans to continue his swimming career at Clarion, where he plans to major in secondary education.
Bevivino’s approach to the season has been different.
“I’m not swimming for myself,” she said. “I’m swimming for my team. My goal is to score as many points as I can for the team.
“Last season I think I was too worried about focusing on too many different things so this year I’m trying to just swim to swim, have fun and be there for my teammates.
“I love our practices, I love the meets, I genuinely love the team and the girls that I get to swim with. I think I’ll be leaving the team in good hands.
“I feel that the team is in a good place. We have so much depth, and we have a lot of good freshmen. I like the way we communicate with each other and push each other to do our best and lift each other up. It means a lot.
“I feel like all the hard work I’ve put in has been worth it. Last year I swam with Erin Goodling (now swimming at Fairfield) and Riley Reteneller (now swimming at Monmouth) and I can’t thank them enough for being such great role models. Now I want to be a good role model for the girls.”
She has her eye on the 100 butterfly.
“That’s the event I’m really looking at,” she said. “I want to just go as far as I can with it, and also it would be great to get some relays into districts. I want to end my career the best way possible.”
She is hoping to major in biology at Maryland, focusing on genetics.
“I won’t be swimming because I want to focus on my studies and if I get into Maryland they don’t have a swim team, anyway, so this will be my last year of competitive swimming and I want to enjoy it as much as I can,” she said.
The Titans fell to CR North, 102-78.
Bevivino won the 200 individual medley (2:16.55) while Abby Fee won the 50 freestyle (26.78) and 100 backstroke (1:05.72), Kathryn Kline was first in the 500 freestyle (5:51.12) and Whitney Fields won the 100 breaststroke (1:10.14) for CB South.
Fee, Fields, Bevivino and Abigail Chayka opened the day with a win in the 200 medley relay (1:58.70).
For CR North girls, Kaitlyn Landers won the 100 freestyle (2:00.53) and 100 butterfly (59.18), Lillian Tetreault won diving (190.50 points) and Sara Bing was the winner of the 100 freestyle (59.07).
Elizabeth Maltby, Meghan Landers, Cymberly Tsai and Kaitlyn Landers won the 200 freestyle relay (1:48.30) and Bing, Emily Kennedy, Maltby and Kaitlyn Landers were first in the 400 freestyle relay (3:51.98).
For CR North boys, Connor Williams won the 50 freestyle (22.28) and 100 freestyle (50.62) and Nigel Lukomski-Pizzo touched first in the 100 butterfly (59.03).
Cooper Williams, Vradinskiy, Lukomski-Pizzo and Connor Williams won the 200 medley relay (1:45.14) and Lukomski-Pizzo, Luciano DeRenzo, Mark Cai and Connor Williams ended the day with a win in the 400 freestyle relay (3:28.87).
Join our readers whose generous donations are making it possible for you to read our news coverage. Help keep local journalism alive and our community strong. Donate today.
