Alyssa Bean and Alicia Yerkes have high hopes.
They and their Archbishop Wood teammates are getting ready for the Philadelphia Catholic League and District 12 Class 2A championship swim meets and beyond that, the PIAA competition.
The PCL and District 12 meets will be held Friday and Saturday at La Salle University’s Kirk Pool. The PCL meet is in the morning, and the District 12 competition is in the evening.
“It’s great because it’s like states,” said Bean, a senior. “We have a morning swim and a night swim. That’s good for us, to get that experience before going out to states.”
Bean was the winner of the 200-yard freestyle at last year’s PCL meet and was the runner-up in the 100 butterfly at the District 12 Class 2A meet.
She capped off the season by winning the consolation final in the 100-yard butterfly at last year’s PIAA Class 2A championships, earning herself all-state honorable mention.
“That was a little frustrating, to just miss the final, but at the same time, it gave me confidence that I could come back this year and get into that final heat,” she said. “I was a little nervous last year. I’d been to states before, but that was the first time that I was close to getting to the finals so now I know what that’s like.”
Bean has been swimming since sixth grade.
“I tried soccer and I did dance for awhile but I really wanted to swim,” she said. “When I was younger a coach put me in the fly and that just became my event.”
She hasn’t chosen a college yet, but hopes to study biology and would like to continue swimming. She has received All-Catholic League honors every year since her freshman season.
Yerkes hasn’t been to states in an individual event, but she’s competed on relays.
“That was a great experience and a lot of fun,” she said.
Yerkes has been swimming since fifth grade.
“I was all over the place trying different sports, but swimming was the one for me,” she said.
She is shooting for the 100 backstroke and the 100 freestyle.
“I know there’s a lot of competition in the 100 free but I’ll do my best,” she said. “I’m really looking forward to PCLs and districts. Those two days are so much fun, and I know everyone on our team will do their best and we’ll all be cheering for each other. It’s the best part of the season to me.
“We have a smaller team now and one of the good things about that is that we can really bond. Everyone is really close and we really support each other.
“If I do my best times then I honestly don’t care where I finish. For me, it’s all about doing my best and having fun with my friends.”
Yerkes was named to the All-Catholic team in both of her previous seasons with the Vikings.
Wood ended the dual meet season with a 7-2 overall record (6-2 PCL).
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