On Dec. 3, the State High Swimming and Diving Teams opened their 2025-2026 seasons with an exciting meet against Emmaus, Mercersburg, and North Allegheny. The meet included 22 events for both the girls and boys teams.
The meet was filled with fast races, loud support from the crowd, and a number of record-breaking performances.
One of the records set by State High was when senior Molly Workman, juniors Gabby Siekman and Sawyer Barshinger, and sophomore Isla Reite finished the girls’ 400-yard freestyle relay with a time of 3:31.71.
North Allegheny also had a successful meet, with swimmers producing strong performances throughout the night. Both the North Allegheny boys and girls teams finished first in the team rankings during event 22.
One of the biggest State High highlights of the meet came from Workman, a captain of the swim team. She set a new multiple individual school record in event 3, the 200-yard freestyle, with a final time of 1:47.82. Another record set by Workman was the 100-yard breaststroke, finishing with a time of 1:03:10.
“During my races, I think my goals were to break some of those records,” Workman said. “During it, it’s hard… but in my head, I literally just screamed ’Go’ in my head. When you see the time after you hit the wall, it’s like the best feeling in the world.”
Another outstanding moment was when Siekman got first place in the 100-yard stroke with the final time of 58.40 seconds.
Last but not least, Evan Koehle showcased his incredible talent for the boys team. With an impressive time of 4:43:08, Evan captured first place in the Boys 500-yard freestyle. He also contributed to a strong third-place finish in the boys 400-yard freestyle relay, teaming up with senior Leo Garlicki and juniors Hudson Pell-Gibson and Luke Flickinger.
Beyond the record-breaking swims, the home opener allowed the team to build confidence and connect with the school community. Support from the crowd and fellow swimmers motivated the team and helped create a positive environment to start the season.
“I like the way they cheered each other on. And I think it puts us into a good position for the Mid-Penn Conference and what we’re doing during this season,” Head Coach Aaron Workman said.
Freshman Angel Kitchens was in attendence and said, “Everybody was so supportive. It was very inspiring.”
The night ended with North Allegheny finishing first with a score of 687 and State High finishing second with a score of 548 in the girls’ team standings. In the boys’ standings, North Allegheny placed first with a score of 708.5, while State High finished fourth with 548 points.
With a successful first meet behind them, the State High swim team is looking ahead to the rest of the season, hoping to continue improving, break personal bests, and make their school proud. The team will be back at home in the SCASD Natatorium on Dec. 16 to take on Hershey.
