The Liberty Hurricanes’ mission is to suppress all extraneous stimuli at the PIAA Class 3A State Swimming and Diving Championships this week at Bucknell University where Patrick Gilhool, Addison Collins, Danny Lehr, Malcolm Collins, Keller Pooley, and alternates Corbin Eisenhardt and Wade Wu will conclude their season competing with the best from across the state.

“Patrick and Addison will have six events the first day (Wednesday), and Danny’s got a real good shot in the 50 (freestyle),” said Liberty coach Reik Foust. “I don’t know exactly where he’s gonna fall, but he’s got a super good shot.”

Gilhool and Addison Collins will also have great shots with Gilhool the top seed in the 100 butterfly and the 100 backstroke and Collins seeded sixth in the 50 free and fifth in the 100 free.

The foursome of Gilhool, Addison Collins, Lehr, and Malcolm Collins are also seeded first in the 200 medley relay and the 200 free relay.

“Those relays are gonna be fun to go to states,” Foust said.

But what Foust and assistant coaches Evan Kocon and Jeff Matyus really want are for the Hurricanes to keep their heads straight, and that reminder, suppress all extraneous stimuli, is written on the team shirts they wore at districts.

“We talked about it, the guys and the coaches. It’s nice to be a top seed, but it doesn’t make any difference. It’s just a lane, and it’s the same water for everyone,” said Foust. “We’re going up there to be a little better, and if we win, great.”

After the district meet, the Hurricanes had their yardage upped for a week at practice with a lot of swims, drills, kicking, and other fast things. Then, they dropped down to nothing and left for Bucknell on Tuesday.

“The kids look good, real good,” Foust said.

Boys prelims in the medley relay, 50 free, 100 fly, and 200 free relay are scheduled to begin at 7:50 a.m. on Wednesday with consolations and finals beginning at 4:20 p.m.

On Thursday, Malcolm Collins will compete in the 100 breaststroke, along with Addison Collins in the 100 free and Gilhool in the 100 back.

Pooley, who is a diver, will compete on Thursday afternoon.

Moravian Academy’s Alexa Fegley and Bethlehem Catholic’s Anna Petke will compete in the Class 2A diving championships on Saturday afternoon.

All three girls are coached by Emily Kocis.