The PIAA swimming and diving championships returned to Bucknell University after having been held at Cumberland Valley High School a year ago. AJ Lamack and Andrew Taylor both qualified to swim in two individual events and three relay teams went to Bucknell to compete.

The highest finish came from the team of seniors Alex Magditch and Seth Metzger who joined with juniors Taylor and Ryan DeJohn in the 200-yard freestyle relay. The team finished with a time of 1:25.56, good enough for 10th place in the event. Lamack, DeJohn, Magditch and Ethan Ferris had opened the finals round with a 14th place finish in the 200-yard medley relay event held Wednesday night.

“We brought it back,” said Magditch of the performance of the two relay teams in the finals. “We had a rough morning. We came together as a team. We had a few team meetings, and we really came together and decided we were going to come back and bring it. And we did.”

“I think most kids who ever attend always want to do their best,” said Emmaus head coach Tim O’Connor. “Unfortunately, it does not always happen. Our boys had all three relays make it back at night into the consolation finals and overall, their camaraderie and learning were excellent. All of them worked well together to make the experience worthwhile and memorable.”

The team meetings were nothing new to the team which emphasized having more of a team element this season. “We did it throughout the season and we did it before districts and we won,” said Metzger, who made his first trip to states and will attend West Chester University after graduation. “It lived up to my expectations with the team atmosphere, the positivity.”

For Magditch, his swimming career at Emmaus is done, but he is taking a lot of memories with him as he heads for Niagara where he will continue his swimming career.

“It is my last high school meet with Emmaus,” Magditch said. “It is very emotional. I wish I could keep swimming here, but I can’t. I have to move on.”