Tough schedule is helping Williamsport swimmers get better

Take a quick glance at the schedule for Williamsport's swimming team and you'll see that it's full of a lot of tough meets from start to finish.

First, Williamsport had to compete against Hazleton, which features two returning state qualifiers in the boys competition.

Then there was a home meet against State College this past Saturday in which the Millionaires were swept. Williamsport had just two days off before hitting the pool against Lewisburg, a program that always has talented swimmers.

But those tough meets are nothing but beneficial for Williamsport. The Millionaires sure aren't complaining about it, especially for a team that has numerous swimmers hoping to once again get back to the state meet.

"We had a lot of tough meets over the last week actually going back to Hazleton. The kids were tired and little bit of rest over the weekend. We had a really good practice yesterday, so they did really well today," first-year Williamsport coach Brett Johnson said after Williamsport swept Lewisburg on Tuesday evening. "I feel they did really well."

Williamsport's swimmers enjoy being pushed by fellow talented swimmers. It's why Amy Jarvis swam her best time of the season in the 500 free as she was in the neighboring lane with returning state qualifier Delaney Humphrey. Jarvis won the tight race by just .18 seconds.

In the diving competition, Jack Beattie was pushed by fellow state qualifier Caleb Leaman as the two finished 1-2, respectively, in the event.

Pardoe won the 200 free and 100 fly, and had to win both events against the likes of Delaney Humphrey, Jarvis, Jewels Hepner and Sydney Kelley.

"It really, really does (motivate you), especially when you're neck and neck, it pushes you to do better," Jarvis said. "It was such a great race."

The Williamsport boys and girls both swam excellent Tuesday. Mallory Pardoe came up with two big wins individually and helped the 200 free and 400 medley relay teams walk away with victories.

Jarvis, who was also part of those two relay team victories against Lewisburg, is a returning state qualifier in the 200 free and 400 free relays. Pardoe also is a returning state qualifier in the 100 fly, 100 back and 400 free relay.

The COVID-19 pandemic has made this an extremely unusual year for competitions, but it doesn't change the expectations for those swimmers to get back to Bucknell to compete.

"I think it's a lot harder with COVID as you know, but I think because of COVID we're pushing ourselves even that much harder to be where we were last year," Jarvis said. "So even despite all of it, I think we're doing great as a team and I think we're going to keep getting better. I think we've all been pushing ourselves and as a team, we're doing really, really good. I'm proud of us."

That tough schedule is only helping push Williamsport's swimmers to get better, and with a handful of tough competitions still looming ahead, there's no doubt it'll help prepare the Millionaires for the state meet.