Feb. 22, 2008

(Mechanicsburg, Pa.): Clarion's Ryan Thiel (So. Ligonier) won the 50 freestyle on Friday night and the Golden Eagle men finished the night in second place at the 50th Annual PSAC Men's Swimming Championships.

Held at Cumberland Valley High School, West Chester leads the team race with 256 points, while Clarion is a strong second with 219.5 points. Shippensburg is third with 147.5, IUP fourth with 120, and Kutzown fifth with 117 points.

Thiel won the 50 freestyle with an NCAA Qualifying time of 20.64. The Eagles had a good night in the 50 with teammates Andrew Helm (Fr. E. Petersburg) finishing 3rd (21.48), Mike Cohen (Sr. Pickerington, Oh.) 8th (22.25) and Grey Arrigonie (Sr. Latrobe) 12th (22.29).

In individual events Andrew Claypool (So. Kittanning) was third in the 200 IM (1:56.81), Jon Kofmehl (Fr. Johnstown) 7th (1:59.15), Jonathan Wallace (Jr. Westerville, Oh.) 13th (2:02.61) and Rich Eckert (So. Versailles) 14th (2:02.86).

In the 500 freestyle Dustin Fedunok (So. Gibsonia) was third with a time of 4:39.41. Also scoring for the Eagles were Dan Walley (Sr. Sinking Spring) who was 7th (4:47.96) and Garet Weston (Fr. Indiana), 8th (4:48.35).

In relays, Clarion's 400 medley relay was second with a time of 3:28.95. In the prelims, the team swam an NCAA Qualifying time of 3:24.31 and they were Mike Kerr, Eckert, Claypool and Thiel.

The 200 free relay team of Claypool, Cohen, Helm and Thiel finished a close second with a time of 1:24.34. The Eagles lost by 16 - hundredths of a second.

West Chester is the defending champion and is going for its 10th straight title. Clarion has won 24 of the last 37 decided PSAC Championships. Seven individual events decided will be decided on Saturday. If the Golden Eagles are going to make a move, Saturday will be the day to try and narrow the gap on the Rams.