PCL swim final is likely to be end of an era

La Salle is heavily favored to win its 20th consecutive Catholic League swim championship next weekend, continuing one of the longest league championship runs in Southeastern Pennsylvania.

But the league title likely will be the last in its present form. As a result of the league's move to District 12 next year, the two-day Catholic League championship format may not work.

"Because of deadlines for the District 12 championships, we may have to move some things back," in terms of the dual-meet season, said La Salle coach Frank Lichtner, president of the league's coaches' association. "We may not be able to find the facilities for a two-day meet.

"There are tons of fields for football playoffs, but we have to scramble to find a pool for two days," said Lichtner, whose Explorers have not lost a league dual meet in two decades.

As it is, the league is holding the championship meet at two different locations this year. The trials will be March 1 at Drexel University, with the boys swimming at 9 a.m and the girls at 1 p.m. The finals will begin the next day at 11 a.m. at La Salle University.

The league has used Widener for its championship meet, but the Widener facility is unavailable.

"It will absolutely change things," Lichtner said, referring to the shift to District 12. "The big meet has been the Catholic League championships. Now it will be the district meet, with the hope of going on to the state championship."

La Salle and the other Catholic League schools that have competed in the National Catholic Championships at Villanova and the Eastern Interscholastic championships at La Salle are expected to bypass those meets next year. La Salle, which is competing in the Eastern meet today and tomorrow, finished third in the National Catholic meet this year.

Prep championships.

The National Prep Wrestling Championships are scheduled for today and tomorrow at Lehigh University.

Competition for the lighter weights, 103- to 140-pound classes, will begin at 8:30 a.m., with consolation rounds starting at 1 p.m. The heavier weights, 145 through heavyweight, will start at 10:30 a.m., with consolations beginning at 3:30.

Quarterfinals in all weight classes will begin at 6 p.m.

Semifinals and consolations will start at 8:30 a.m. tomorrow, with finals at 12:30 p.m.

A number of area wrestlers are scheduled to compete, including North Catholic heavyweight Eric French.

"This is what I've been pointing toward," said French, who won the heavyweight crown at last weekend's Pennsylvania Independent Schools Tournament.

Area teams in lacrosse poll.

The Malvern Prep and Haverford School boys' lacrosse teams are listed in Inside Lacrosse's preseason high school top 25 rankings.

The Friars are ranked No. 13 in the country; the Fords are No. 22. Loyola-Blakefield of Maryland is ranked No. 1 in the annual poll.

Malvern Prep, which won the 2006 state championship, was 17-5 last season. One of the Friars' losses was to Haverford School (19-5), which won the Inter-Academic League championship for the ninth time in 10 years.