Southeastern Pa. sports notes

The Downingtown West girls' swimming team has turned its sights toward the District 1 Class AAA championships coming up March 4-5, now that it has completed another unbeaten dual-meet season.

With a 10-0 mark this season, the Whippets have pushed their dual-meet win streak to 49 over the last four-plus seasons. The last time the Whippets lost was on Jan. 19, 2007.

As history would have it, the last team to beat West was district rival Downingtown East. The Cougars won their meeting that season, 103.5 to 82.5, and went on to win the Ches-Mont League National Division championship.

It has been all-West ever since.

"It's been awesome," senior Megan Harris said. "We didn't lose a dual meet in my career. The win streak definitely puts more pressure on you as a team, but I also think it creates more excitement and motivation.

"You just don't want to lose. Fortunately, we had a lot of depth."

Eric Snook and Brian Brucker are happy to share the coaching duties for the girls' and boys' teams. Earlier this season, the West boys halted West Chester Henderson's long dual-meet winning streak.

Snook said the girls' team has about 40 members, including divers. There are a dozen seniors.

"My class never lost a meet. That's pretty neat," said Carlyn Evans, a senior and distance freestyler. "If there was pressure because of the win streak, it was fun pressure."

Harris' specialties are the 100-yard breaststroke and the 200 individual medley. She took third in the breaststroke at last year's PIAA championships.

Senior Kelly Thatcher, a 12th-place finisher at states last season, leads the Whippets' strong diving contingent.

Long dry spell ends. Council Rock North had not won a Suburban One League National Conference boys' swim title since the school district was split into two high schools in 2002.

Before the split, the last time Council Rock had won the league title was 1992.

But that long drought ended Saturday. The Indians unseated two-time defending champion Pennsbury, scoring 494 points to the Falcons' 344. A team's dual-meet record also figures in determining the league champ.

Indians coach Brian Johnson was a member of the Indians' 1991-92 team.

"We have a very well-rounded and deep team," he said of this year's version.

The coach said the keys to taking the title were wins in the 200- and 400-yard freestyle relays and a third-place finish in the 200 medley relay. Jake Meyers, who won the 200 freestyle in 1:42.98, joined with Geoff Boodey, Connor Mitchell, and Austin Birky to win the 200 freestyle relay in a nearly school-record time of 1:30.74.

Jimmy Newman, a sophomore, replaced Birky in the 400 freestyle relay. James Bowe picked up another gold for North in the 200 breaststroke (1:05.40).

North freshman Joe Lynch provided the surprise of the meet when he won the 100 backstroke in 58.14. His qualifying time was 1:01.4.

"That was an awesome race," Johnson said of the backstroke. "The top five came in in the 58s."

Ghosts on the run. Abington will have four relay teams at the Pennsylvania Track and Field Coaches Association meet Saturday at Penn State that should make the Ghosts contenders for both the boys' and girls' state indoor titles.

The boys' 4x400-meter unit of Tevin Smith, Josh Swift, Macey Watson, and Will Taylor set a state mark of 3:16 three weeks ago. With Kyle Moran taking Taylor's spot in the 4x800 lineup, the Ghosts foursome set a state mark of 7:45, also three weeks ago.

Abington's foursome of Rachel Strother, Nicole Grasty, Jordan Matthews, and Virginia Tech-bound Leah Nugent is entered in the 4x200 and 4x400 events.

"The girls and the boys have been running well all season," boys' coach Brian Deck said. "I expect them to do well Saturday."

Last season, the Abington boys finished fifth in the race for the team title. The girls, plagued by injuries, placed 19th.