Freedom High School's 200 medley relay team surprised itself with a tenth place finish at the PIAA State Swimming Championships last week at Bucknell University.

Kelly Kopko, Carly DelFranco, Helen Hsu, and Shannon Howell finished the event with a time of 1:48.57.

"Actually, it was really unexpected. We were really surprised getting into [consolation] finals. Our coach [Jon Larson] said that Freedom is doing really well in consolations, so you have to do the same," said Hsu. "Kelly did an amazing swim. She dropped her splits. She was so excited because it was her first state meet. And we broke our team record."

Hsu also competed in the 100 free, placing 12th in 51.97, and the 100 backstroke, placing tenth in 57.25.

Howell competed in the 500 free, placing 11th in 5:00.14, dropping almost four seconds from her district time, and placed 23rd in the preliminary heat of the 50 free with a time of 24.52.

DelFranco competed in the 100 back, placing 12th in 57.58.

Liberty High School swimmers who competed at states included Julia McCarthy, who placed 24th in preliminaries in the 200 IM with a time of 2:10.92, and Rachel Rider, who placed 28th in preliminaries in the 100 fly with a time of 1:00.54.

Liberty's boys 200 free relay team of Jacob Jones, Brandon Hlavaty, Brandon Merkert, and Evan Smith placed 22nd in preliminaries with a time of 1:31.23.