The Emmaus boys’ swim team are known for their dominance in the 200 medley relay, but Liberty’s boys broke that domination and a school record when Alexis Calderon, Nolan Vannata, Reid Rossi, and Robert Negron clinched the gold medal at the District XI Class AAA Swimming Championships on Friday night at Parkland High School.

“It was crazy,” said Calderon, who was the first Hurricane off the block. “I felt really fast, and the other guys felt fast too. [Patrick McAllister and I] finished at the same time, and then Nolan gave us the lead. We were definitely planning on winning.”

Vannata was the second Hurricane off the block.

“There was so much adrenaline, I couldn’t really comprehend what was going on,” Vannata said. “Absolutely, it was so hard to watch the other two. Words can’t describe this.”

Rossi dove in after Vannata.

“I saw that Alexis had the best 50 of his life. Going in, we were all at our peak,” Rossi said. “I’ve been swimming for 14 years, and it feels really good to top it off like this, and we broke the school record by three seconds. I’ve never been more happy.”

For the last 50, all eyes were on Negron, the anchor.

“We came in, knowing what we were capable of,” said Negron. “ I like going last. I like the pressure on me. It feels a lot better on the podium with your teammates.”

The Hurricanes’ time in the 200 medley relay was 1:35.06. Emmaus’s time was 1:36.55.

Later that evening, the Hurricane boys struck gold again when Brice Kessler, Jake Evert, Vannata, and Negron took first place in the 200 free relay.

“I know I had to go against some of the fastest swimmers, so I was focused on making sure I didn’t get caught up in the wave,” said Kessler. “I was really trying to put it all out in the pool.”

Liberty’s time was 1:26.85, and Emmaus placed second with a time of 1:29.34.

“It’s one of the best feelings, and the adrenaline was crazy,” said Evert. “I felt really fast with the shave and everything, and I could have easily passed the flags. I knew they couldn’t beat Nolan and Robert. It’s such a feeling of accomplishment.”

In the 400 free relay, Anthony Delcorso, Evert, Kessler, and Christopher Chambers won a fourth place medal with a time of 3:20.50.

The Liberty girls took second place and the silver medal in the 200 medley relay with the team of Sabrina Krotzer, Julia McCarthy, Kayla Drago, and Maggie Walters.

“When I dove in, we were in fourth place, and I kind of went blank,” said Walters. “When I looked at the scoreboard, I looked in the wrong lane, but then Kayla said we got second, and I was so happy. I’m so grateful to share this experience with Kayla, Sabrina, and Julia.”

The Hurricane girls’ time was 1:50.54, and Parkland’s time was 1:47.59.

In the 200 free relay, Kendra Smith, Jocelyn Baker, Anna Lehr, and Walters won the bronze medal with a time of 1:41.42, and Lehr, Smith, McCarthy, and Drago also won bronze in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:40.55.

In District XI Class AAA team results, Liberty’s boys placed second, and Liberty’s girls placed third.

“We knew for two weeks we’d be fast today, and we knew coming in we were going to be good,” said Liberty coach Reik Foust. “The girls medley relay sets the tone for the whole meet, and then the guys come in and...I’m very happy for the kids. Jeff [Matyus], Evan [Kocon], and I work together really well, so when everything comes together, it’s a good weekend.”

Freedom’s boys won a fourth place medal when Colin Burnette, Brandon Burnette, Al Bell, and Brian Seitz swam the 200 medley relay in 1:42.57.

Tyler Higgins, Brandon Burnette, Nick Carbonara, and Andy Conzola placed 11th in the 200 free relay in 1:36.10, and Bell, Colin Burnette, Seitz, and Higgins placed seventh in the 400 free relay in 3:25.95.

For the Patriot girls, Linda Mao, Reilly Ward, Andie Graney, and Alex Koehl placed ninth in the 200 medley relay in 2:00.87.

Ward, Graney, Koehl, and Rileigh Ellis placed sixth in the 200 free relay in 1:44.17, and Ellis, Emily Justice, Megan Schupp, and Bridget Tarnowski placed tenth in the 400 free relay in 4:11.88.