The PIAA Class 3A Swimming and Diving Championships will be held Friday and Saturday at Bucknell University. Parkland has three boys and three girls who will be competing for individual medals in the competition.

After winning its ninth straight District 11 Championship, the Parkland girls team will have Alexa Brinker, Lexi Lehman, Zoe Sheridan and Megan Sicinski competing at Bucknell. The boys team will have Matt Ceh, James Connolly and Matt Engler all competing.

Last season, Sheridan competed as part of the 400 freestyle relay team that finished 10th at states, and is back this season in both the 200 and 500 freestyle individual events. The junior swimmer comes in seeded 19th in the 500 and 26th in the 200. Sheridan took gold in the 500 freestyle, locking up a spot in states, but had to wait to see if her second place time in the 200 freestyle would be strong enough to get a bid in that event.

“Having that experience last season was great,” said Sheridan after her district performance. “I’m looking forward to the individual events this season, because I’ve trained really hard for them and it’s great to have the opportunity to compete. You strive to make it to states with your teammates from the time you start practice and this is what it all comes down to.”

Sicinski didn’t gain any experience at states last season, but as a freshman, was part of Parkland’s 200 medley relay team that finished 20th at states in 2015. This time around, Sicinski will be competing in the 100 breaststroke, where she starts seeded 26th.

Like Sheridan had to do in the 200, Sicinski had to wait to see if her second place finish time would stand up, which it did.

“You never know, and it’s going to be tough waiting to find out,” said Sicinski after her performance at districts. “It would be great to have the opportunity to go, and I know that I gave it my all, so now I just have to try to be patient.”

Lehman took gold in district diving to guarantee herself a spot. District 11 silver medalist, Alexa Brinker also knew that she was headed to states.

Unlike swimming, the top two divers from districts qualify automatically for states. Lehman’s brother, Chris, was in the PIAA Diving Championships last season.

“I can’t begin to say just how wonderful it is to reach states,” said Lexi Lehman, after winning gold at districts. “It’s unbelievable, because we all push each other so much and any of us could have been at the top on any particular day, so I feel really thankful to get to go to states in my first season.”

Engler and Connolly took gold in their district events. Engler won the 100 butterfly and Connolly won the 100 breaststroke. Like Lehman, Connolly is continuing a family tradition of swimming in states, with his sister Victoria having gone last season.

“I’m really psyched to get out there and compete,” said Engler, a senior. “I’ve got time to prepare and get even stronger and I’m going to take advantage of that time and then go out there and see what happens.”

Ceh had to wait to see if he got a spot, but he did qualify in the 100 freestyle and will be seeded 26th.

“You know, coming into the season, I knew that we would have some kids going to states,” said coach Rob Robitaille. “But this season, it wasn’t like there was a Siena Salvaggio, who was almost a lock right from the start. So many of our kids could have been the ones to break out and make it to states, but it’s never easy.

“It’s a long road. Our kids worked very hard and had to face stiff competition right here in District 11, so the ones who made it know just how tough it is and they get the rewards. The ones who didn’t make it know how tough it is too, and know what’s ahead of them for the future to get there next season.”