Liberty senior Jake Evert broke the school record for the second time this season in the 100 backstroke with a time of 53.61 last Thursday during the Hurricane boys’ 92-63 victory over East Stroudsburg South.

“Practice yesterday was hard, and I was a little tired today, but I was trying my hardest. I didn’t expect to break it, so I was pretty happy. Swimming it, I was really tired toward the end, but I kept pushing myself,” Evert said.

Evert broke the same record on Dec. 29 at an invitational in Pottsville.

“They had a really good hundred backstroker (Zach Turnitza). He’s a good guy. I was talking to him before and after the race. He was actually the reason I went fast because I dropped six seconds at that race. We were neck and neck the whole time,” said Evert. “I didn’t even know what the team record was. I was just trying to get a good time. That was pretty cool.”

In the East Stroudsburg South meet, Evert, Dylan Zukawski, Patrick Gilhool, and Jonathan Drago started off the boys’ races with a win in the 200 medley relay in 1:43.59.

It was the first time Drago swam the anchor position since his recent return to the sport of swimming, which he had left for five years.

“Senior year, I wanted to become more involved in school,” Drago said. “I’m surprised because I didn’t think I would be doing as well as I am, out for five years, but it gave me motivation to stick with it. My coaches helped me through my strokes back to where they were before.”

Gilhool won the next event, the 200 free, in 2:00.15.

Ryan Wycherley was first in the 200 IM in 2:22.49, Evert won the 50 free in 21.07, Daniel Lader was first in the 100 butterfly in 1:03.59, and Gilhool won the 500 free in 5:26.91.

Zukawski, Ben Service, Addison Collins, and Drago had a first place finish in the 200 free relay in 1:35.10.

Zukawski had the fastest time in the 100 breaststroke with a 1:07.64, and Evert, Service, Collins, and Drago had the fastest time in the 400 free relay in 3:31.59.

“I kind of liked ending it off because it gives me more motivation to get the best time for the team,” said Drago. “It’s definitely a good feeling because, from not expecting it to do as well as I’m doing and having fun with it as well, once I started, I wished I had done it all four years.”

The Hurricanes will host Dieruff this Thursday.