Liberty senior Jake Evert thought all season about breaking his friend’s record, the district record, in the 50 freestyle, setting that goal from the start, and when he broke it this weekend at the District XI Class 3A Swimming Championships, he pointed right back to that friend, Robert Negron.

“I got his district record and team record but I really wouldn’t be where I am today without Rob. He was a really big influence on me. He was my training partner and I attribute a lot to him and my coaches. It’s good to have people like that pushing you and making sure you’re on the right path so you can succeed,” Evert said.

Negron, who graduated from Liberty last year, broke the 50 free district record in 2016 with a time of 20.53. Evert’s time was 20.32 last Friday.

Evert also won the gold medal in the 100 free with a time of 44.50 and another district record on Saturday.

“I was excited. I knew I was going to go fast. I felt fast. I took it out in 20.7 so that was good to take it out in. That was my goal in 21,” Evert said.

Evert, Jonathan Drago, Patrick Gilhool, and Addison Collins won silver medals in the 200 free relay, tied with Emmaus, with a time of 1:27.28.

Gilhool, Dylan Zukawski, Drago, and Collins won bronze medals in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:38.82, and Drago, Gilhool, Evert, and Collins also won bronze in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:14.30.

Evert was named the boys’ MVP in the East Penn Conference for having the five best swims in dual meets, and he won the Dennis McGinley Award for the outstanding male swimmer at districts.

Freedom senior Al Bell won a bronze medal in the 100 butterfly with a time of 51.44 and the 100 free with a time of 47.96.