Led by a freshman and a senior, the Emmaus swimming and diving teams culminated their season at last week’s PIAA Championships.

Hornet freshman Kayla Kenner earned an individual medal and helped a relay team to another, while senior Roman Herman swam to an individual medal in his final state meet, while also swimming in some relays with longtime teammates.

“The state meet brings out the best of everybody,” said EHS head coach Tim O’Connor. “It’s a tough meet to compete at. I thought our kids did well.”

Kenner, who won district titles in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle events to garner District 11 Swimmer of the Meet honors, finished seventh in the 50 at states last Wednesday to earn her first state medal.

“I was pretty happy about it,” she said. “It wasn’t the time I wanted to go, but medaling at states as a freshman is pretty good for me.”

Kenner, who went 23.34 at districts, posted a 23.42 in a preliminary heat at states and then swam the final in 23.53.

A day later she swam the 100 freestyle for 10th place in a time of 51.51 after finishing 11th in prelims in 52.16.

“I was very happy with that,” Kenner said of the 100. “I knew 50 is my better event, so getting 10th place in 100, I loved it.”

Kenner was also part of a 200-yard freestyle relay team that finished eighth for a state medal, which go to the top eight finishers. That team also included senior Sophia Harmon, junior Mabry Krause and sophomore Babs Lyons.

In her first trip to states, Kenner made sure not to let first-time jitters derail her performance.

“I was really stressed out and anxious about it because it’s my first big meet like this,” she said. “As the days went on I realized it’s not as big of a deal as I thought it was, and it’s a lot easier if you just have fun.”

Herman went into the meet looking at a couple school records. He came close to both of them, and earned a state medal along the way.

The medal came last Wednesday when he posted a 1:40.38 to finish sixth in the 200 freestyle. He was seventh in prelims in 1:40.78.

“It was nice to repeat going a 1:40,” he said. “I did it two more times, prelims and finals.”

He was less than a second off the school record of 1:39.63 held by Ryan Roberts.

In the 100 free, Herman came within a hundredth of a second of Luke Rautzahn’s record. Herman posted a 45.71 to win the B final and finish ninth overall. His 46.2 was tied for 10th in prelims in the 100.

“I felt better with how I swam [100 finals],” Herman said. “[In prelims] I didn’t really swim my race.

“My goal was to get the school record. I’m going to swim my race no matter where I am. It was nice to still be in the finals and keep swimming. That was my main motivation.”

Finishing his career at the state meet with classmates and teammates was the best part for Herman.

“I’ve had a lot of fun,” he said. “The guys have been great. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Herman was also part of two boys relay teams. He joined seniors Joe Lyons and Reid Lovett and junior Carson Mosel to take 20th place in the 200 freestyle relay in 1:26.98.

Herman, Lovett and juniors Brennan Smith and Carter Smith finished 20th in the 400 free relay in 3:11.64.

The top-finishing relay for the Emmaus boys at states was the medley relay team of senior Bryce King, Mosel, Carter Smith and Lyons. They took 14th in prelims but were disqualified in their B final race.

Hornet freshman Addie Cornish reached finals in diving, where she finished 13th overall with a score of 383.

The girls 400 free relay team of Krause, Kenner, Lyons and freshman Ellie Bowen finished 18th at states in 3:37.07.

Krause was the only other Hornet to compete in two individual events. She finished 29th in 200 free in 1:59.09 and 23rd in 100 free (53.44). Some other Emmaus results from the state meet, held last Wednesday and Thursday at Bucknell University, include Lovett (22nd in 500 in 4:45.65), junior Graham Lovett (24th in butterfly in 52.05), Carter Smith (25th in butterfly in 52.23), King (27th in butterfly in 53.92), and Bowen (31st in 500 free in 5:23.22).