Saving the best for last
Butler takes final 2 events to earn win

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By Sam Tallarico
Eagle Staff Writer

BUTLER TWP — It was nip and tuck the whole way, but Butler swimming coach Jeff Armstrong wasn't concerned.
He knew what was waiting at the end of the meet.
The Butler girls team trailed Shady Side Academy 77-76 with two events remaining, but a 1-2 finish in the 100 breaststroke by Sarah Clouse and Ellen Crummy, followed by the Tornado's win in the 400 freestyle relay, gave Butler the 94-89 victory Tuesday.
In the boys meet, the Tornado grabbed the lead early and held off the Indians 97-87 to close out the regular meet season on Senior Night.
"To tell the truth, I didn't think the girls meet would be that close," said Armstrong. "I was a little loose with the lineup to try and get some girls to qualify for the WPIAL meet.
"Once we had the lead back, I knew our No. 1 400 relay team was there and I knew we'd go 1-2 in the breaststroke. I knew we had talent backloaded," Armstrong added.
The 400 freestyle relay team of Brittany Vogel, Clouse, Ellen Crummy and Molly Evans sealed the win with a time of 3 minutes, 52.79 seconds.
Vogel also won the 200 individual medley (2:18.31), the 100 backstroke (1:04.04) and was a member of the winning 200 medley relay along with Clouse, Evans and Jessica Vernon (1:57.58).
Evans won the 200 freestyle (1:57.29) and the 500 freestyle (5:15.88), Vernon took the 100 butterfly (1:05.80) and Clouse won the 100 breaststroke (1:09.56).
"Molly missed a team record in the 200 freestyle by .07 of a second," said Armstrong. "It depends on what she'll swim at the WPIAL. We'll wait and decide what we want to do. She may get another shot at it."
Jessica Schnur was Butler's other winner in 1-meter diving (246.30).
In the boys meet, Armstrong believed the 50 freestyle was the key event of the night.
Dustin Uhlman won the event with a time of 24.96 and Travis Clouse and Zach Reiser grabbed the third and fourth spots, respectively, to give the Tornado a big boost in points.
"We'd been getting pummeled, but the guys pulled it out," said Armstrong. "After that we cruised pretty easily."
Other individual winners were Matt Galante in the 100 butterfly (51.39), Patrick O'Toole in the 200 IM (2:10.02), Clif McKee in the 100 backstroke (1:00.89) and John Rhodaberger in diving (242.85).
McKee, Reiser, Uhlman and Clouse also helped the Tornado win the 200 medley relay (1:54.83).
"Clif McKee, in the 100 backstroke, never made the cut last year," said Armstrong. "He's done well and Jason Clouse is a freshman and he's done well.
"Patrick O'Toole is knocking on five minutes and Travis Clouse, in the last three meets in the 100 freestyle, has taken off a full second each time. He's a senior and it's his first year swimming. I wish I had him back next year.
"We've had some really good swims in the second half of the season," Armstrong added.
Notes:
Butler athletes will have another chance to qualify before the WPIAL Championships at the Last Chance Meet Saturday at North Allegheny. … Butler's five seniors are Travis Clouse, Matt Galante, Beth Newell, Kellie Oesterling and Jessica Schnur.
Girls
Butler 94, Shady Side Academy 89
200 medley relay:
1-Butler (Brittany Vogel, Sarah Clouse, Jessica Vernon, Molly Evans) 1:57.58
200 freestyle:
1-Molly Evans (B) 1:57.29
200 individual medley:
1-Brittany Vogel (B) 2:18.31; 2-Clouse (B)
50 freestyle:
1-Kelly Orr (SSA) 26.86
1-meter diving:
1-Jessica Schnur (B) 246.30; 2-Kello (B); 3-Skiles (B)
100 butterfly:
1-Jessica Vernon (B) 1:05.80; 3-Newell (B)
100 freestyle:
1-Colby Capretto (SSA) 56.54
500 freestyle:
1-Molly Evans (B) 5:15.88
200 freestyle relay:
1-Shady Side Academy (Colby Capretto, Kelly Orr, Alexis Georgiadis, Kathleen Donahue) 1:46.67
100 backstroke:
1-Brittany Vogel (B) 1:04.04; 2-Vernon (B)
100 breaststroke:
1-Sarah Clouse (B) 1:09.56; 2-Crummy (B)
400 freestyle relay:
1-Butler (Brittany Vogel, Sarah Clouse, Ellen Crummy, Molly Evans) 3:52.79
Boys
Butler 97, Shady Side Academy 87
200 medley relay:
1-Butler (Clif McKee, Zach Reiser, Dustin Uhlman, Jason Clouse) 1:54.83
200 freestyle:
1-Trevor Scheid (SSA) 1:49.93; 2-Galante (B)
200 individual medley:
1-Patrick O'Toole (B) 2:10.02
50 freestyle:
1-Dustin Uhlman (B) 24.96; 3-Clouse (B)
1-meter diving:
1-John Rhodaberger (B) 242.85;3-Pflugh (B)
100 butterfly:
1-Matt Galante (B) 57.39; 2-Coulter (B); 3-Uhlman (B)
100 freestyle:
1-Trevor Scheid (SSA) 51.08; 2-3-Clouse (B)
500 freestyle:
1-David Hirsch (SSA) 5:28.05; 2-H. Berg (B); 3-Keelan (B)
200 freestyle relay:
1-Shady Side Academy (Max Ginsberg, Chuck Shafer, Tim Griffin, Trevor Scheid) 1:36.44
100 backstroke:
1-Clif McKee (B) 1:00.89; 2-Reiser (B)
100 breaststroke:
1-Max Ginsberg (SSA) 1:06.15; 2-O'Toole (B)
400 freestyle relay:
1-Shady Side Academy (Tim Griffin, David Hirsch, Trevor Scheid, Max Ginsberg) 3:35.22