By John Gleeson
For BucksLocalSports.com

When it comes to intensity and competitive action little compares to a Pennsbury-Council Rock swim meet. Any showdown between these two perennial powers invariably features talented athletes matching strokes in what often results in record breaking efforts.

Last Friday’s meet proved no exception. When the waters of the Council Rock pool finally calmed, the CR girls had dominated by a 123-63 score. The Rock boys narrowly missed victory by a close 104-81 margin.

Regardless of which team prevailed, there was no shortage of spirited effort. The Council Rock swim tradition cries for such a total team focus. James Sturner, who won the 200 IM and the 100 breaststroke events for CR, described the phenomenon, saying, “It’s great swimming for Council Rock. All the coaches have made sure we have a good team.

“North is kind of special. It does have the competitive element. The team is so dedicated to each other and doing better because of our team unity. That is just as important as our training. We practice a good amount but during every race, our team is always up and cheering for our teammates no matter what.”

James certainly provided his teammates with plenty to cheer about. He won the grueling 200 IM in a time of 2:03.20. He later took first in the breaststroke recording a 1:04 mark.

James would acknowledge that his winning effort in the 200 IM starts with his love of the event. “The 200 IM is my favorite because it is a thrilling event to swim. You have to be solid in your strokes. You can have a great fly or breast, but if you’re lacking in the other strokes, you really have to step it up in those. (The 200 IM) forces you to be a better all-around swimmer.”

The IM also features the element of the unknown. “You never know what the guy next to you is all about. You may be great at fly but then, he might be really good at backstroke. You have to dog it out on everything. You can’t relax.”

Experience has helped James develop a sound strategy for swimming the 200 IM, one that involves an honest self-appraisal.

“I’m a breaststroker. That’s my best. For a long time, I’ve been working on my endurance and making sure I can pace myself really well. I know how much effort I need to put into my strokes.

“I can relax more on the breast and save some energy there. I really take it out on the fly and back so I can get a little bit of a lead then on the breast, I glide. Then on the free, I go all out.”

Winning two events against the Falcons certainly helped the Indian senior reach one of his season’s goals. “I want to enjoy it and have as much fun as I can because it’s my last year. I’ve loved swimming my entire life. It is going to be sad not doing it as competitively. I just want to have a year that I’ll remember the rest of my life.”

James was not alone in logging great memories. Teammate Jake Meyers should long remember taking first in the 100 freestyle race.

The Lady Indians also had a rather unforgettable day. They sported several multiple winners in their display of aquatic dominance. Kate Dillione captured first place in the 200 IM and the 100 fly. Her sister Maggie won the 50 and the 100 free. Both girls also swam for the winning 200 and 400 relay teams. Madison Meyer bested the field in the 200 and 500 freestyle events. She joined the Dillione sisters and Bizzy Millen as they sped to a school record in the 200 freestyle relay.

Regardless of the outcome, James definitely felt good about his teammates’ performance. “I think we’ve been doing great this season. We have had a good percentage of improvement. Pennsbury might have had more depth than us but all of our team went hard and put everything they had into it. I was really proud of our team.”

Such camaraderie ranks high among James’ reasons for loving the whole scholastic swim scene. “A big part of the appeal is the self-improvement and the drive to do better and getting your times down.

“For me personally, however, it’s more the friendships that you build and about having fun. When we go to a meet, I’m going to judge how good it was based on how much fun I had and not on how fast or slow I went.”

Certainly everyone, fan competitor alike, enjoyed Friday’s classic showdown.