Pennsylvania
Familiar Faces, New Challengers Emerge on Pennsylvania HS Swim Scene After December Invites
With the high school swimming season heating up in Pennsylvania, let’s check in with the new state leaders from last month’s invitationals.
Hatboro Horsham junior Annie Jia is looking to reclaim her state record in the 100-yard butterfly this season. The two-time defending state champion set the standard in 2022 with a 52.04 before Leah Shackley went 51.93 at last year’s 2A meet.
This season, Jia sits atop the state rankings with a 54.91 from last month’s Cumberland Valley Eagles Invitational, and she ripped a huge lifetime best of 51.09 at last month’s Winter Junior Championships – East. The Cal commit is also ranked 2nd among Pennsylvania high schoolers in both the 50 free (23.33) and 100 free (50.94) this season.
Ranked 2nd behind Jia in the 100 fly is East Stroudsburg’s Ксения Лунюшина, an 18-year-old native of Moscow, Russia, who has dropped nearly two seconds in the event this season down to 56.09 during a Jan. 3 dual meet vs. Nazareth. Her new lifetime best would have placed 6th at States last year.
The girls’ 500 free is shaping up to be an exciting showdown at 3A States in March. Upper Dublin junior Arina Vorobyeva blasted a personal-best 4:56.21 at last month’s Girls Cardinal Classic, taking almost a second off her previous-best 4:57.01 from Winter Juniors earlier in December. She also clocked lifetime bests in the 50 free (24.42) and 200 free (1:50.27) during high school competitions last month. Last year, Vorobyeva placed 5th in the 500 free (4:57.49) and 6th in the 200 free (1:50.39) at 3A States.
Vorobyeva should be challenged for the distance free crown by Wissahickon junior Nora Weber. A newcomer to the Pennsylvania swimming scene from Oklahoma, the 16-year-old Auburn commit posted an impressive 500 free victory in 5:05.08 last week vs. Upper Dublin. Last month, Weber lowered her lifetime best to 4:54.47 at a meet in Texas. It took a time of 4:49.63 to win this event last year at 3A States (Madeline Faikish).
Mt. Lebanon junior Sylvia Roy is in a great position to defend her state title in the 200 backstroke. The Virginia commit has been almost two seconds faster than anyone else in Pennsylvania this season at 54.51. Roy has been as fast as 53.28 at 3A States last year, where she also earned a runner-up finish in the 50 free (22.93). Her season-best 50 free time of 23.47 is tied for third in the state this season with Molly Workman behind Jia (23.33) and Arden Keitel (23.32).
Defending state champion Jess Burns has also shown no signs of slowing down in the girls’ 100 breaststroke. The Duquesne commit lowered her personal best to 1:03.19 at the Cumberland Valley Eagles Invitational on Dec. 27 — faster than her 5th-place effort from last year’s 3A State Championships (1:03.84).
On the boys’ side, Notre Dame commit Shane Eckler is the favorite to defend his 50 free title with a season-best 20.27 leading off Ridley’s 200 free relay at last month’s Delco Invitational. But the path to repeating as 3A state champion in the 100 free appears tougher as Indiana commit Brandon Fleck fired off a state-leading 44.84 last month. Eckler ranks 3rd in the 100 free this season behind Fleck and Noah Powers (45.87) as well as 2nd in the 100 fly (48.76) behind Springfield senior Jacob Johnson (48.16).
At Winter Juniors last month, Johnson brought his best 100 fly time down to 46.36. Before this season, his best time was 47.51 from last March. He won last year’s state title in 47.58.
In an era of pricey theme parks and gated admission, one Pennsylvania amusement park is still letting guests in for free.
Knoebels Amusement Resort in Elysburg, Pennsylvania, has been admission-free since it opened nearly a century ago.
Knoebels opened its doors on July 4, 1926 — and will celebrate its 100th anniversary this year, as the nation celebrates America’s semiquincentennial.
Many of the earliest amusement parks in the late 19th and early 20th centuries operated without admission fees, especially so-called “trolley parks,” which made money from charging guests for rides, food and drink.
Park owner Brian Knoebel, 52, recently told PA Local he “had to pinky-swear” to never change the free-admission model.
“It’s who we are,” he said. “It’s that traditional park.”
Knoebel said he recognizes that grandparents “get more satisfaction out of watching their grandkids ride the rides than they do themselves.”
“And Grandma and Grandpa are on a limited income,” he said. “So they don’t pay to park. We don’t force you to buy food in the park — if you want to bring a picnic lunch, then bring a picnic lunch.”
Knoebel, who said his ancestors came to America from Germany and worked as lumberers, said the amusement park began as a modest venture.
“After church on Sunday, they’d come down and park their horse and buggy off to the side, and frolic in the stream and have a little picnic,” he told PA Local.
“My great-grandfather would feed and stable your horses for, I believe, a quarter.”
Knoebel added, “Little by little, he started building some picnic tables and park benches, and on July 4, 1926, we opened a swimming pool, a restaurant — appropriately named ‘The Restaurant’ — and we rented a steam-powered carousel.”
Despite the park’s growth, Knoebel said its old-fashioned atmosphere has remained intact, including the canopy of trees, shaded walkways, creekside seating and classic attractions.
“How has it changed? We started with one ride, and one food stand, and the pool,” he said.
“We now have 60 rides, I believe 38 food stands, 24 games, and water slides … Quarter-mile down the road, we own the 18-hole golf course, complete with a bar and tavern.”
Overall, Knoebel said that he and his family “absolutely know our brand.”
“We know our fans,” he said.
“And that throwback amusement park from yesteryear is exactly who we continue to be,” he added.
“We don’t have roller coasters that reach the clouds. We have rides for thrill seekers … but, of course, we have more traditional rides.”
Knoebels is the largest free-admission park in the United States. “Knoebels does not have a gate, and you only pay for what you want once you are at the park,” the venue says on its website.
PENNSYLVANIA (WJAC) — Pennsylvania hunters can soon start planning for the upcoming season.
The Pennsylvania Game Commission says 2026-27 general hunting and trapping licenses will go on sale Monday, June 22nd.
The licenses will be valid from July 1st through June 30th of next year.
Hunters can purchase licenses online or at authorized license issuing agents across the state.
The Game Commission is encouraging hunters to verify their account and mailing information before purchasing — to avoid delays.
Antlerless deer licenses also will be available through the state’s licensing system.
Pennsylvania
Half of child deaths left unreviewed in Pennsylvania since 2020 as counties struggle with ‘unfunded mandate’
-
Entertainment1 minute agoSAG-AFTRA members approve deal with major studios
-
Lifestyle8 minutes agoL.A. Affairs: What a Facebook Marketplace pickup taught me about grief and starting over
-
Politics11 minutes agoL.A. city attorney likely to be first incumbent ousted in primary in nearly 100 years
-
Sports23 minutes agoVegas’ Brayden McNabb takes a puck to the face, forced to leave Game 2 of Stanley Cup Finals
-
World31 minutes ago‘Red meat is a dream’: Iran inflation hits highest level since World War II
-
News56 minutes agoPlatner Faces New Accusations Of ‘Toxic’ Relationships After Sexting Scandal
-
Los Angeles, Ca2 hours agoNB 405 Freeway closed near LAX after pursuit ends in gunfire
-
Detroit, MI3 hours agoJudge blocks steam line project on Lafayette Park property
