"I'm extremely proud of them," Clearfield head coach Jackie Morrison said. "We kind of knew this would be a tough day, especially with nerves, attention and pressure.

"Just the unknown of ‘How prepared are we?' So, we're real happy to have done well on Day 1, but we're real happy Day 1 is over. It was a long day."

Seniors Shay Flanagan and Mark Krchnak medaled in their individual events, garnering All-State honors for their efforts. Yet somehow they still managed to feel slightly dissatisfied with their results.

"They come out and they get so disappointed about things, but you can't be," Morrison said. "You medaled. You did what you had to do in the morning to come back and earn whatever spot you could get.

"I think when this sinks in and they reflect back on it, they'll see this is a real positive day. Absolutely everything to be excited about, and nothing to be upset about for the way they swam tonight."

Flanagan finished seventh in the 200 free with a 1:45.00 that was good enough for his second-best swim ever in the event, behind only his morning race.

The tall senior was consistent lap after lap in his preliminary swim, gaining ground and grabbing a 1:44.47 and a spot in the finals.

One event later Krchnak joined his teammate on the podium, finishing sixth in the 200 IM finals. Like Flanagan, his time of 1:58.44 was second to only his prelim swim as a personal best.

Krchnak improved his seed time by over three seconds in the preliminary heat, losing ground in the backstroke but making it up on the breast leg to secure a bid in the finals. His swim of 1:57.96 broke the team record previously set by John Lytle.

The 200 medley relay team opened the morning for the Bisons by swimming through to the evening round's consolation heat, where it put up Clearfield's most exciting performance of the day.

Flanagan started the backstroke leg of the race before Krchnak pulled ahead in the breaststroke and Kraig Peterson and Connor Shirey hung on for dear life as the Bisons picked up a consolation victory in 1:41.31.

"I'm so proud of (Shirey) for cleaning up the relay and hanging on to the consey win. ... It's only his second year of swimming, ever."

The boys 200 free relay squad also pushed through to the consolation round, where Krchnak, Flanagan, Justin DeCasper and Jordan Mumma thrust their way to a 12th-place overall finish in 1:30.85.

Both relay teams were named All-State Honorable Mention for their efforts.

A tough morning swim held the Lady Bisons without any representatives in the evening session. The swimmers were also unable to best their personal times, leaving the girls disappointed despite a valiant effort.

"I thought we would swim a little bit faster than what we did," Morrison said.

"I know it wasn't for a lack of effort. It sounds so cliché, but it's so true. They really wanted to do well and their heart was in it."

Junior Brandie Centi started things out for Clearfield, taking on the 50 free and finishing with a 26.91.

Marisa Howell, a senior, swam in her final meet for the Lady Bisons, notching a 1:09.36 in the 100 butterfly.

Howell also hooked up with Centi, fellow senior Branda Smeltzer and sophomore Ashley Durandetta for the 200 free relay. The quartet finished in 1:48.13, just over two seconds behind their qualifying time.

"I did have two girls swim very well in the relay that actually were right on top of their split," Morrison said. "The other two ... just didn't have it today. I really can't find a variable why, because they did everything right.

"I'm very proud of their season. I told them this meet does not reflect what they've done all season long."

Now the team will buckle down and prepare for Day 2, when Flanagan and Krchnak will take to the water for their best events. The Clearfield boys enter today's action sitting seventh in the team standings.

"Pennsylvania is one of the fastest states in the country," Morrison said. "They have to sit back and really reflect back on what they just did. ... They just want to do so well, and they are."

NOTES: Breanna Folk of Schuylkill Valley set a new state record of 2:00.51 in the 200 IM. ... Allentown Central Catholic's Catherine Rose (1-meter diving) and Greensburg Central Catholic's Andrea Marko (100 fly) became repeat gold medalists for the girls, while Hershey sophomore David Nolan made it 2-for-2 as the 200 IM winner. ... The boys evening session saw three state records fall, in the 200 IM (Nolan), 100 fly (York Suburban's Kevin Marsteller) and 200 free relay (Hershey). ... Villa Maria Academy finished the first day atop the girls' team standings, while Hershey occupies that spot for the boys.