Athletes of the Week: Nick Richar & Morgan Stover

Written by Anna Moore Photography by Logan Johnson 3/6/20

Athletes of the Week: Nick Richar & Morgan Stover

For this week’s “Athlete of the Week” award, we have two students, Nick Richar and Morgan Stover, who both qualified for the PIAA State Championship AA Swim Meet.

Both students participate in swimming for the Co-Op Oil City/Cranberry swim team.

The Oil City swim coaches, Eric Smith and Charlie Smith, nominated Richar, an 11th grader, for being a great leader and encouraging his teammates as well as working hard and making it to States.

When asked how it felt to be “Athlete of the Week,” Richar replied, “Humbling, it is a good feeling representing a not very popular sport.”

Richar is a two time PIAA State qualifier. Some of his accomplishments this season include dropping over 6 seconds from his seasonal best in the 200 freestyle, over 3 seconds in his 100 backstroke, and finishing 5th in the 100 backstroke at the District meet.

Students Morgan Stover and Nick Richar pose with their “Athlete of the Week” t-shirts...along with a cameo appearance of “Sharkie” from Mr. Deemer’s office (photograph by Logan Johnson)

“Last year we qualified for States, so this year was to prove we belonged there,” said Richar.

Stover was nominated by her coaches for a successful swim season. One of her accomplishments this season was qualifying for Districts in every event except for one. Stover made the podium in 3 of those events, medaling in the 100 yard breaststroke and making it to States in 2. She is competing at the State level in the 200 freestyle relay and the 400 freestyle relay.

Stover’s goals for next year are to “make a national time, go to States individually, and break the 100 breaststroke time.”

Richar and Stover will travel to Bucknell University to compete at the PIAA State Championship AA Swim Meet on March 13th and 14th.

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