LEWISBURG LEWISBURG - "I don't like being seeded first," Freedom's Peter Conzola said. So he was pleased that in the 100 backstroke final, he was seeded seventh based on his morning preliminary time, and was 'hiding" in lane 1.

In fifth place after 50 yards, Conzola turned up the heat and won the race, earning the only gold medal among area boys in the PIAA state swimming and diving championships at Bucknell University's Kinney Natatorium.

"The last 25 of the race I knew it was the last race of mu high school season," Conzola said. "I put everything I had into that last moment. I thought I was behind. Coming up to the last wall I looked over and saw everyone else. I said 'I gotta go. I sometimes have a tendency to bring it out very fast and have good closing speed. This is not the way I would have strategized the race. I like to go out fast and be ahead of everyone, be comfortable. Then just control it the rest of the way. I don't like to be flailing on the last lap. If I'm seeded first I always psych myself out. The pressure's on me to win and everything."

Freedom's Sam Magnan shaved some time of his preliminary tie in the 500 free, but North allegheny's Zachary Buerger shaved even more. Buerger took the gold and Magnan thee silver in the race.

Buerger took off in the first lap and never looked back. "I saw him," Magnan said. "I thought I could catch him and put my head down and gave it all I had in the last lap, but he had too big a lead."

Magnan changed his breathing side every length of the pool so he could watch Buerger.

"Overall, I'm happy with the race," he added. "I'm only a sophomore, so I'll have other chances to get a gold medal. A silver medal isn't that bad.

Zachary Kantz from Bangor matched his silver medal in Friday's 50 freestyle with another silver in the 100 free. Upper Dublin's Robert Bantley won the 100.

Kantz was leading after 50 yards in the 100 and had almost a body length lead going into the final turn.

"I died," Kantz said. "I just didn't have it in me today. My last turn wasn't the best and that cost me the race. After my second turn i got a little cocky I guess."

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Freedom 's Conzola earns gold