One last swim.

One Maddie Dando wasn’t sure would ever come.

It was one year ago that Dando saw her season end before she could ever get in the water at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium before PIAA Swimming Championships.

The Marian senior navigated the uncharted waters of the coronavirus pandemic and returned to the state meet Friday at Cumberland Valley High School, finishing a remarkable season – and career – on her terms.

Dando put together one of her strongest swims in her final meet, placing 12th in the Class 2A 100 backstroke with a time of 59.28, well below her seed time of 59.85.

“I’m really happy I could go out on a high note,” said Dando, who was seeded 13th in the event. “I cut half a second off (my time), which is a good amount of time in a 100.

“And honestly, with this year, and COVID and practice times being crazy and stuff getting canceled, I didn’t think I had that time in me, but I’m really glad I went that low.”

Mapletown sophomore Ella Menear won the event, which was contested in two timed heats this year, in 54.99.

Dando was also the 13th-seed heading into the 100 back at states a year ago, but that opportunity never came.

She was one of the countless athletes affected by the coronavirus outbreak after the PIAA shut down the Class 2A Swimming and Diving Championships in March, prematurely ending her season.

Dando made the most of her opportunity at this year’s state meet.

“The pool was awesome, it was such a great experience,” she said. “Even though we were all six-feet apart and had our masks on, it was the same kind of energy, or even a little more, because we were all grateful that we could be there after it got taken away from us last year.”

Dando didn’t miss a beat this season, capturing her fourth straight District 11 title in the Class 2A 100 backstroke almost two weeks ago.

Having time between districts and states is something Dando hasn’t had in the past.

“I always have high school districts, then YMCA districts, then high school states and YMCA states, so I’m always going every weekend,” she said. “This year was good because I had a break with no meets last weekend and I could really take the time to build up my yardage again and slowly come back down.

“It worked out really well. My coach at Bloomsburg YMCA, Chuck LaCroix, he’s amazing. He knows so much about swimming, and he saved my season. I give all the credit to him.”

Dando has spent her career at Marian swimming as an independent, looking for time in the water wherever – and whenever – she could get it.

Her drive to succeed has never been in question.

“She has gone above and beyond,” said her father Tim Dando, who has helped the Marian program with Maddie and her older brother Timmy. “We would get online and look for places, like the Danville Community Center, and go there so she could swim.

“One day she got up at 4 a.m. to get there at 5 to swim for two hours before school because she was going on a retreat for two days and didn’t want to miss more than one day. I can’t say enough about her dedication and her motivation, and to get through all of this, she’s just a tremendous young lady.”

Dando will continue her swimming career at St. Francis University next year.

It’s a journey Dando will now begin with a sense of closure and pride.

“It was really bittersweet taking that Marian cap off for the last time and knowing that I’ll never be able to swim for the Marian name again,” Dando said. “It’s sad, and I’m sure it will hit me soon; it doesn’t seem like it’s been four years, it went way too fast.

“But I’m definitely always going to use the lessons I’ve learned these past four years.”