Peters Township making waves
Indians prepare to shine at WPIALS
In 2023, the year before Alex Hardwick took over the coaching reins, Peters Township could be found near the bottom of the team standings during the WPIAL Class 3A Swimming Championships. The girls had mustered just eight points and only two squads finished lower than them in the team rankings. The boys managed 26 points, three team slots higher than the lowest club.
After cracking the Top 10 in the girls standings in 2024, the Lady Indians are looking to make a bolder move when this year’s finals take place Feb. 27-28 at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. Action starts at 9:45 a.m. each day.
“We have a crack at Top 5,” enthused Hardwick. “I’m excited about the meet and extremely proud of the progress we have made.”
During the regular season, the Lady Indians racked up a 10-2 overall record. They finished runner-up to Mt. Lebanon in the Section IV standings with a 5-1 slate. Their only losses were to the Blue Devils and Fox Chapel.
While Lebo and the Foxes are in the battle for runner-up honors to North Allegheny, which is gunning for its 16th WPIAL title in a row and 28th overall, the Lady Indians intend to be in the mix for the following slots, battling Greater Latrobe and Pine-Richland.
“These girls have worked extremely hard and are in a nice position heading into the meet,” Hardwick said. “They are coming off an extremely fast meet with Mt. Lebanon, which has some very talented girls.”
Sylvia Roy is the most gifted. A Virginia recruit, she participated in last summer’s U.S. Olympic Trials. She is also going for a four-peat in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke events during the WPIAL championship meet.
Lauren Opitz and Ava Komoroski have given and will continue to provide Roy competition.
A senior, Opitz is entered in the 100 back as well as butterfly for the WPIAL championships. The Emory University recruit enters the event seeded second behind Roy with a 55.75 time. The mark, posted during the Jim Stacy Memorial Winter Championship Meet in Ohio, is also a new school record at Peters Township.
“Lauren has had a really remarkable year,” Harwick said. “She’s been a phenomenal leader this year and has worked extremely hard.”
Noting Opitz was All-State in both of her events last year Hadwick added, “We are expecting her to bring home some hardware this year at states.”
A sophomore, Komoroski is entered in the 50 and 100 free events. Her seed times are 23.43 and 51.50.
“Sylvia takes away a swim from each of our girls because they have got two of the top seeds,” Hardwick noted. “Our goals for Ava are the same as for Lauren. Get swims up to make it to the states.”
Peters Township has high expectations for three of its individual male swimmers.
To date, Wyatt Stetor has had a record-breaking year. A freshman, he took down the school’s mark in the 200 individual medley. His time of 1:53.76 had been the third best submitted in the WPIAL this season.
Additionally, Stetor is an entrant in the 500 free with a seed time of 4:41.35.
The event features Central Catholic’s McClellan Clark. A University of Tennessee recruit, Clark has won the 500 two years in a row. He broke a 15-year-old WPIAL record last winter with a 4:27.01 time.
“The 500 is going to be the fastest event at WPIAL this year,” Hardwick predicted. “Wyatt’s seed time would have taken fifth last year. The field is very good with five seniors in the top eight.
“We expect Wyatt to continue his season on and get to states. Podium twice for individuals at WPIAL.”
Hardwick added that it’s “awesome” to see a freshman etch his name in history but Stetor has a bright future ahead because of his versatility. Stetor completed the WPIAL sweep this winter, meaning he met the qualifying standards for all the individual events for the championships.
“Wyatt’s a good kid and it tickles me how excited and passionate he is about the sport that he brings others with him. It is going to be a thrill to see what he gets out of this sport and how far he goes.”
Ryan Smith and Isaac Lee are also going to WPIALs as individuals for the Indians. Both are juniors with expectations of reaching the podium.
Smith will race in the 100 fly and back. His seed times are 54.05 and 56.45
Lee is entered in the 100 free and fly. His seed times are 47.48 and 52.08.
“Ryan and Isaac should both medal. Top 8 performances,” Hardwick said.
Of his five top swimmers, Hardwick added, they should walk away with the medal hauls at WPIALs for the Indians but he notes performances by the relays and other individual qualifiers have and will continue to power Peters Township’s resurgence in the pool.
“We’re turning the program around. Catching back up to tradition. One meet at a time,” Hardwick said.
NOTE: Fifteen athletes from Peters Township have qualified for the WPIAL championships.
In addition to the five aforementioned swimmers, the others include Addison Bowers, Logan Hartman, Macie Augustynowicz, Lukas Hartman, Megan McChesney, Andrew Nelson, Lydia Ruth (diving), Alejandro Rodriguez, Will Mitchell, Stacy Liu, Kathryn Pazuchanics and Andrew Nelson.
Several others have been listed as alternatives for legs on the relays, of which the Indians have entered all six. Among them are Abigail Zinn, Christopher McCay and Emma Lee.
Bethel Park swimmers psyched for WPIALS
As the WPIAL swimming championships approach, Jeff Gavin becomes wistful but hopeful. He recalls his glory days as a three-time state qualifier and district bronze medalist for the Mars Planets. He also envisions his Bethel Park swimmers experiencing equal or greater achievements.
During the stretch after the final dual meet and the districts set for Feb. 27-28 at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool, team members are bonding, enjoying pasta parties and dying their hair.
“The whole experience getting ready for championships takes me back,” Gavin said. “It’s nostalgic for me and you can’t replace those memories for them. This is what a swimmer dreams about.”
The pre-meet preparations bond a team. “They become tighter by doing those things together,” Gavin added.
“It’s all building up to that moment and what makes the meet really enjoyable,” he added. “There’s a lot of energy and excitement.”
The WPIAL finals with expectations of securing a PIAA championship berth are the culmination of a successful season for the Black Hawks. The boys finished in a three-way tie for the Section IV title with Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair. All were 5-1 in the division.
Overall, the BP boys were 9-4 during the regular season and they have several entrants for the championships.
Among them are: Trent Powell, Brady McKiernan, Luke Kallaur, Luca DeMartino, Sam Hoppe, Jackson Edwards, Connor Blocklin and TJ Strock. Cooper Kicinski qualified in the diving.
Meanwhile, the Lady Hawks finished 3-3 in their section. They field a 12-member team, which includes three divers.
Among the females to qualify for the swim championships are: Cally Edner, Julia Ratti, Morgan McKiernan, Addy Gurganus, Karsyn Mitchell, Eleni Kretchun, Cayden Chilenski and Chelsea Hudak. Courtney Felicetti and River Hendrych-Bondra qualified for the diving competition.
“We are focused, trying to make the most of our opportunities,” Gavin said. “We want to walk away with hardware in certain events. We feel we have put in a lot of hard work and we have seemed to have become a more cohesive and strong unit that now is the time to reap the benefits of that.”