Mt. Lebanon sixth in PIAA swimming
Mt. Lebanon finished sixth in the boys’ team standings during the PIAA Class AAA swimming and diving championships held at Bucknell University. The Blue Devils scored 132 points and trailed La Salle College, which rolled to victory with a score of 302.
Andrei Mihailescu led Lebo. The senior secured silver in the 100-yard butterfly, posting a 48.91 time. His teammate, Noah Wechter, followed in sixth place. Mihailescu earned a medal in the backstroke with his seventh-place showing.
Mihailescu also led off the medley relay team of Brian Ramsey, Wechter and Jackson Kish. The unit scored sixth in the finals with a 1:33.25 time. Lebo’s 400 free team of Mihailescu, Kish, Jack Rick and Wechter also earned seventh place (3:09.67) while the 200 free unit of Jackson, Jake Bumgarner, Wechter and Jack Rice placed 11th overall (1:26.71).
Individually, Ramsey and Jack Lanphear reached the finals in the 100-yard breaststroke and finished seventh and eighth respectively in the race with times of 57.51 and 57.68. Rice had a Top 16 finish (47.07) for the Blue Devils in the 100 free.
Lebo girls seventh
The Lebo ladies followed the men’s showing, finishing seventh in the team standings with 79 points. Hershey captured the girls’ title with a 262 score.
The Blue Devils scored the bulk of their points in relay action. The 200 free team of Kathryn Nicholson, Angela Gyurina, Hannah Bumgarner and Emma Buerger grabbed the bronze medal with a 1:35.62 time. Nicholson, Bumgarner and Buerger combined with Alison Shapiro for fifth place in the 400 free relay with a 3:30.18 time.
Individually, Nicholson scored eighth in the 50 free. The sophomore finished in 24.12. Gyurina and Bumgarner placed 13th in the 50 and 200 free events, respectively. Both are juniors.
USC girls ninth
Despite a disqualification in the 200 free, the Upper St. Clair girls rode their relays to a ninth-place showing in the team standings.
The Panthers picked up fourth and sixth places in the medley and 400 free relays. Maeve Lersch, Maddie Yoos, Carly Olsakovsky and Victoria Shaffer comprised the medley unit that posted a 1:45.15 time. Shaffer, Lindsey Choate, Olsakovsky and Abby Matheny made up the 400 free team that produced a 3:30.18 time.
“We knew that our relays were our greatest strength and our goal was to ride the strength of our relays to a Top-5 finish,” said USC head coach Dave Schraven. “The girls did a great job in the relays. All of our relays were within tenths of a second of our school record performances at WPIALs. Unfortunately, we had the false start in the 200 free relay which finished fourth at states. If our 200 free relay hadn’t been disqualified, we’d have finished fifth. But, those things happen in our sport and I’m still pleased with how we did.”
Individually, Choate, Yoos and Matheny did well enough to final. Choate placed 15th in the backstroke (58.75) and 16th in the 50 free. Yoos took 13th in the breaststroke (1:05.60). Matheny was 14th in the 200 free (1:54.01). All three are underclassmen and return next season for the Panthers.
“We are really happy that we return those three individual event qualifiers as well as Maeve (Lersch),” Schraven said. “They will provide the nucleus of our team that has very high hopes for next season. We’ve lost some valuable seniors but I know that our girls’ program is on the way up and we look forward to a lot of success next year.”
The season did not pass without the Lady Panthers breaking five school records. The new marks were set in the medley relay with Lersch, Yoos, Olsakovsky and Choate; the 50 free with Shaffer; the breaststroke with Yoos; the 200 and 400 free relays with Shaffer, Matheny, Carolyn Novak and Choate.
Damich medals
Drew Damich racked up two medals during his distance swims. The Chartiers Valley senior finished fifth in the 500-yard freestyle with a 4:32.76 time. He added ninth and won his consolation final in the 200 free with a 1:39.92 time.
Tavoletti 12th
Vinny Tavoletti scored 12th in the butterfly. The Bethel Park senior finished in 50.83.
Bartrug best
Maddie Bartrug completed her scholastic showing with one of her finest performances. The South Fayette senior secured seventh in the 200-yard freestyle during the PIAA Class AA girls’ championships. She swam a 1:55.01 time. Bartug also took 10th in the 100 free with a 53.53 mark.
“I was pleased with Maddie’s performance,” said Matt Tucker. “She was faster at night in her consolation and final swims, which is all you can ask for as a coach.”
Bartrug also helped the 400 free team reach the finals. The unit, which also included Sarah Hertzler, Emma Hestad and Jocelyn Colussy, posted a Top 16 time of 3:46.60.
“I was happy that the 400 free relay made it to swim in the consolation heat and swam faster at night as well,” Tucker said.
In the team standings, the Lions finished in the Top 30 (27th overall.) Villa Maria Academy won the Class AA team title. Though the unit did not final, the 200 free relay of Colussy, Faith Ruehle, Hertzler and Bartrug posted the 18th best time.