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Small numbers, big results for Upper St. Clair swimmers

5 min read
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Liu and Wong are state runners-up

By Eleanor Bailey

Sports editor

ebailey@thealmanac.net

While the Upper St. Clair swim squad may have been small in numbers at the PIAA championships held at Bucknell University, the Panthers were big on points. As a result, they finished in the Top 7 for both boys and girls in the team standings.

Thanks in part to Kevin Liu and Braedon Wong, the USC boys secured sixth place overall with 119 points. La Salle College won the team title while North Allegheny and Mt. Lebanon finished third and fourth overall respectively.

“This year we had a relatively small senior class,” said USC skipper Dave Schraven, “but they are all strong swimmers.”

Both seniors, Liu and Wong had the strongest showings at state. Liu finished fourth in the 200-yard individual medley. He also secured second in the 100-yard backstroke, placing runner-up to James Wilson of Consetoga Valley. Wilson clocked in at 48.09 while Liu finished in 49.48.

“Kevin swam well,” said Schraven. “He did his personal best in the IM and finished fourth. We knew the race would be wide open and I’m glad he was in the mix.

“His backstroke was a bit of a disappointment,” Schraven continued. “He didn’t go all out in the prelims and swam a 49 flat. In the finals, he blew his second turn and that cost him. But even still, (Wilson) swam a very impressive time. So Kevin’s turn didn’t make that big of a difference. We’re happy to be state runner-up.”

Wong also finished runner-up to Wilson, only the event was the butterfly. Over 100 yards, Wong clocked a 49.39 while Wilson covered the distance in 48.98. Wong also placed fifth in the 100 back.

“Braedon has a very solid meet,” Schraven said. “The main goal was to finally break 50 in the back and he did so. He also had a very strong fly. He was closing in on the winner at the end. Again, it’s hard not be happy with a state runner-up finish.”

Liu and Wong also combined with Jack Fitzpatick and Brandon Novak for second place in the 200 medley relay. Liu, Wong, Novak and Ole Minuth combined for 11th place in the 200 free relay. Individually, Fitzpatrick posted 10th place in the 100 back and 14th in the 200 IM.

Liu and Wong will continue their swimming careers in college. Liu will swim for the University of South Carolina while Wong will compete for Cornell.

“Kevin and Braedon have had great careers and have grown so much as people and swimmers since they started in my program as freshmen,” Schraven said. “They’ve worked hard and have provided outstanding leadership to our team. They will be missed.

“At the same time, I believe they have done a good job preparing our current junior class as leaders so we will be able to move forward in their absence thanks in part to the role models they’ve been for the rest of the team.”

Team was the secret to the Lady Panthers’ success. Thanks to relay action, the USC girls finished seventh overall. North Penn won the team title and Mt. Lebanon took third.

Maeve Lersch, Maddie Yoos, Ynyra Boham and Lindsey Choate combined to finish runner-up to North Penn (1:43.87) in the medley relay. According to Schraven, it was an historic showing. “I don’t believe the USC girls team has ever won a relay at states,” he said. Schraven also noted that three of the four members of the team are underclassmen. “We know we have a shot to be state champions in that relay next year,” he said enthusiastically.

Lersch, Abby Matheny, Hannah Wilding and Choate added eighth in the 200 free relay. Megan Matheny joined her sister, Wilding and Yoos in the 400 free relay, which placed 13th.

Individually, Abby Matheny placed ninth and 10th respectively in the 200 and 500 free. Yoos added 10th in the breaststroke.

“Abby had a great performance for a sophomore. She was a little off in the preliminaries but she swam great in the (consolation) finals. Her times would have been third overall in the 200 free and sixth in the 500 free. We look forward to what she can accomplish next season.

Noting Yoos is also an underclassman, Schraven said that he expects big things from the junior. “We look forward to her being a state finalist next year,” he said.

The future of swimming at USC depends on the development of its youth. While the Panthers graduate two boys and four girls, the incoming class of freshmen is equally small.

“Obviously, I’m not expecting a couple of ninth grade boys to walk in and replace two of the best swimmers who’ve ever gone to our school. Same on the girls’ side,” Schraven noted. “Our success next year will depend on the current members of the team doing everything they can to improve to ensure we maintain the strong tradition we’ve established these past few years. It will be a fun journey and I believe we are up to the task.”

Hay leads PT

Abby Hay garnered two medals during the PIAA swimming championships. The Peters Township freshman finished fourth in the 500-yard freestyle. She secured sixth place in the 200-yard individual medley.

Hay helped the Lady Indians reach the consolation finals in the medley relay. She combined for Olivia Yocca, Loeva Palu-Benson and Abbi Strennen for 15th place overall.

On the male’s side, Stephen Hopta reached the consolation finals in the 100 backstroke and 500 free. He placed 14th and 11th overall, respectively.

Mahoney third

Trevor Mahoney grabbed the bronze medal during the PIAA Class AA diving championships. The South Fayette junior was the WPIAL champion.

In Class AAA action, Owen Johns, a freshman from Mt. Lebanon finished 16th overall. Bethel Park’s Brionna Litwin and Maria Capozzi placed 17th and 18th overall. Capozzi was the WPIAL champion.

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