Swimmers sink teeth into PIAA championships
Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Maddie Dorish will compete in the 100 breaststroke and swim a leg on Mt. Lebanon’s medley relay during this week’s PIAA championships being held through March 17 at Bucknell University.
By Eleanor Bailey/The Almanac
Abby Matheny, Abby Rutkowski and Olivia Shaeffer cheer during the final leg of the 400-yard freestyle relay race. Upper St. Clair’s third-place showing in the event sealed second place and the runner-up trophy in the WPIAL Class AAA girls’ team standings. The Panthers are now qualified for the PIAA championships being held through March 17 at Bucknell University.
Coming on the heels of standout showings at the WPIAL finals, swimmers from Upper St. Clair and Mt. Lebanon look to regenerate and replicate their performances during the PIAA state championships being held through March 17 at the Kinney Natatorium on the Bucknell University campus in Lewisburg.
To excel beyond or exceed their previous achievements, however, will be a tall task say the team’s respective skippers.
“It’s always hard for the WPIAL to perform at states because our district is so competitive,” said Lebo coach Tom Donati. “But, we will do our best as a district to get some night swims (finals) and possible champions from Western Pennsylvania.”
“Our primary focus is swimming faster at states than we did at WPIALs,” added David Schraven, who coached the Panthers to runner-up showings in the boys’ and girls’ team standings at the WPIAL championships. “This is very hard to accomplish,” he added because of the time constraints in preparation. There are just 12 days in between the WPIAL and PIAA meet. “That’s a very awkward amount of time.
“We feel that if we are able to swim faster at states, then we will move up in the standings.”
For competitors like Trinity Ward, there is no room to move. The Mt. Lebanon junior enters the meet as the defending state champion in the 100-yard butterfly. The three-time WPIAL winner is seeded fourth in the event with a 55.18 time. The fastest mark this season belongs to Manheim Township’s Amy Yunginger with a 54.62.
“Nobody expected her to win last year and bam, she did,” Donati said. “She is putting a lot of pressure on herself but at the end of the day she has put all the hard work in. So we are excited for her and to see how she will do.”
Along with Ward, the Lebo ladies are taking nine swimmers to states but their youth may impede them from placing in the Top 3 as they did a year ago with a more experienced club.
Sophia Donati (200 free, 100 free), Ward (100 free), Maddie Dorish (50 free and 100 breast), Devon Scott Davis (200 free), Marley Howell (100 fly) will compete individually along with three relay units for the Blue Devils. The team of Hannah Morelli, Dorish, Ward and Libby McDyer won the medley relay at the WPIAL championships and are seeded second for the state meet. Meredith Reese and Abbey Greene add to Lebo’s relay strength in the 200 and 400 free events.
“We have many first timers for this meet,” Donati said. “So I expect us to get a lot of experience for the future. This will be crucial in our goals for next year as we are looking to get back to the number (place) we have had in the past.”
On the boys’ side, Owen Johns and Lucas Bumgarner are competing in diving. They placed in the top four at the WPIAL championships. They are seeded sixth and 10th in the PIAA meet.
“They both had great meets last year so I believe they will score a lot of points for us this year,” Donati said. “They have been working real hard.”
Meanwhile, experience is on the side of USC as the Panthers have five seniors competing in both individual as well as relay events at the PIAA meet.
“I really hope they finish their very successful high school careers on a positive note,” Schraven said.
Josh Matheny’s career is only just beginning. The freshman is seeded first in the 100-yard breaststroke. He won the WPIAL title in 54.94. He owns one of the nation’s best times in the 200- and 400-meter events.
“Josh will have his hands full,” said Schraven because it is very difficult for a freshman to win at states and there are a couple of swimmers out of the Philadelphia area that will provide stiff competition.
“Josh is a competitor, though,” Schraven added. “He always rises to the challenge. So, I like his chances. If he hits his time goal the place will take care of itself.”
Matheny is also entered in the 200 IM with his teammate Jack Fitzpatrick. They are seeded ninth and fourth respectively in the race. Nick Murdy and David Frauen will also race in the IM for the Panthers.
In addition to fielding teams for the medley and both free relays, USC will have competitors in three additional events–Brandon Novak in the 200 free; Fitzpatrick in the 500 free and Graham Kretschmar in the 100 back.
Seniors Abby Matheny and Olivia Schaeffer headline the Lady Panthers’ entries.
Matheny, who is the WPIAL champion, is seeded fourth in the 200 free with a 1:52.38 time. Morgan Scott is the top seed with a 1:47.52. Schaeffer comes in at 1:47.52.
Matheny and Shaeffer are among the Top 12 seeds in the 500 free along with teammate Sophia Schlichting, a freshman.
USC will field teams in all three relays while Taylor Connors, another freshman, will race in both sprint freestyle races. Ynyra Bohan, a junior, will compete in the 100 fly.
Duncan qualified
Abbie Duncan from South Fayette will compete in two events during the PIAA swimming championships. The sophomore will race in the 200 free and 100 back.