Seton LaSalle hopes to make a splash at WPIALs
Ali Hays, Mia Foster and Addison Burnette were among the divers from Upper St. Clair competing in the WPIAL championships this weekend. The WPIAL finals for swimming will be held Feb. 27-28 at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool. Class AAA competition begins at 9:45 a.m. while the Class AA session starts at 3 p.m.
Upper St. Clair's Mia Foster performs an inward dive during dual meet competition against Mt. Lebanon. While the Lady Panthers lost to the Blue Devils, 99-85, the USC boys defeated Lebo, 96-85, to force a three-way tie for first place in the section. USC and Lebo tied Peters Township for the title. All three teams will be challenging North Allegheny for the WPIAL championship. The district meet will be held Feb. 27-28 at the University of Pittsburgh.
After record-breaking regular seasons, Mason Beauregard and Taylor Weyrich are looking to accomplish bigger feats during the WPIAL swimming and diving championships. The Seton LaSalle students hope to gain PIAA championship berths.
The state finals will begin March 11 at Bucknell University.
Beauregard was an alternate for last year’s PIAA meet. The junior placed eighth in the 100-yard backstroke during the 2019 WPIAL finals. A top six showing in this year’s meet, which will begin Feb. 27 at University of Pittsburgh, should earn Beauregard a slot at states. He has a 58.67 seed time for the race.
“I am hoping he places and will go to the state meet,” said SLS coach Meloni DiPietro-Guthoerl.
Beauregard is also qualified in the 100 butterfly with a 58.98 seed time. Defending WPIAL and PIAA champion Ian Shahan from Belle Vernon is the top seed with a 50.23 time.
Beauregard shattered school records in both the 100 fly and back. DiPietro-Guthoerl anticipates he will repeat, even lower those times, at the WPIAL meet.
“I really enjoy getting to see the fastest swimmers compete at the amazing Trees Pool,” DiPietro-Guthoerl said. “Our swimmers historically get their fastest times and break school records at the WPIAL Championships because Pitt has one of the fastest, if not the fastest, pool in the region.”
Beauregard also hopes to help SLS’s relays teams perform well. The relay team includes Patrick Guinee from Mt. Lebanon, Billy Wivagg from McMurray and Danny Park from South Park. The 200 free relay has an opportunity to break the school record set in 2016.
“Both relays should earn top times and set the bar high for next season since all are underclassmen,” DiPietro-Guthoerl said.
For Weyrich, however, this is it. She is a senior and competed in the Class AA diving championships held Feb. 21 at South Park.
Weyrich placed fourth in last year’s competition.
The showing said DiPietro-Guthoerl was especially “exciting” for a new diver.
This winter, Weyrich broke her own school records. During the regular season she went from a 238.67 score to a new high of 245.70.
“Coach Dave Patterson and I anticipate a top placement for Taylor and a state qualification,” said DiPietro-Guthoerl.