Peters Township looking for a strong showing at WPIAL championships
With more than a dozen qualifiers, Peters Township is looking for a strong showing at the WPIAL swimming championships to be held Feb. 26-27 at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool.
“Our team will be ready to swim lifetime bests and hopefully earn more swims to the PIAA Championships than last season,” said PT skipper Alex Hardwick enthusiastically.
Class 3A competition commences on both days at 9:45 a.m. Race events on Thursday in order will be: 200 medley relay; 200 freestyle; 200 IM; 50 free; 100 butterfly and 200 free relay. Order of events on Friday are: 100 and 500 free; 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke and 400 free relay.
WPIAL champions along with those meeting the qualifying standards advance to the PIAA championships set for March 11-14 at Kinney Natatorium on the campus of Bucknell University.
A strong dual meet season, in which the boys and girls combined for a 21-4-1 record, has Hardwick optimistic about the WPIAL championships, where the Peters Township men finished ninth in last year’s team standings.
“The team this year is more battle tested than any of my prior seasons,” said Harwick, who has been at the helm for three years.
“We have had many meets come down to final races and having to come back from a deficit at the halfway point. The team continued to rise to the occasion and build around each other. They have grown together and I am anxious for them to showcase their talent.”
Ava Komoroski is Peters Township’s most decorated swimmer, having claimed a WPIAL title last year. The junior is the reigning 100 free champion. Last year, Komoroski was runner-up to Mt. Lebanon’s Sylvia Roy in the 50 free. Roy is a freshman at the University of Virginia.
“As a seasoned upperclassman this year, we are looking for Ava to defend her title and make her mark at the PIAA championships,” Hardwick said. “Ava loves competition and we expect her to be a fierce competitor.”
With Isaac Lee and Wyatt Stetor, Harwick expects the boys to be in contention in the team competition.
North Allegheny is looking for its fourth straight title and 20th in program history. The Tigers won last year’s crown with an astounding 415 points.
“Our boys will be hoping to finish in the Top 5 at WPIALs,” Hardwick said.
Lee, like Komoroski, is entered in the 50 and 100 free races. He will also swim legs on two relays.
Last year, Lee finished seventh in both individual events.
Upper St. Clair senior Nazar Zoukovski is the reigning champion in the 100 free and while the top two finishers in the 50 free have graduated, Ben Whiteford, also from USC, is back as the bronze medalist.
“Isaac is going to be a powerful sprinter in the WPIAL Class AAA field,” Hardwick predicted.
“I can’t wait to see the power he brings not only to his individuals but also our relays. Looking forward to watching his final WPIAL Championship meet,” Harwick added of the senior.
Meanwhile, Stetor is among the top competitors in the 200 IM and 500 free. Last year, he was the only freshman in Class 3A to make an individual PIAA final.
“Wyatt is coming off a great freshman campaign,” Hardwick said. “He is one of the top swimmers in the state for his class and is looking to take his first-year experiences to new heights. He’s a great leader and teammate,” Hardwick added.
In addition to Stetor and Lee, Alex Carothers (500 free), Logan Hartman (50 and 100 free), Lukas Hartman (200 IM and 100 breast), John David Lewis (100 and 200 free), Alejandro Rodriguez (100 back) and Ryan Smith (100 fly and back) are among the other individual male WPIAL qualifiers for Peters Township.
In addition to Komorowski, Mackenzie Bauer (breast), Addison Bowers (200 IM and 100 breast), Julia Linneman (diving), Stacy Liu (breast) and Megan McChesney (50 free) are qualified in the girls competition.