For the better part of the last four years, Lily King and the Mt. Pleasant swim team have been the center of attention, ruling the podium and setting records at the WPIAL championships.
Now that King and decorated classmates Kiersten O’Connor, David Mutter and Joseph Gardner are competing for Division I programs, a new story will be written at this year’s WPIAL swimming championships Thursday and Friday at Pitt’s Trees Pool.
But why settle for just one when there are two classes and a number of swimmers among the high seeds for this week’s championship meet?
For the second year in a row, Franklin Regional tops all Westmoreland County schools with 18 WPIAL qualilfiers. The Panthers brought 22 to last year’s competition.
“We try to generate an exciting training atmosphere at practice,” FR coach Dan Taylor said. “The kids are very close with each other and enjoy working hard together. We do whatever we have to do to get as many kids to WPIALs. We set a standard, and the kids know what that standard is and more often than not meet it.”
The girls team, which competes in Class 2A, has four swimmers seeded fourth or higher.
Senior Magdalena Hull is third in the 50 free (1:55.85) and fourth in the 500 free (5:15.94).
Junior Scarlett Zolnak will compete in the 50 free, where she is seeded fourth (1:56.64), and the 100 back, where she is seeded third (58.07).
Aidah Holm is third in the 100 fly (58.96).
Freshman Anna Tomasic is seeded second in both the 50 free (24.32) and the 100 free (53.87).
“Any time you’re a ninth grader just stepping into high school, it’s a different ball game,” Taylor said of Tomasic. “She’s excited for the opportunity but a little nervous because it is her first championship meet. But she’s trained well all season, and I expect her to swim pretty well.”
The FR girls relay teams are out to eclipse their finishes from a year ago. This year’s 200 medley relay is seeded in fourth (1:52.20) and, if they can race at that pace or better, they could improve on last year’s seventh-place finish.
The other two relays, the 200 free and 400 free, are seeded first in their respective races. The Panthers have a posted time of 1:40.05 in the 200 and a 3:36.51 mark in the 400. Both units finished in the top three last year, and all four swimmers return: Hull, Holm, Zolnak and Jamie Kociela.
“I have a good idea of what I want to do,” Taylor said of his relay lineups. “We practice a lot of combinations just in the event we need to maneuver during the meet. I like to see how the 200 medley relay goes and adjust from there. For the most part, those girls have swum those events in meets this year. The addition of Anna gives us more flexibility in the medley relay that we didn’t have last year.”
For the Panthers boys (Class 3A), Thomas Westerman is determined to beat his fifth-place finishes in the 200 and 500 free last year. He leads all qualifiers in the boys 200 free (1:42.54) and is seeded third in the 500 free (4:38.72).
“He’s had a great season,” Taylor said. “He’s a competitor, an extremely hard worker and I like his chances to make the podium in both races. I know he’s got his sights set on breaking the school record and getting to states.”
Junior Andrew Silvis is seeded fifth in his only individual event, the 100 back (53.25).
Here’s a look at some other top qualifiers from Westmoreland County:
• A pair of Latrobe boys are seeded high in their events in Class 3A.
Defending gold medalist Chris Heese is seeded second in the 100 breast (57.91) after winning in 55.94 last season.
Charlie Thomson posted a 47.64 in the 100 free and is seeded 10th, but he is seeded third in the 100 fly (51.34).
The Wildcats are sending 10 swimmers to the meet.
• Hempfield also will has 10 qualifiers in Class 3A.
The Spartans’ Owen Busch is seeded eighth in the 200 free (1:47.32) and fourth in the 100 back (52.97).
• Also in Class 3A, Norwin’s Amber Klingensmith is out to defend her WPIAL title in the 100 fly. She is seeded fourth (57.19). She also is looking to capture gold in the 100 back, where she is seeded first (56.79). Norwin’s girls 200 free relay is seeded fourth.
• Penn-Trafford will be led by junior Faith Whipple, who is seventh in the 50 free (24.64), and senior Aaron Burdell, who is fourth in the 100 fly (51.64) and eighth in the 500 free (21.86).
• Kiski Area’s Leah Kunkle will compete in the 100 breast, where she is seeded second (1:06.60), and the 200 IM, where she sits fifth (2:09.95).
• Mt. Pleasant will bring 11 swimmers to this year’s Class 2A championships with three seeded fifth or higher in their events.
“We have had, for several years, a really strong work ethic amongst our swimmers, and I think that ethic has continued into this year,” Mt. Pleasant coach Marci Probst said. “Our kids are driven, very focused on helping each other get to the next level. That’s what you’re seeing now as far as the success we’ve had so far this season.”
The Vikings had another successful regular season, with the girls finishing 8-2 and the boys 7-3. Both squads were 4-1 in section.
Vikings senior Gunnar Probst is seeded third in the 50 freestyle (21.54). He finished second in last year’s competition in 21.89. He also will race in the 100 free, where he is second (48.19).
“Gunnar’s not looking at the seeding as much as he is on his preparation,” Probst said. “He’s trying to block out all those other superficial things and focusing on what he can control. He’s driven to perform as well as he can.”
Senior Cody Fusco is seeded fourth in the 200 free (1:149.11) and sixth in the 500 free (4:58.33).
Junior Riley Shinsky is seeded fourth in both her events, the 50 free (24.65) and the 100 free (54.06).
“Riley has had a really good year,” Probst said. “I’ve noticed a lot more confidence in her swims. She’s put in a lot of work, found another gear and come into her own this season. I am excited for her and looking forward to seeing how she performs.”
Lucas Poole is seeded sixth in the 100 fly (55.73), and Lainey Brown is seeded seventh in the girls 100 breast (1:08.77). Sadie Poole rounds out the girls 100 fly as the eighth seed (1:01.77).
Five of the Vikings’ six relay teams are seeded in the top five. The boys 200 free relay sits second (1:31.94), and the boys 400 free relay is fifth (3:24.88).
All three girls relay teams are seeded fifth.
• Southmoreland senior Allison Stinnett will compete against Tomasic and Shinsky in the 50 free. She is seeded third (24.54). Stinnett leads all swimmers in the 100 breast at 1:05.71. She finished second in the event last year at 1:03.74.
• Belle Vernon will be led by senior Brady Malekovich, who is third in the 100 free (48.62) and fourth in the 50 free (21.65); Megan Shusteric, who is fifth in the 500 free (5:19.07); and Josie Nikolic, who is fourth in the 100 breast (1:06.84) and fifth in the 100 free (54.61).
• Alexa Darazio is seeded fourth in the 100 fly (59.32) and sixth in the 100 back (1:00.96) for Derry.