Penn-Trafford swimmers set meet records at WCCAs

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, February 1, 2019 | 7:48 PM

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Relays are shaping into an asset again for the Penn-Trafford boys swimming team.

The Warriors set meet records in two relays at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association championship Jan. 26 at Derry.

Senior Luke Babik, junior Nicholas Graziano and sophomores Austin Prokopec and Ben Yant were on the 200-yard freestyle relay (1 minute, 28.47 seconds) and 400 freestyle relay (3:14.82) teams that won. They helped the Warriors (8-0 overall, 4-0 in Section 1-AAA) to the Class AAA title.

There were 13 Class AAA and Class AA teams that competed together.

“We were hopeful that we would be able to set new meet records in both relays,” Graziano said. “We all had pretty nice splits.”

Babik said the record in the 200 freestyle relay was a total surprise.

Graziano looks forward to good seeds at the WPIAL Class AAA championship Feb. 28-March 1 at Pitt. The Warriors finished fifth on the strength of their relay teams last season.

Penn-Trafford coach Dave Babik, Luke’s father, said it was impressive the teams swam so fast at this point of the season.

Prokopec in the 200 freestyle (1:46.35); Luke Babik, 100 freestyle (48.18); and Yant, 500 freestyle (4:55.18); also earned gold medals individually. Senior Logan Sherwin took first place in 1-meter diving (546.45 points), which the Chicago recruit said was a confidence booster.

Picking up silver medals were Luke Babik in the 50 freestyle (22.13); Graziano, 100 butterfly (53.81); and senior Jordan Prokopec, 500 freestyle (4:59.85).

Earning bronze medals were Jordan Prokopec in the 200 freestyle (1:49.66); Graziano, 200 individual medley (2:03.24); Yant, 100 freestyle (50.19); and Austin Prokopec, 100 backstroke (56.46). The 200 medley relay team of freshman Anthony Tumino, senior Marc Migliorini, Jordan Prokopec and Sherwin also placed third (1:43.18).

Sherwin earned a sixth-place medal in the 50 freestyle (23.09) and Tumino a fifth-place medal in the 100 backstroke (57.83). In 1-meter diving, sophomore Xander Lentz placed fifth (364.50).

For the girls, senior Hannah Muro was a double gold medalist in the 200 freestyle (1:58.45) and 100 backstroke (1:00.81). Also winning were juniors Corina Paszek, 100 freestyle (54.02), and Alyssa Tomb, 500 freestyle (5:16.93).

Senior Paige Kalik topped the podium in 1-meter diving (515.95). Kalik, the defending WPIAL champion and an Akron recruit, said it was good to get an 11-dive meet under her belt before WPIALs.

Penn-Trafford diving coach Mark Martini said Sherwin and Kalik did well but can do better.

Paszek earned a silver medal (2:09.49) and Tomb a bronze medal (2:13.73) in the 200 individual medley.

The 200 freestyle relay team of Paszek, sophomore Rebecca Good, junior Amanda Graves and Muro (1:40.47) and the 400 freestyle relay team of Paszek, sophomore Alyssa Fligger, Graves and Muro (3:40.69) came in second.

Also reaching the podium was the 200 medley relay team of Fligger, Tomb, senior Marissa Anderton and Good (1:56.19), which placed fourth.

The Warriors finished a close second, scoring 329 points to Franklin Regional’s 341.

“The girls team is feeling very confident based on how great everyone swam,” Muro said. “As we get closer to the end of the season, it gets exciting to see everyone swimming fast times and trying to qualify for WPIALs.”

Paszek said the meet encouraged the Warriors (6-2, 3-1) for WPIALs.

Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer.

Tags: Penn-Trafford