Relays, divers lead Penn-Trafford into PIAA championship meet
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Friday, March 8, 2019 | 7:33 PM
Penn Trafford sophomore Austin Prokopec competes in the boys 200 freestyle during the AAA WPIAL Swimming/Diving Championship on Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019, at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool.
Penn-Trafford’s relay unit of, in front, from left, Nicholas Graziano and Austin Prokopec, and in back, Ben Yant and Luke Babik competed at the WPIAL championships Feb. 28-March 1, 2019, at Pitt.
Penn-Trafford’s relay unit of, from left, Luke Babik, Austin Prokopec, Nicholas Graziano and Ben Yant competed at the WPIAL championships Feb. 28-March 1, 2019, at Pitt.
Despite their small size, the Penn-Trafford boys and girls swimming teams will be well represented at the PIAA Class AAA championship meet March 15-16 at Bucknell.
Seniors Paige Kalik, the girls third seed, and Logan Sherwin, the boys fourth seed, are among favorites in 1-meter diving. Kalik and Sherwin placed first and second, respectively, at the WPIAL championships.
For the second consecutive season, the Warriors are sending two boys relay teams.
The 200-yard freestyle relay (1 minute, 26.77 seconds) and 400 freestyle relay (3:10.73) teams of senior Luke Babik, junior Nicholas Graziano and sophomores Ben Yant and Austin Prokopec received at-large bids after placing fourth and fifth at the WPIAL championship Feb. 28-March 1 at Pitt.
“Our relays were a lot of fun,” Graziano said. “We are excited to have another opportunity to swim at Bucknell.
“We are a few tenths shy of a school record in the 200 free relay and hope to break it.”
Prokopec (1:44.31) also advanced in the 200 freestyle, where he placed seventh in the WPIAL.
Among girls swimmers, the Warriors qualified in three events based on times.
Junior Corina Paszek came in ninth in the 200 individual medley (2:09.23), and senior Hannah Muro was sixth in the 50 freestyle (24.14) and seventh in the 100 backstroke (58.12) at the WPIAL meet.
Penn-Trafford coach Dave Babik said both teams gave it their all.
“We are hoping to improve our times up at states,” he said. “This is usually difficult due to our training being geared toward optimal performances at the WPIAL championships.”
The boys team placed sixth and the girls team 10th.
Muro got sentimental over her final WPIAL championship.
“WPIALs is always one of the most exciting meets,” she said. “It’s going to be weird in the next few years not having that.”
Tags: Penn-Trafford
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