Gateway’s Hunter Raymer ready to defend WPIAL swimming title

By: Michael Love
Sunday, December 4, 2022 | 11:01 AM

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Hunter Raymer entered his high school freshman season last December already experienced in a number of high-level club swim meets.

So when it came time to deliver at the WPIAL championships in early March, he was ready.

And he was golden.

Raymer, also a prominent member of the local Racer-X club program, swam to a WPIAL championship in the 500-yard freestyle and helped both the 200 medley and 200 free relays earn WPIAL medals and compete at states.

Raymer, who, along with several of his Gateway teammates, achieved strong times at a club meet at Spire Institute in Ohio a couple of weeks ago, hopes to take his efforts to the next level over the next couple of months leading up to championship opportunities in February and March.

“That meet at Spire was another thing that got me pretty excited for the season because I know I am going to swim faster than last year,” said Raymer, who went on to place 14th in the 500 at states at Bucknell.

“I am faster now than I was last year at this time, and I am right where I was in the 500 at the end of last year.

“I am just really excited for everyone on both the boys and girls teams. We’ve all been working really hard with dryland workouts and in the water. We lost a lot of really good swimmers to graduation. But we have a nice mix of returning swimmers and those who are new. I expect big things this year. I think we’re going to be really fast.”

The Gateway girls roster features 19 swimmers and divers, while the boys squad numbers 15 for first-year coach Glenn Raymer, the father of Hunter and freshman Gunner Raymer and also recent graduate Summer Raymer.

Summer Raymer, a multi-time WPIAL medalist and PIAA qualifier, is a freshman this season at Youngstown State.

Glenn Raymer, also an assistant coach with the Racer-X club team for which Hunter swims, has past head coaching experience at both Latrobe and Elizabeth Forward.

He served as a Gateway assistant the past two years with outgoing head coach Sherry Sonetti, who stepped down shortly after the conclusion of last season while also retiring from her job with the Gateway School District.

“This is exciting for me to continue as a coach of some really good kids in this program,” Glenn Raymer said.

“Gateway has had such a strong program for so many years. It’s a great feeling to be here and help these kids be the best they can be.”

Graduation took several WPIAL qualifiers from the Gators’ ranks, including former WPIAL champion and PIAA competitor Drew Holmes, now a freshman at Division II Bloomsburg.

Hunter Raymer and Holmes joined graduate Gabriel Sha and senior Primo Brodt-Jenkins on both PIAA-qualifying relays. The 200 medley relay set a new school record at WPIALs (1:36.57) and placed 16th at states.

The 200 free relay swam to a school record at states. However, the team was disqualified, and the record didn’t go into the books.

Brodt-Jenkins (200 IM) and junior Mark DiPalma (200 free) both return after swimming individually at WPIALs last year.

Others coach Raymer said are ones to look out for include Gunner Raymer, sophomore Owen Echegary and junior Colton Park.

On the girls side, PIAA qualifiers in senior Morgan Holmes and juniors Mallory and McKenna Brown, and WPIAL qualifiers in seniors Ayva Harris and Natalie Helman and junior Michelina Estremera return with expanded goals in mind.

Holmes earned bronze in the 50 free at WPIALs and came close to making the consolation finals in the event at states. She was tied for 16th after the preliminaries, but came up short in a swim-off.

“Morgan swam really well at Spire with a couple best times,” coach Raymer said. “She has that veteran leadership presence and will be kind of the anchor of the girls team. I am excited to see what she can accomplish in her senior year.”

Holmes and the Brown sisters were part of the 200 free relay with Summer Raymer which took eighth at WPIALs (1:40.01) and 12th at states (1:39.04). The quartet set a new school record at WPIALs and lowered it at states.

Coach Raymer said it is still undetermined as to who will fill that fourth spot in the relay this year. Candidates include sophomores Jolina Estremera and Addie Helman and freshman Gianna Laurenti.

“We’re looking to have several relay and individual qualifiers to WPIALs from this group,” coach Raymer said.

While the Gateway boys team remains in Class 3A, the girls have dropped down to Class 2A under the new alignment put forth in the offseason.

The teams will compete together in Class 3A Section 3 with Baldwin, Fox Chapel, Penn Hills, Plum, Shaler and Oakland Catholic/Central Catholic.

The Oakland Catholic girls also are in Class 2A.

Senior Sarah Harper, in her fourth year of competition, leads the Gateway divers.

Gators diving coach John Ritter said she is poised to qualify for WPIALs this season.

Senior Noah Passalinqua, 16th at last year’s WPIAL Class 3A boys diving championships at North Allegheny, has decided to only swim after doing both the past couple of seasons.

Gateway opens at Penn-Trafford on Thursday before hosting Franklin Regional on Dec. 15 and Armstrong on Dec. 22.

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Gateway