Gateway swimmers eye WPIAL cut times as season kicks into high gear

By: Michael Love
Sunday, January 22, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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Gateway swimming and diving coach Glenn Raymer said his boys and girls teams jumped into a busy January ready to work and compete after a challenging series of practices between Christmas and New Year’s Day.

“They definitely put some extra work in,” he said. “The kids were here ready to use the time to their benefit. It’s always traditionally a time for training. They set goals for themselves coming into the meets this month.”

Raymer said nine meets in January have and will give the Gators swimmers and divers a good chance to get as many individual and relay qualifiers to WPIALs as possible. Four boys — sophomore Hunter Raymer, senior Primo Brodt-Jenkins, junior Mark DiPalma and freshman Gunner Raymer — already have earned qualifying cuts, automatic or secondary, to WPIALs.

On the girls side, senior Bloomsburg commit Morgan Holmes, along with juniors McKenna and Mallory Brown, and freshman Gianna Laurenti, also have recorded WPIAL cuts.

Automatic cuts guarantee a swimmer or relay a spot at the championships. The secondary times are provisional and put a qualifier in the running to swim at WPIALs. There will be a limit of 32 entries placed on each individual and relay event.

The teams are gearing up for a stretch run that will take them to the WPIAL diving championships Feb. 24 and 25 and the WPIAL swimming finals at Pitt’s Trees Pool the week of March 1.

Both Gateway teams came up short in nonsection meets against Hempfield on Jan. 17.

“Both of their teams just have more depth that we do,” coach Raymer said. “Hempfield always is really solid.”

The Gateway boys were 5-4 overall heading into last Thursday’s nonsection meet with Elizabeth Forward. They scored wins over Armstrong, Norwin and Hampton and posted section victories over Woodland Hills and Penn Hills.

The Gators girls team recorded a 4-4-1 record with nonsection wins over Penn-Trafford and Armstrong and section triumphs against Woodland Hills and Penn Hills.

Gateway’s tie came in a nonsection meet with Norwin.

Both teams compete in Class 3A sections, but this year, the Gateway girls dropped down to Class 2A for individual WPIAL events.

The Gators also were to host nonsection Mars on Tuesday. Gateway visits Fox Chapel for a section meet Thursday.

Raymer said Holmes, who has earned automatic cuts in the 50-yard freestyle, 100 free, 200 free, 500 free, 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley, is practicing and competing with focus and determination.

“She’s looking to see where she can move up and where she can place (at WPIALs) as high as possible,” coach Raymer said.

“What she is going to swim is still up for decision. She can go in a number of directions, and there are a lot of factors to weigh. That is the case with a lot of the top swimmers as strategy often comes into play. With the girls in double-A, it sets up a number of fresh matchups for her.”

Defending WPIAL Class 3A 500 champion Hunter Raymer owns automatic cuts in the 100 free, 200 free, 500 free, and 200 IM.

McKenna Brown picked up a recent automatic cut in the 50 free to add to her automatic in the 100 free earned in a Jan. 6 meet with Oakland Catholic, while Laurenti did the same in the 100 breaststroke.

Mallory Brown owns an automatic cut in the 100 breast (1:12.89) from the Oakland Catholic meet.

Brodt-Jenkins recently elevated secondary cuts to automatics in both the 50 free and 100 breast.

Gunner Raymer secured an automatic cut in the 200 IM (1:59.94) against Franklin Regional on Dec. 15.

“These kids are looking to the end of the season and putting themselves in the best position individually and also help the relays in their goals for WPIALs,” coach Raymer said.

“Some of the best races we’ve had have been relays who have competed for first or even points in the second and third spots in meets. The kids have really come together and enjoy racing together and supporting each other.”

Coach Raymer said additional swimmers hope to achieve qualifying cuts before the end of the regular season.

“A lot of kids are making strides and improving,” he said. “I expect some of them to break through with a qualifying cut by the final couple of meets. We hope to see some new names on the board.”

Sophomore Bailey Steele and senior Sarah Harper both have achieved the necessary points — 160 or better — to dive at the WPIAL Class 2A meet Feb. 24.

However, coach Raymer said, they both are striving for the necessary degrees of difficulty — 9.0 or better — to be combined with a 160-point-or-higher performance in a dual meet.

“Coach (John) Ritter has them on the right track, and they are working on more difficult dives to give them what they need,” he said. “I know they will get to where they need to be to qualify.”

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