Defending WPIAL champ leads way for Pine-Richland swim teams

By: Jerin Steele
Sunday, December 17, 2023 | 11:01 AM

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Pine-Richland swimming coach Pete Barry can see the fire inside Sarah Anne Shaffer.

Shaffer won the WPIAL Class 3A gold in 100 breaststroke last year but isn’t resting on her laurels.

She also made the A final at states and finished seventh.

A title defense at WPIALs and an improved finish at states highlight the goals as Shaffer leads a young Rams girls team.

“She’s been working really hard,” Barry said. “The state result didn’t go how she wanted. She still made the finals and placed top eight, but she wanted more. She won the WPIAL and was ecstatic about that, but after the state meet, she was hungry again. That’s a good thing.”

Shaffer is the lone returning individual state qualifier on the girls side. Anna Schomaker, a junior, was part of the 200 medley relay team that qualified for states along with Shaffer.

Returning WPIAL qualifiers are sophomore Riley Shafer and senior Ariana Anderson.

The state qualifiers who graduated include Delaney Allen, Mila Cribbs and Elizabeth Shaffer, Sarah Anne’s sister.

Elizabeth is now swimming at Carnegie Mellon. Sarah Anne and Elizabeth both swam the breaststroke and Elizabeth also made states last year, qualifying for the B final.

Not having a sibling beside her every day will be a change, but Barry said Sarah Anne has adapted well.

“It’s pretty much gone seamlessly,” Barry said. “She’s become more of a leader. She doesn’t overstep our senior captains, but she’s definitely helping lead the team. Sometimes it goes one way when a sibling moves on and you sort of don’t know what to do, but it’s been smooth. Elizabeth led Sarah Anne very well, but now Sarah is taking the lead.”

It’s a similar story on the boys side as most of the state qualifiers graduated, but a pair of brothers, Reese and Gavin Rupert, return.

Reese is a senior and Gavin is a junior. They also have a younger sister, freshman Brooke, on the team with them this winter, making it a trio of Ruperts in the pool for the Rams.

Reese qualified for states in two events, the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke. Gavin was part of 200 freestyle and 400 freestyle state qualifying teams. Reese also participated in the relay teams.

“Reese and Gavin have an older brother Shane, who’s swimming at Penn State Berhend, and two little sisters. Brooke will add to our depth on the girls side because she’s a strong swimmer. They also have another younger sister in middle school that swims, so there will be five Ruperts that swim for us.”

Sophomore Andrew Kirkpatrick also returns from the state-qualifying relay teams.

Justin Kirkpatrick, Matthew Carper and Justin Bogacz are the state qualifiers who graduated.

To replace all the graduates, the Rams will tap into young depth.

There are 14 freshmen between the boys and girls teams. Some of them are expected to contribute to varsity right away.

“Mathew Uzelac and Cameron Wincko are going to help us out on the boys side to replace some of the ones that graduated,” Barry said. “On the girls side, Bree Arthur moved into the district about a year and a half ago and has been with our club team. Anna Schomaker’s little sister Allison is coming in as well. Alison has already been at 1:07 in the 100 breaststroke, so she’s going to help replace Elizabeth Shaffer in terms of scoring for WPIALs.”

Jerin Steele is a freelance writer

Tags: Pine-Richland