Kira Schrecongost leads way for Freeport swimmers

By: Michael Love
Monday, January 8, 2024 | 8:43 PM

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Kira Schrecongost again was an iron woman at the WPIAL and PIAA swimming championships.

The Freeport junior last season swam four events — two individual and two relays — on the first day of the WPIAL Class 2A meet at Pitt’s Trees Pool.

She earned four medals that day — the 200-yard individual medley (third) and 100 butterfly (second) and the 200 medley relay (fourth) and 200 free relay (seventh) — and was a part of the state meet in all four events totaling seven swims at Bucknell.

Schrecongost said there still are decisions to be made as to whether she will swim those same events again and test her mettle on a single day at the two top events in Pennsylvania high school swimming.

“There’s always room for options,” said Schrecongost who won the WPIAL Class 2A 100 fly title as a freshman in 2022.

“I know I’ve done the same events the past two years. I would know what to expect and would be confident if I do those events again. But I’ve been working hard in other areas, too. This year, it could be a big surprise for everyone, for sure.”

Schrecongost, who placed third in the 100 fly and sixth in the 200 IM at states, entered the week having qualified in six events.

With a month and a half remaining until those final decisions need to be made across the board, Freeport swimmers have a lot of strategy to formulate as a deeper girls squad hopes to make an impact on the WPIAL landscape.

Coach Cheryl Schrecongost said with the mix of seasoned swimmers — no one graduated from last season’s girls team — and the influx of newcomers such as Kira’s sister, freshman Kasey Schrecongost, the hope is there for a move up the WPIAL team standings from last year’s eighth-place finish.

Caitlyn Brennan, the only senior on either the boys or girls teams, is one of two captains along with junior Isabelle Barrton. The Clarion commit came close last year to a pair of top-eight individual medals at WPIALs.

She was 10th in the 100 fly and 11th in the 100 back.

“I would love to see Caitlyn up on the podium (individually),” Coach Schrecongost said. “She is such a team leader. She is taking ownership of her final season.”

Barton placed 14th in the 500 free and was 20th in the 200 free.

Brennan, Barton, Schrecongost and junior Danielle Parke combined their talents to take fourth at WPIALs in the 200 medley relay.

The 200 free relay of Brennan, Barton, Schrecongost and junior Mary Anne Altman medaled in seventh at WPIALs.

The 200 medley relay made the consolation finals at states and finished 16th.

Coach Schrecongost said those relays could return intact, but there also are a lot of options for new combinations.

Without a pool of their own, Freeport swimmers again have used meets to refine and define the possibilities for each relay combination.

“There is some flexibility for those relays,” she said. “We have freshmen who are pretty fast. Anything goes. All of the girls are fighting for times. They push each other with their own goals and expectations and the goals and expectations for the entire team. They all want the relays to be faster and want to help make that possible.”

Altman (50 and 100 free) and Parke (200 IM and 100 breast) also swam a pair of individual events at WPIALs last year.

“I think sometimes we at Freeport get overlooked as compared to the other teams in Class 2A,” Schrecongost said.

“We’re not that big of a school and we don’t have as many swimmers as some other teams, but I am confident of what we can do as a team. The girls are practicing hard, and they have that energy. They are fresh and ready to go.”

The WPIAL performance lists posted to the WPIAL website always are a sought after commodity throughout the regular season as swimmers check their times and positions against the other top performers to help with strategy in advance of WPIAL and also motivation to go faster.

Kira Schrecongost said she and her teammates are anxious for the first lists to be posted.

“We don’t check them every day, but we do check often,” she said.

“We’re wondering why they haven’t been posted. Seeing the lists and where you are on them kind of puts you in a certain mindset. You’ll know if you need to pick it up over the next week. It gets everyone pumped up because you know that WPIALs are getting that much closer.”

While the girls team hopes depth and returning talent can carry them to big things in late February and into March, a smaller boys team hopes to see improvements throughout the coming weeks.

Junior Nathaniel Tarbi looks to put his experience of swimming at WPIALs last year to good use as he seeks to move up the ladder in his events.

He was 15th in the 100 free (50.58) and 17th in the 50 free (23.09) in his WPIAL debut last season.

So far, Tarbi has secured qualifying cuts in the 100 free, 200 free, 500 free and 200 IM.

“He’s definitely looking to take that next step, and he is confident in his swims. He knows he has room to improve,” coach Schrecongost said.

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: Freeport