A-K Valley, Westmoreland County swimmers thrilled to return to state meet at Bucknell

By: Michael Love
Tuesday, March 15, 2022 | 5:47 PM

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A sense of normalcy is back at the PIAA swimming and diving championships, and for the numerous qualifiers from the Alle-Kiski Valley and Westmoreland County schools, it only adds to the anticipation.

The championships return to Bucknell. Spectators return. The lineups for each event are back to 32 for each individual and relay, and the entry list for the diving competitions are back to normal with multiple qualifiers from several districts.

“It was so much better to be back at (Pitt’s) Trees Pool for WPIALs, and I know it will be the same for everyone at Bucknell,” said Plum coach Shawn Haupt, who will have three swimmers — seniors Elizabeth Glasspool (Class 3A 100-yard butterfly) and Sam Schohn (Class 2A 200 individual medley, 100 breaststroke) and freshman Giuliana Ricciuti (Class 3A 100 backstroke) — competing. “The kids feed off that. The environment and the atmosphere is everything.”

The championships begin Wednesday and Thursday with the Class 3A swimming and diving before passing the baton for Friday and Saturday’s Class 2A meet.

Only the district champions earned automatic qualification to states. That included, from the WPIAL, the Fox Chapel girls 200 medley and 400 free relays; Foxes junior Sophie Shao in the 100 fly and 200 IM; and the Franklin Regional boys 200 medley relay in Class 3A; along with the Mt. Pleasant girls 200 medley, 200 free and 400 free relays; Mt. Pleasant freshman Lily King in the 50 and 100 free; Freeport freshman Kira Schrecongost in the 100 fly; and Southmoreland junior Henry Miller in the 100 breast in Class 2A.

With the automatic qualifiers and others making it based on times posted at WPIALs, AK Valley and Westmoreland swimmers will compete 110 times over the four days at Bucknell.

Divers hoping to make an impact are Ligonier Valley senior Nick Roddy, Derry freshman Jakek Hauser, Latrobe junior Gabrielle Filzen and Fox Chapel freshman Jackson Hagler.

Shao is gunning for her third straight PIAA title in the Class 3A girls 100 fly.

She broke a 38-year-old WPIAL record March 3 at Pitt with a winning time of 53.85 seconds, and as the No. 2 seed, she will hope to overcome a number of challengers, including Hatboro-Horsham’s Annie Jia, the top seed who swam at 53.12 at the District 1 championships.

Shao also is the No. 2 seed in the 200 IM. She placed sixth in the event at states last year.

Other 2021 PIAA top-eight medalists hoping to achieve similar outcomes this year are the Fox Chapel girls 200 medley (fourth in 2021) and 400 free (seventh) relays, the Mt. Pleasant girls 200 medley (eighth) and 200 free (seventh) relays, the Belle Vernon boys 200 free (fifth) and 400 free (seventh) relays, and Miller in the 100 breast (third).

For the several seniors who will compete at the PIAA championships for the final time, including Kiski Area’s Jack Coleman, the feeling heading in is bittersweet.

“I can’t believe my high school career is coming to an end, but it’s been a great run,” said Coleman, who will swim as part of the Cavaliers’ 200 free and 400 free relays. “I am glad I am doing it with this team and all my teammates. It’s awesome. It makes it 100 times better. Our energy is high, and we all want to go in and improve times and swim our best.”

There are several first-time PIAA qualifiers hoping to earn a medal.

Highlands junior Aidan Ochoa is one of them. He will swim the 100 fly Friday and 100 back Saturday. Seeded 10th in the 100 back, he hopes to go faster than his WPIAL time (53.76) and earn a state medal.

“It’s really exciting to finally get to go,” said Ochoa, who finished fourth in the 100 back and 100 fly at WPIALs. “This year, I performed better at WPIALs. This is not my first big meet, and I am used to this stage. I know I have to give 100% because that is what all of my competitors will do. My confidence is at an all-time high, and I know I can get best times.”

If you are going

What: WPIAL Class 2A and 3A swimming and diving championships

When: Wednesday and Thursday for Class 3A; Friday and Saturday for Class 2A

Where: Bucknell University

Times: Swimming: Finals: 4:20 p.m. Wednesday (3A), 6:05 p.m. Thursday (3A); 4:20 p.m. Friday and Saturday (2A). Diving: 12:30 p.m. Wednesday (Boys 3A), 2:30 p.m. Thursday (Girls 3A); 12:30 p.m. Friday (Boys 2A), 12:30 p.m. Saturday (Girls 2A)

Events: Day 1 for Class 3A/2A: 200-yard freestyle relay, 200 free, 200 individual medley, 50 free, 100 butterfly, 200 free relay; Day 2: 100 free, 500 free, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke, 400 free relay

Medals: Top eight finishers in each event, swimming and diving

Live stream: Class 3A and 2A swimming finals on Pennsylvania Cable Network; Swimming and diving live streams on PCN Select – pcntv.com/swim and pcntv.com/dive

Social media: Twitter, Facebook, YouTube – @pcntv; Instagram – @pennsylvaniacablenetwork

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: Belle Vernon, Derry Area, Fox Chapel, Franklin Regional, Freeport, Highlands, Kiski Area, Latrobe, Ligonier Valley, Mt. Pleasant, Plum, Southmoreland