Gateway swimmers getting healthy ahead of key stretch of meets

By: Michael Love
Sunday, January 14, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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Gateway swim coach Glenn Raymer said getting healthy and staying healthy is a main focus for team members as they move into the heart of their section meet schedule.

Raymer said it’s been a grind the past couple of weeks as several have missed practices or meets recovering from illnesses.

“It was just a revolving door,” he said.

“I probably only had half the team here for a practice at any given point every day. Some kids would be out for two or three days at a time or even an entire week. It was frustrating in terms of what we wanted to do as far as training and growth. I would look back to see where someone was so I could craft specific things for them to get them back up to speed. I would have several different workouts going at different times.”

But through it all, he said, he is pleased with the resolve of the team members. He said there is an overall optimism among the teams that the best is yet to come as they continue to build on a number of strong performances in meets over the first half of the season.

“I think we have crested the point of the illnesses and are on the other side of it,” Raymer said.

“As much as we work on things in the water, conversations also center around getting enough rest, staying hydrated, and eating the right foods, things like that.

“I like what we have done with our WPIAL qualifications. There are a number of kids on the bubble for getting up on the (qualifying board) or adding to what they’ve already done.”

All six Gators relays have secure spots for WPIALs.

Gateway swimmers and divers hope to add individual WPIAL cuts and improve on performances in the coming weeks as they match up with the likes of Hempfield, Elizabeth Forward, Mars, Fox Chapel, Hampton, Baldwin and Shaler.

The meets all lead up to the WPIAL diving championships Feb. 23-24 and the WPIAL swim finals Feb. 29 and March 1 at Pitt’s Trees Pool.

The Gators found success Jan. 8 against Woodland Hills and posted eight additional WPIAL qualifying marks: sophomore Gunner Raymer in the 200 free and 500 free, freshman Aliya Rassiane in the 200 free and 100 free, senior Mark DiPalma in the 200 free, senior McKenna Brown in the 200 individual medley, junior Hunter Raymer in the 100 back, and senior Mallory Brown in the 100 breaststroke.

Gunner Raymer has secured every WPIAL cut except for the 100 back which he will be going for in an upcoming meet.

He also is a part of all three relay qualifiers.

Last year, in his WPIAL debut, he posted an 11th in the 200 IM and a 12th in the 100 free.

Gunner Raymer said he likes the flexibility he has to decide what two individual events he will enter for WPIALs.

“I am really not sure about my 200 IM,” Raymer said. “I am thinking about the 200 free, but I know my 100 free will be there. It’s always nice to have those options.”

He said he was one of the unlucky ones to fall victim to illness in December.

“I was down for about a week,” Raymer said.

“I’ve been trying to battle back from that, and the last couple meets have been pretty decent, so I am pretty happy with that. There’s been a lot of overall positive energy in meets, and I hope that will continue.”

The WPIAL performance lists for individual swimmers, relays and divers were released for the first time Jan. 9, and it was a welcomed sight for Gateway competitors who got a chance to see where they ranked in several events in Class 3A (boys) and Class 2A (girls) after the first group of meets through the opening week of the New Year.

Hunter Raymer sits No. 3 in the boys Class 3A 200 IM (1:56.58), in the mix with a group that includes North Allegheny junior Augustus Miller (first) and Fox Chapel sophomore Owen Howell (second).

The girls 200 free relay leads Class 2A. The quartet swam to a top time of 1:44.34 in a meet with Penn-Trafford on Dec. 7.

Sophomore Bailey Steele again has qualified for the Class 2A diving championships. She punched her ticket with 189.65 points at a meet with Mars on Dec. 18.

“The kids have the opportunity to see the lists and see what their best opportunities are,” coach Raymer said.

“They know who is going to swim what, probably better than most coaches. They are going to see where they fall and in what events give them the best chance to medal or get to states. It also is a great motivator as far as letting them see that they have or work they need to do to be in a good position heading into WPIALs.”

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