Plum swimmers making their marks in WPIAL competition

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, January 15, 2018 | 6:53 PM

The Plum swimming team takes to the pool for a pair of meets this week with hopes of building on positive moments in and out of competition so far this season.

The Mustangs will swim at Deer Lakes at 6 p.m. Tuesday and host Woodland Hills in Section 3-AAA action at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Devan Taylor owns the 100-yard breaststroke school record. The junior has lowered the top time on several occasions since she established it as a freshman.

She recorded her best 100 breast time in a dual meet with a 1:06.00 last Thursday against Fox Chapel. According to the list of individual top times on the WPIAL website, the time is the best in Class 3A this season.

Taylor made program history earlier in the meet against Fox Chapel as she set a new school record in the 200 IM with a time of 2:09.64.

The previous record of 2:10.30 by Plum Sports Hall of Famer Karen Van Tassel stood for 25 years.

“Devan said in practice the day before the Fox Chapel meet she was going to break the 200 IM record, and I believed her,” Plum coach Shawn Haupt said. “That's one less pressure for WPIALs. She has those records. Now it's just about qualifying for states.”

The 200 IM mark puts Taylor in sixth place in the WPIAL individual times list for Class 3A. She also has qualified for WPIALs in the 50 free, 100 free and 200 free.

Justin DeCheck has been out of the water for the past couple of weeks as he battled illness. But he still has recorded times that have qualified him for WPIALs set for late next month.

He has qualifying marks in the 100 back (54.38), 100 fly (54.31), 200 IM (2:02.75), 50 free (22.96) and 100 free (49.58).

DeCheck is 11th on the WPIAL 100 back time list and 15th in the 100 fly.

Freshman Charlotte Jones also punched her ticket to WPIALs in the 200 IM with a time of 2:18.46 against Fox Chapel.

“Charlotte is doing great and is posting times right around personal bests,” Haupt said. “She's close to qualifying in the 100 fly. She's on track with all her goals.”

Haupt said the season as a whole for all of his swimmers has been both positive and productive, and he expects more WPIAL qualifying times to be reached in upcoming meets.

“The kids are mentally there and working hard,” he said. “They understand it's a roller coaster ride of a season. Every season is that way. They don't get too high or too low on a swim result. They are really supporting each other.”

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

Tags: Plum