Lady Vikings’ King looks to defend WPIAL swimming gold

Mount Pleasant’s Lily King once again is top seeded as the junior seeks to successfully defend her titles when the two-day WPIAL Class AA Swimming Championship gets underway today at Trees Pool.

King posted the fastest times of the season in the 100 freestyle (49.06) and 200 freestyle (1:48.02). Teammate Kiersten O’Connor has the fastest time in the 50 freestyle of 23.67 seconds and the 100 backstroke (56.03).

The Lady Vikings’ 200 medley relay (1, 1:48.38), Maddie Barrick (23, 50 freestyle, 26.35; 23, 100 butterfly, 1:06.77), 200 freestyle relay (2, 1:41.34), Lainey Brown (11, 100 freestyle, 56.21; 13, 100 breaststroke, 1:11.15), Riley Shinsky (24, 100 freestyle, 57.60; 11, 100 backstroke, 1:04.03), Gabby Kinneer (13, 100 backstroke, 1:04.50), Kaylie Korpiel (18, 100 breaststroke, 1:13), and 400 freestyle relay (1, 3:37.43) all qualified.

The Lady Vikings also won the WPIAL team title last year. Mount Pleasant is the defending 200 freestyle relay and 400 freestyle relay champions.

The 200 medley relay (10, 1:57.13), Megan Shusteric (5, 200 freestyle, 1:59.91; 12, 100 butterfly, 1:02.69), Grace Newbould (25, 200 freestyle, 2:07.61), Ava Bosetti (12, 200 IM, 2:19.79; 9, 100 breaststroke, 1:10.30), Melina Stratigos (14, 50 freestyle, 25.80; 15, 100 freestyle, 56.62), Martyna Maley (21, 100 butterfly, 1:06.06; 100 backstroke, 1:06.29), 200 freestyle relay (13, 1:47.13), and 400 freestyle relay (6, 3:48.22) are qualifiers for the Belle Vernon girls.

Elizabeth Forward qualifiers include the 200 medley relay (12, 1:58.65), Brooke Yurkovich (6, 200 IM, 2:14.80; 8, 100 butterfly, 1:00.68), Sydney Boyd (9, 200 IM, 2:17.84; 9, 100 backstroke, 1:03.29), 200 freestyle relay (23, 1:50.49), Allison Glessner (25, 100 backstroke, 1:06.50), and 400 freestyle relay (20, 4:03.69).

The Red Raiders’ Hannah Foster is seeded sixth in the 50 freestyle (25.16) and eighth in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.85). Uniontown’s Joss Rutter qualified in the 200 IM (33, 2:28.75) and 50 freestyle (20, 26.04).

The 200 medley relay (19, 2:01.71), Kassidy Callahan (23, 200 IM, 2:24.16; 22, 100 butterfly, 1:06.48), 200 freestyle relay (19, 1:49.68), Kallee Maloy (22, 500 freestyle, 5:38.95; 31, 100 backstroke, 1:06.85), and 400 freestyle relay (17, 3:59.15) qualified for the Connellsville girls.

Addie Ciez represents Laurel Highlands after qualifying in the 200 freestyle (10. 2:01.25) and 500 freestyle (11, 5:32.07).

Ringgold’s 200 medley relay (21, 2:01.98), Emily Carpeal (22, 200 IM, 2:24.13; 12, 500 freestyle, 5:32.78), Natalie Noll (9, 100 butterfly, 1:01.47; 4, 100 backstroke, 1:00.06), 200 freestyle relay (14, 1:47.81), and 400 freestyle relay (18, 4:00.76) qualified for the district meet.

The Mount Pleasant boys’ 200 medley relay enters with the fastest time of the season with a mark of 1:36.11.

David Mutter has the fastest time in the 100 butterfly (49.53) and is seeded second in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:41.30, as is Joseph Gardner in the 200 IM (1:53.90). Gardner won the 100 breaststroke with a WPIAL record time and is the top seed in the event with a time of 56.94 seconds.

The Vikings’ Gunner Probst (16, 50 freestyle, 23.41), Logan Snively (8, 100 butterfly, 55.08; 3, 100 backstroke, 54.01), Seth Painter (18, 100 butterfly, 58.09; 20, 100 freestyle, 51.41), Lucas Poole (22, 100 butterfly, 59.05), 200 freestyle relay (6, 1:31.26), Quinn Heinnickel (21, 100 breaststroke, 1:08.31), and 400 freestyle relay (1, 3:14.72) all qualified.

Uniontown’s Logan Voytish is seeded second in the 100 freestyle with a time of 47.64 seconds and has the third-fastest time in the 100 butterfly (51.84).

The Red Raiders’ 200 medley relay (12, 1:46.84), Parker King (14, 200 freestyle, 1:53.70; 9, 100 breaststroke, 1:03.21), and 200 freestyle relay (11, 1:34.20) earned berths into the district final.

The Falcons’ Kasey Stanton is seeded fourth in the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.04 seconds and 10th in the 100 freestyle (50.03).

Connellsville’s 200 medley relay (19, 1:52.31), Cory Stanton (31, 200 freestyle, 1:59.92; 30, 500 freestyle, 5:27.84), 200 freestyle relay (15, 1:37.24), and 400 freestyle relay (13, 3:39.71) all will swim in the WPIAL meet.

Laurel Highlands sophomore Kasey Mahoney qualified in the 200 IM (9, 2:03.14) and 100 breaststroke (6, 1:01.19).

Elizabeth Forward’s 200 medley relay (4, 1:40.84), Matt Vietmeier (19, 200 freestyle, 1:54.79; 23, 100 freestyle, 51.70), Brodie Weagley (11, 2:06.52; 11, 100 butterfly, 56.15), Bryce McLaughlin (7, 50 freestyle, 22.41; 19, 100 freestyle, 51.40), Thomas Fine (13, 50 freestyle, 23.00; 12, 100 breaststroke, 1:04.86), Ethan Glessner (9, 100 butterfly, 55.66; 6, 100 backstroke, 56.14), Garrett Vietmeier (20, 100 breaststroke, 1:07.55), and 400 freestyle relay (12, 3:39.36) will swim in the WPIAL final.

Ringgold’s 200 medley relay (13, 1:49.68), Gionni Traeger (6, 200 freestyle, 1:49.04; 7, 100 freestyle, 49.07), Benjamin Carpeal (6, 200 IM, 2:02.44; 10, 500 freestyle, 5:04.82), Korben Andrews (25, 200 IM), Brandon Nguyen (9, 50 freestyle, 22.65; 11, 100 breaststroke, 1:04.14), Ethan Rahr (23, 50 freestyle, 23.76; 39, 100 freestyle, 53.14), Korben Andrews (19, 100 butterfly, 58.27), 200 freestyle relay (5, 1:31.25), Tyler George (18, 100 freestyle, 51.15; 10, 100 backstroke, 59.67), and 400 freestyle relay (11, 3:30.57) qualified for the WPIAL meet.

Tim Reda (13, 200 freestyle, 1:53.13; 13, 500 freestyle,5:07.49), Gaige Watson (28, 200 IM, 2:15.40), and 400 freestyle relay (15, 3:41.60) are WPIAL Belle Vernon’s qualifiers.

Albert Gallatin sophomore Aaron Moccaldi earned a lane in the 200 IM (20, 2:13.12) and 100 backstroke (12, 1:00.44).