Pittsburgh, Pa. – The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) hosted its WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Boys’ Swimming Championships in two classifications this past Thursday and Friday at Joseph C. Trees Pool on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh. Over the two days, a total of 10 championship meet records fell and three student-athletes claimed their second or third championships in an event, with North Allegheny and Indiana ultimately emerging as the team champions of Class 3A and Class 2A, respectively.
North Allegheny’s championship at Class 3A is its 18th overall, which is the second most in league history behind Bethel Park’s 28. The Tigers’ newest trophy now joins ones from 1980, 2001, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2023.
Indiana is now a six-time team champion at Class 2A, winning all those titles over the last 14 seasons. The Little Indians are in sole possession of seventh all-time in league championships, previously winning theirs in 2011, 2012, 2013, 2019, and 2020.
In Class 3A, Central Catholic senior McClellan Clark won his second straight gold medal in the 500 freestyle, and North Allegheny senior William Gao became a two-time champion in the 100 butterfly. The Tigers won their second consecutive 200 medley relay, and on Saturday, Feb. 24, Seneca Valley senior Isaiah Clerkley became a repeat champion in the 1-meter dive.
At Class 2A, Indiana junior Preston Kessler won his third straight titles in the 100 and 200 freestyles. The Little Indians also claimed gold in the 200 freestyle relay for the second year in a row, and on Friday, Feb. 23, Blackhawk senior Brecken Finkbeiner won his second 1-meter dive title.
Each event champion and additional student-athletes and relay teams move onto the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) Boys’ Swimming & Diving Championships, which will be held on March 13-16 at Kinney Natatorium on the campus of Bucknell University.
CLASS 3A RECAP
North Allegheny went back-to-back in Class 3A, winning the WPIAL team championship with 402.5 points – 120.5 ahead of runner-up Upper St. Clair at 282. The Tigers, who entered with 14 points from the WPIAL Boys’ Diving Championships, brought home gold medals in four events (200 medley relay, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 freestyle relay), added runner-up finishes in the 200 individual medley, 100 freestyle, and 400 freestyle relay, and a bronze in the 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle.
North Allegheny opened up Thursday’s session with its second consecutive victory in the 200 medley relay, as the team of senior William Gao, junior Gus Miller, senior Riley Williams, and junior Grant Regule clocked in at 1:32.39. Upper St. Clair posted a time of 1:33.85 to claim silver, and Mt. Lebanon finished third with a time of 1:35.39.
Central Catholic junior Luke Hartman touched the wall 0.06 seconds quicker than Fox Chapel junior Christian Dantey to win gold in the 200 freestyle. Hartman’s time of 1:39.39 topped the reigning champion Dantey, with third-place McClellan Clark of Central Catholic (1:39.76) and fourth-place Nazar Zoukovski (1:39.96) also under 1:40.
Fox Chapel junior Owen Howell was victorious in the 200 individual medley, registering a time of 1:52.38. He was followed by North Allegheny’s Gus Miller (1:54.33) in second and Gateway junior Hunter Raymer (1:54.40) in third.
The Tigers claimed their second gold medal of the day in the 50 freestyle, as Grant Regule’s time of 20.63 edged Bethel Park freshman Jackson Edwards (21.17). North Hills senior Dane Fazio finished third with a time of 21.21.
William Gao made it two straight wins for North Allegheny by taking his second 100 butterfly time, touching the wall in 49.07. Franklin Regional senior Holden Thomas was right behind time with a time of 49.62, and Gao’s teammate Zachary Totin placed third with a 50.14.
The Tigers finished strong on the first day with a victory in the 200 freestyle relay, as the quartet of Danny Lesinski, Dylan Seiford, Grant Regule, and Zachary Totin posted a time of 1:24.51. Upper St. Clair clocked in at 1:24.74 to finish second, and Bethel Park’s time of 1:26.46 was good for third.
Upper St. Clair sophomore Nazar Zoukovski won the first event of Friday’s session in the 100 freestyle, edging Regule with a time of 45.80. Regule’s 45.85 was good for bronze, while reigning champion Patton Graziano of Penn-Trafford finished third with a 51.36.
Central Catholic junior McClellan Clark won his second 500 freestyle with a time of 4:25.26, breaking the old WPIAL championship meet record in the process. The previous mark of 4:27.01 was set in 2009 by North Allegheny’s Jonathan Buerger. Clark’s teammate Luke Hartman made it a one-two finish for the Vikings with a time of 4:30.00, and North Allegheny senior Josh Berty’s 4:35.77 was good for third.
Franklin Regional’s Holden Thomas was victorious in the 100 backstroke, touching the wall in 49.08. Penn-Trafford’s Patton Graziano placed second with a mark of 49.76, and Bethel Park’s Jackson Edwards was third with a time of 50.10.
Mt. Lebanon senior Ryan Frank won the 100 breaststroke, registering a time of 55.28. North Hills’s Dane Fazio finished second at 57.08, and Fox Chapel’s Christian Dantey placed third at 57.43.
Upper St. Clair topped the podium in the final event of the meet, as the team of senior Max Shipley, sophomore Ben Whiteford, senior Whit Burns, and Nazar Zoukovski clocked in at 3:05.63. North Allegheny came in second with a time of 3:05.99, and Franklin Regional’s 3:11.26 placed third.
Following North Allegheny and Upper St. Clair on the team leaderboard was Mt. Lebanon (204.5), Central Catholic (191.5), Fox Chapel (166), Bethel Park (164.5), Franklin Regional (143), Penn-Trafford (122), Moon (115), and Gateway (98). A total of 22 teams had at least one student-athlete or relay that scored a team point.
CLASS 2A RECAP
Taking top place on the podium in six of 12 events, Indiana captured the Class 2A team championship with a total of 302 points – 155.5 points more than runner-up Northgate at 199.5. The Little Indians began last week with 24 points from the WPIAL Boys’ Diving Championships, and proceeded to build upon that number with wins in the 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 200 freestyle relay, 100 freestyle, 100 breaststroke, and 400 freestyle relay.
Mt. Pleasant started with the first win of the Thursday session, with the team of senior Logan Snively, junior Joseph Gardner, junior David Mutter, and sophomore Gunner Probst winning the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:34.15. Both the Vikings and runner-up Northgate (1:35.56) broke the previous WPIAL championship record of 1:35.80, set by North Catholic last year. Hampton finished third with a mark of 1:37.86.
Indiana junior Preston Kessler broke both the WPIAL and PIAA championship records in the 200 freestyle, clocking in at 1:38.26. The previous WPIAL mark of 1:39.87 was set in 2008 by Shady Side Academy’s Trevor Scheid, while the PIAA standard of 1:38.31 was from Clearfield’s Luke Mikesell in 2019. Mt. Pleasant’s David Mutter (1:41.24) finished second and Shady Side Academy junior Soren Cooper (1:41.64) placed third.
The Little Indians broke another record in the 200 individual medley relay, as senior Alex Bauer took the gold with a time of 1:49.62. The previous WPIAL standard of 1:51.38 was set last year by Northgate’s Matthew Purcell. Kiski Area junior Justin Tucker clocked in at 1:54.45 to claim silver, and both Northgate sophomore Sam Cavanaugh and Mt. Pleasant’s Joseph Gardner touched the wall in 1:56.36 to share bronze.
North Catholic junior Luke Lamb was victorious in the 50 freestyle, finishing with a time of 20.50. Riverside senior Joseph Roth clocked in at 21.15 to finish second, and Kiski Area junior Riley Yute took third with a time of 21.66.
Mt. Pleasant’s David Mutter won the 100 butterfly after clocking in at 48.30, which set a new WPIAL championship meet record. The previous WPIAL record of 48.87 was established last year by Southmoreland’s Henry Miller. Northgate senior Zachary Schuster (50.45) and Hampton junior Chris Belch (50.73) placed second and third, respectively.
Indiana broke its own WPIAL standard in the 200 freestyle relay to end the day, as the team of Alex Bauer, Preston Kessler, and juniors Joey Margita and Rey Nunez touched the wall in 1:24.43. That shaved 1.81 seconds off their previous record, which featured the same four swimmers. Greater Latrobe placed second with a time of 1:27.70, and Riverside finished third at 1:28.81.
The Little Indians’ Preston Kessler opened the Friday session with his third 200 freestyle title and second broken WPIAL championship meet record, clocking in at 44.45. The previous WPIAL standard of 44.68 was set in 2020 by Belle Vernon’s Ian Shahan. Uniontown senior Logan Voytish (47.23) finished second and Northgate senior Isaac Stoeckle (47.87) took third.
Shady Side Academy’s Soren Cooper claimed gold in the 500 freestyle, touching the wall in 4:35.98. Kiski Area junior Justin Tucker finished second with a time of 4:39.46, and Northgate’s Sam Cavanaugh came home third at 4:45.61.
North Catholic’s Luke Lamb won his second gold medal of the championships in the 100 backstroke, setting a new WPIAL championship meet record at 48.68. The previous WPIAL standard of 49.40 was set last year by three-time champion Joseph Roth of Riverside, who finished second this year with a time of 49.41. Hampton’s Chris Belch posted a 51.27 to place third.
Indiana’s Alex Bauer bested the WPIAL and PIAA championship meet records in the 100 breaststroke, winning his second gold medal of the championships with a time of 55.08. Both previous records were set last year by Mt. Pleasant’s Joseph Gardner, who had a time of 55.81 in the WPIAL championships and 55.23 at the PIAA level. Gardner bested his WPIAL mark from 2023 with a time of 55.27 to finish second, and Northgate’s Zachary Schuster (56.51) came in third.
The Little Indians broke their sixth WPIAL championship meet record to end the event in the 400 freestyle relay, with Rey Nunez, Alex Bauer, Preston Kessler, and freshman Joshua Reed clocking in at 3:06.36. Kiski Area held the previous WPIAL championship record with a time of 3:10.23, set last year. Greater Latrobe (3:13.11) and Northgate (3:14.44) finished second and third, respectively.
Following Indiana and Northgate on the team leaderboard was Mt. Pleasant (192.5), Greater Latrobe (168), Shady Side Academy (140), Kiski Area (139), Riverside (126), Hampton (123), Blackhawk (116), and Ringgold (95.5). A total of 33 teams had at least one student-athlete or relay that scored a team point.
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