The Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) held its WPIAL/UPMC Sports Medicine Boys’ Swimming Championships this past Thursday and Friday at Joseph C. Trees Pool on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh.

North Allegheny extended its record-setting run by becoming a 20-time WPIAL boys’ swimming & diving team champion. The Tigers have now won four consecutive titles in Class 3A. They remain second in league history behind Bethel Park’s 28 titles.

In Class 2A, Northgate moved into the top spot to become the team champion, finishing with 257 points. They were followed on the leaderboard by runner-up Indiana (169 points) and Mt. Pleasant (159 points). This was Northgate's second WPIAL team championship and first since 2018.

Individual history was also made as several athletes returned to the top of the podium. Upper St. Clair’s Nazar Zoukovski successfully defended his 100 freestyle title, while Indiana’s Joshua Reed became a repeat champion in the 50 freestyle. Northgate’s Sam Cavanaugh also joined the multi-year winner club by defending his 200 individual medley title.

CLASS 3A RECAP
North Allegheny won its fourth consecutive Class 3A team championship with a point total of 483, finishing 228 points ahead of runner-up Mt. Lebanon. The Tigers showed their depth by winning all three relay events and taking gold in the 100 backstroke.

The meet began with North Allegheny winning the 200 medley relay, as the team of Danny Lesinski, Zachary Totin, Alex Harbaugh, and Mason Shantz finished in 1:31.12. Upper St. Clair took the silver medal with a time of 1:31.69, while Bethel Park earned bronze at 1:35.54.

Mt. Lebanon junior Rinzen Sherpa won the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:38.25. He finished ahead of Upper St. Clair senior Nazar Zoukovski (1:40.45) and North Allegheny junior Danny Lesinski (1:41.01). Sherpa later added a second gold medal in the 500 freestyle, touching the wall in 4:29.87.

Fox Chapel senior Christian Dantey took the gold in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:49.19. Mt. Lebanon’s Michael Zhu finished second in 1:53.30, and North Allegheny’s Harbaugh took third in 1:53.51.

Bethel Park junior Jackson Edwards won the 50 freestyle with a time of 20.35 seconds, finishing ahead of North Allegheny senior Zachary Totin (20.73). Edwards also captured the gold in the 100 butterfly, touching the wall in 48.61 seconds.

In the 50 Para freestyle swim, Finn Thompson (Mt. Lebanon) won with a time of 34.93, setting a new WPIAL record.

Nazar Zoukovski repeated as the 100 freestyle champion with a time of 44.89 seconds. Other individual winners included North Allegheny's Danny Lesinski in the 100 backstroke (48.24) and Greater Latrobe senior Chris Heese in the 100 breaststroke (55.48).

North Allegheny closed the meet by winning the 400 freestyle relay in 3:02.16, followed by Mt. Lebanon (3:07.41) and Upper St. Clair (3:08.20).

CLASS 2A RECAP
Northgate won the Class 2A team championship with 257 points. The Flames began the swimming portion of the meet by winning the 200 medley relay, as the team of Greyson McKelvey, Sam Cavanaugh, Nate Parker, and Jakob Vranick posted a time of 1:36.87.

Indiana junior Joshua Reed became a two-time champion in the 50 freestyle, winning with a time of 21.41 seconds. Reed also took the gold medal in the 100 freestyle, touching the wall in 45.45 seconds. He also anchored Indiana’s winning 200 freestyle relay team (1:26.56).

Northgate senior Sam Cavanaugh defended his title in the 200 individual medley with a time of 1:53.81. Cavanaugh also won the 100 breaststroke, finishing in 56.41 seconds to beat South Fayette’s 2025 runner-up placement in that event.

Isaac Barton took home the gold in the 100 para freestyle swim and was the lone swimmer from Freeport to medal at the championships.

Sophomore Greyson McKelvey contributed to Northgate's team score by winning the 200 freestyle (1:43.72) and the 100 backstroke (51.87). Other Class 2A individual winners included:

• Connor Sutterlin (Hampton): Won the 100 butterfly in 52.27 seconds.
• Sam West (Shady Side Academy): Won the 500 freestyle with a time of 4:43.51.

Northgate finished the meet by winning the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:12.79, ahead of Mt. Pleasant (3:15.86) and Indiana (3:15.93).