The Tigers Swim and Dive team headed to Trees Pool on the University of Pittsburgh’s campus late last month where both the girls and boys got the WPIAL win. For the girls, it was their 18th consecutive title, and for the boys their fourth.
As the meet started, so did the momentum.
“I would say our strong girls and boys medley relay really set the tone for the meet and gave us motivation to do what we came there to do as the boys got first and the girls got second,” said standout sophomore Evey Masztak.
It was only up from there, as senior Claire Bacu took home the WPIAL gold in the 200-yard freestyle and junior Julia Tengowski took home the bronze. Additionally, Madden Woycheck claimed points with a fourth place finish in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-freestyle.
The Tigers could not be stopped as they continued taking home top finishes, including a first by Bacu in the 500-yard freestyle, a second by the team’s 200-yard freestyle relay (featuring Annie Elliot, Sydney DeHainaut, Masztak, and Woycheck), and a fourth with Tori Tieppo in the 100-yard backstroke. The last event ended with a second-place finish in the 400-yard freestyle relay featuring Bacu, DeHainaut, Dani Hinkson, and Tengowski.
The North Allegheny girls finished with 495 points, over 100 points more than the second-place finisher. The total score also included the diving, where senior Maggie Lapina won her second consecutive WPIAL title and sophomore Leah Maiolo picked up sixth place.
Tengowski, a junior, said her favorite moment from WPIALs was “just being on the podium with everyone after we won.”
Woycheck, a senior, commented on what the win means to her, “ It’s so rewarding to see everyone’s hard work pay off and see people achieve goals they have had for months or even years!”
The boys finished with 483 points, over 200 points ahead of the second place finisher. Again, this score included impressive diving finishes, as senior Ethan Maravich defended his title and junior Anthony Farrah finished in second place.
Peter Ross talked about how the team prepared for the win.
“We worked up throughout the season to reach a peak during January and we worked back down so our bodies would be prepared for WPIALs,” he said.
The boys came out strong with Danny Lesinski, Alex Harbaugh, Mason Shantz, and Zachary Totin winning gold in the 200-yard medley relay. Then junior Jackson Ross took home bronze in the 200-yard freestyle with senior Dylan Seiford taking fourth, and freshman Peter Ross claiming sixth. Additional medals came from senior Zachary Totin with fourth in the 50-yard freestyle, senior Emmanuel Chu taking eight in the 200-yard IM, senior Mason Shantz with silver in the 100-yard butterfly and Harbaugh in fourth. The boys handled the victory with ease.
For Jackson Ross, “making the podium with my brother in both events” was a highlight.
Chu commented on the team’s success.
“I believe that the biggest factor behind our program’s success is the leadership shown by our older teammates,” the senior said. “When I was a freshman, the work ethic of the older swimmers inspired me to develop a better sense of discipline. And as a senior this year, I sincerely hope that I, and fellow seniors, have passed this sense of discipline and hard work to our younger teammates in the same way that my heroes had done. I have no doubt that the future generations of this wonderful team will continue this tradition of excellence.”
The Tiger will now focus on the PIAA Swimming & Diving state championships that will be held on tomorrow and Thursday at Bucknell University. The boys’ team is looking to defend their state title, while the girls’ team is looking to capture their ninth.
