Jones moves at record pace
PITTSBURGH — Knoch's Abby Jones admits her effort in the WPIAL Class AA girls' 200-yard freestyle could have been better, but she still managed a school record in the event.
Jones, a junior, finished fifth with a time of 1 minute, 57.21 seconds Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool.
“I went a lot faster than expected,” said Jones, who shaved more than four and a half seconds from her seed time. “I had a lot of energy at the start, but tightened up at the end. Overall, it was a good swim. I just need to pace myself better next time.”
Hopefully, that will be in the state championship meet next month. Jones was one spot away from an automatic qualifying berth. She has already competed in the PIAA meet twice.
Jones also was part of two relays that had a strong showing. In the 200 medley and 200 freestyle, she teamed with Maya Wirtz, Rachael Wittmer and Brooke Zukowski to place sixth with times of 1:57.1 and 1:45.61, respectively.
The effort in the 200 medley was above the girls' expectations. The team was seeded tenth coming in.
“We really wanted the podium (top eight),” Jones said. “And we knew we needed to win our heat to do that.”
“Our kids perform well down here,” said Knoch coach Rick Hassler. “They enjoy the excitement and work hard for it.”
Zukowski placed second in the 200 individual medley (2:09.83) and Freeport's Bria Otwell did likewise in the 200 freestyle (1:56.03).
That is Otwell's best time in high school competition, though she has a 1:55 to her credit in club swimming.
“Considering I haven't swam the 200 much, I was pleased with how I did and I felt good out there today,” said Otwell, who has a USA Swimming sectional meet coming up in March for Pine-Richland Aquatics. “I would have been happy with just getting to the medal stand. This is a very busy time of the year for me. I will build up my yardage through states and then sectionals.”
Otwell's teammate, junior Zoe Pawlak, is moving on to states with a fourth-place effort in the 50 freestyle.
Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Brooke Carmazzi took home a medal after placing eighth in the 200 freestyle.
Class AAA
Seneca Valley's Abby Parsons, Sophia Gaguzis, Kassi Grumski and Hannah Fernandes teamed up for seventh place in the 200 freestyle relay.
Following are results from the WPIAL Swimming Championships, which began Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool. Butler County swimmers who guaranteed themselves a spot at the upcoming state championship meet appear in bold. The top eight in each event earned a medal.Class AAAGirls200 medley relay: 1-North Allegheny 1:42.56; 16-Butler (Kaelyn Emanuel, Morgan Keelan, Emma Weiss, Jillian McElhaney) 1:54.35200 freestyle: 1-Lauren McGrath (North Allegheny) 1:49.8200 individual medley: 1-Kathryn Painter (Norwin) 2:03.01; 14-Sophia Gaguzis (Seneca Valley) 2:14.650 freestyle: 1-Jacquelyn Du (North Allegheny) 23.26; 13-Jillian McElhaney (Butler) 24.64; 15-Hannah Fernandes (Seneca Valley) 24.73100 butterfly: 1-Kayla Churman (North Allegheny) 55.54; 12-Abby Parsons (Seneca Valley) 59.2200 freestyle relay: 1-North Allegheny 1:33.76; 7-Seneca Valley (Abby Parsons, Sophia Gaguzis, Kassi Grumski, Hannah Fernandes) 1:40.04Boys200 medley relay: 1-Upper St. Clair 1:30.32; 10-Butler (Nathan Callithen, Tukker Uniatowski, Joey Deemer, Alex Wigton) 1:40.06; 11-Seneca Valley (Nate Burkett, Christian Sawyer, Spencer Tretter, Mike Palaski) 1:40.3200 freestyle: 1-Brian Lovasik (North Hills) 1:38.89; 6-Spencer Tretter (Seneca Valley) 1:43.26200 individual medley: 1-Fynn Minuth (Upper St. Clair) 1:49.83; 13-Tukker Uniatowski (Butler) 1:59.0650 freestyle: 1-Norman Gregory (Penn Hills) 21.07; 6-Mike Palaski (Seneca Valley) 21.63100 butterfly: 1-Ryan Dudzinski (Upper St. Clair) 47.93; 14-Joey Deemer (Butler) 53.68200 freestyle relay: 1-Upper St. Clair 1:23.28; 8-Seneca Valley (Spencer Tretter, Nate Burkett, Jake Lee, Mike Palaski) 1:29.46Class AAGirls200 medley relay: 1-Shady Side Academy 1:52.1; 6-Knoch (Maya Wirtz, Abby Jones, Brooke Zukowski, Rachael Wittmer) 1:57.1; 10(tie)-Freeport (Zoe Pawlak, Maggie Ehalt, Bria Otwell, Kaitlyn Nicholas) 2:00.3200 freestyle: 1-Maddie Bartrug (South Fayette) 1:55.52; 2-Bria Otwell (Freeport) 1:56.03; 5-Abby Jones (Knoch) 1:57.21; 8-Brooke Carmazzi (CWNC) 1:58.01200 individual medley: 1-Bailey Bonnett (Highlands) 2:03.36; 2-Brooke Zukowski (Knoch) 2:09.83; 16-Maya Wirtz (Knoch) 2:24.5550 freestyle: 1-Emily Zimcosky (Geibel Catholic) 23.1; 4-Zoe Pawlak (Freeport) 24.4; 9-Lena Clerici (CWNC) 25.54; 16-Torrey Shields (Mars) 26.14100 butterfly: 1-Sabrina Bowman (St. Joseph) 57.58200 freestyle relay: 1-Shady Side Academy 1:39.82; 6-Knoch (Abby Jones, Maya Wirtz, Rachael Wittmer, Brooke Zukowski) 1:45.61Boys200 medley relay: 1-Quaker Valley 1:39.98; 5-Knoch (Austin Wittmer, John Wilson, Matt Karenbauer, Derek Ekas) 1:42.22200 freestyle: 1-Jarod Kehl (West Allegheny) 1:43.59; 4-Reed McDonough (Mars) 1:46.46; 7-Joseph Folz (Mars) 1:48.96200 individual medley: 1-Ben Kocsis (Hampton) 1:56.24; 4-John Wilson (Knoch) 1:59.43; 5-Austin Wittmer (Knoch) 2:01.62; 9-Jimmy Pierre (Mars) 2:05.8850 freestyle:1-Francis Folz (Mars) 21.71; 5-Reed McDonough (Mars) 22.2; 12-Derek Ekas (Knoch) 23.09100 butterfly: 1-Brian Uhrin (Greensburg Central Catholic) 51.29; 14-Matt Karenbauer (Knoch) 58.22200 freestyle relay: 1-Quaker Valley 1:29.2; 3-Knoch (Austin Wittmer, Derek Ekas, Matt Karenbauer, John Wilson) 1:32.19; 6-Mars (Jimmy Pierre, Jordan Conner, Joseph Folz, Reed McDonough) 1:32.89
