Knoch senior John WIlson is ranked No. 1 in all of WPIAL Class AA in the individual medley this season. The WPIAL Championships take place Thursday and Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool.

JEFFERSON TWP — John Wilson is paying little attention to seedings entering the WPIAL Class AA Swimming Championships.

Knoch's senior is much more interested in results.

Wilson is ranked first in the entire district in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2 minutes, 1.9 seconds. He will also swim the breaststroke event, in which he is ranked second (59.98), at the district meet, set for Thursday and Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool.

“I feel I'm as much an underdog as anyone else,” he said. “Seeding means nothing because everyone drops so much time at WPIALs.”

First-year Knoch coach Dale Ross has been impressed with Wilson's attention to detail this year.

“He's one of the hardest workers on the team, always gives 100 percent,” he said. “He motivates other swimmers and is a special kid. I think he's going to have a really good meet.”

Wilson broke Butler High School's pool record in the breaststroke this season, swimming the event in 1:00.36. He won a WPIAL crown in the event as a sophomore.

“I'm very happy with the times I've put up so far,” he said. “Winning a WPIAL title matters, but time matters more. If I drop my times, I would be extremely happy with that.”

Wilson also expects to take care of the breaststroke leg on Knoch's top-seeded 200 medley relay team (1:43.18). The rest of the foursome should include Matt Karenbauer in the backstroke, Derek Ekas in the butterfly and Michael Renaud in the freestyle.

“If everyone swims their best split, that's all we can hope for,” said Ross. “We need a really fast start.”

Girls

Cardinal Wuerl North Catholic's Brooke Carmazzi is not short on physical talent. She just needed a change in her mental approach.

Trojanettes' coach T.J. Barry has seen the transformation this season.

“Her head is in a better place now,” he said. “She always had a front-runner mentality, but she's much better coming from behind now. She's able to work through it and has really matured mentally.”

“I've just become more confident,” Carmazzi said. “It's all about mind-set.”

Carmazzi, a junior, enters WPIALs seeded second in the IM (2:12.97) and third in the breaststroke (1:09.39).

“My other strokes in the IM are all strong, but it all surrounds what I can do in the breaststroke leg.”

Carmazzi has qualified for the WPIAL meet all three years and has two trips to the state meet to her credit.

The Class AA meet will be held from 3 to 5:30 p.m. both days. Tickets will be sold at the gate for $10 (adults) and $5 (students).

Following are Butler County’s Class AA swimmers who have qualified for the WPIAL Championships, to be held Thursday and Friday at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. Each swimmer’s name is preceded by his/her seed and followed by the seed time.Girls200 medley relay: 7-Knoch 1:58.2; 12-CW North Catholic 2:00.58200 freestyle: 13-Lindsey Fanton (Knoch) 2:06.07; 21-Grace Phillips (Knoch) 2:08.89200 individual medley: 2-Brooke Carmazzi (CWNC) 2:12.97; 19-Claire Lindsey (Knoch) 2:25.78; 24-Maya Wirtz (Knoch) 2:27.3950 freestyle: 16-Lena Clerici (CWNC) 26.68100 butterfly: 7-Ariana Clark (Freeport) 1:02.46; 10-Lindsey Fanton (Knoch) 1:03.6; 22-Emily Paul (CWNC) 1:06.24100 freestyle: 16-Lena Clerici (CWNC) 57.71500 freestyle: 13-Grace Phillips (Knoch) 5:41.92; 15-Abby Beilstein (Knoch) 5:43.25200 freestyle relay: 13-CW North Catholic 1:50.14; 15-Knoch 1:51.21100 backstroke: 14-Ariana Clark (Freeport) 1:04.38100 breaststroke: 3-Brooke Carmazzi (CWNC) 1:09.39; 12-Brooke Zukowski (Knoch) 1:13.1; 13-Claire Lindsey (Knoch) 1:13.76; 20-Maya Wirtz (Knoch) 1:15.73400 freestyle relay: 9-Knoch 3:56.27; 13-CWNC 4:04.73Boys200 medley relay: 1-Knoch 1:43.18; 8-Mars 1:48.72; 21-CWNC 1:54.89200 freestyle: 4-Andrew Pierre (Mars) 1:49.51; 16-David Wymer (Knoch) 1:57.69; 17-Carver Clark (Freeport) 1:58.08200 individual medley: 1-John Wilson (Knoch) 2:01.9; 5-Andrew Ivory (Mars) 2:06.0; 7-Ian Schirra* (Aquinas Academy) 2:07.77; 13-Austin Gilstrap (Mars) 2:11.95; 16-Braden Zukowski (Knoch) 2:13.3450 freestyle: 5-Derek Ekas (Knoch) 22.54; 7-Tommy Hall (Mars) 23.0; 22-Kyle Maziarz (CWNC) 23.97100 butterfly: 4-Matt Karenbauer (Knoch) 54.44; 20-Sam Schirra* (Aquinas Academy) 1:02.15100 freestyle: 5-Derek Ekas (Knoch) 49.62; 13-Tommy Hall (Mars) 51.61500 freestyle: 2-Andrew Pierre (Mars) 5:00.1; 14-Austin Gilstrap (Mars) 5:15.3; 27-David Wymer (Knoch) 5:30.31200 freestyle relay: 8-Mars 1:35.63; 9-Knoch 1:35.67100 backstroke: 3-Matt Karenbauer (Knoch) 56.5; 15-Sam Schirra* (Aquinas Academy) 1:02.7100 breaststroke: 2-John Wilson (Knoch) 59.98; 4-Ian Schirra* (Aquinas Academy) 1:02.56; 10-Andrew Ivory (Mars) 1:04.42; 19-Braden Zukowski (Knoch) 1:07.12; 23-Carver Clark (Freeport) 1:08.35400 freestyle relay: 3-Mars 3:30.9*Denotes swimmers who reside in Butler County, but attend a school outside its borders.