PITTSBURGH — Rachel Szymkowiak didn't need to perform well at this year's WPIAL Class AA swimming championships to make her high school career a success.

But it sure didn't hurt.

The Mars senior placed second in the 100-yard breaststroke Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool before capping the meet by swimming a leg on the Planets' girls 400 freestyle relay team, which placed third with a time of 3 minutes, 44.16 seconds.

Both finishes are good for guaranteed spots at the state meet, to be held later this month at Bucknell University.

They also helped Mars' girls place fourth in the team standings with 140 points.

Szymkowiak's time in the breaststroke event was 1:07.68, a personal and school record.

"I was not expecting to go that fast, but now I think I can go even faster at states," said Szymkowiak, who also qualified for the PIAA event in the butterfly by placing fourth on Wednesday.

She will be making her fourth and final trip to the state meet.

"I had no idea what high school swimming would be like when I started," she said. "But going to WPIALs and states all four years, I'm glad I've had that experience."

Her high school track record has already earned her a spot on the women's swimming team at the University of Akron, to which she signed a letter of intent earlier this winter.

Szymkowiak's teammates in the 400 freestyle relay were Corinna Luschini, Gabri Pierre and Courtney Shields.

Shields placed fifth in the 100 freestyle (54.44) and Knoch senior Rachel Tano was seventh in the breaststroke (1:09.77).

Knoch's girls were eighth with 103 points.

Butler residents Anne Marie Bilott and Hillary Cummings were key factors in Shady Side Academy's girls' second place finish with 317 points, 55 behind champion Oakland Catholic.

Bilott won Friday's breaststroke event with a time of 1:06.78 and placed second in Thursday's 200 IM (2:10.22).

She also helped the Indians' 400 freestyle relay team take second with a 3:34.13.

Cummings finished fifth in the breaststroke at 1:08.95.

And both girls swam legs on SSA's 200 medley relay team, which also placed second (1:50.69).

In Class AA boys' action, Knoch's Josh Tackett was 15th in the 100 backstroke (58.82) and Freeport's Ryan Sweeny placed 17th in the 100 freestyle (51.72).

Class AAA

Julie Titley has improved since her sophomore season and the proof is in the numbers.

The Seneca Valley junior took 14 and a half seconds off her 500 freestyle time from WPIALs a year ago, placing fifth Friday with a 5:10.83.

Even her previous-best time, 5:19.1, set earlier this year, fell by the wayside.

She also earned a medal Thursday by placing eighth in the 200 freestyle.

"I really don't know what to think," Titley said. "I'm ecstatic right now."

Titley also did her part in SV's fifth place in the 400 freestyle relay (3:36.59) along with Makena Lynch, Angela Panza and Abby Myers.

Butler's girls' 400 free team placed 19th after taking over three seconds off its seed time and finishing in 3:54.75.

The squad included Jordan McElhaney, Abagail Merhaut, Morgan Morrison and Brianna Keelan.

On the boys' side, SV's Dan Gutmann nearly broke the school record in the 100 freestyle with a 47.57 and the mark is a strong candidate to meet the state meet's secondary cut, to be announced early next week.

Butler's Erik Bergh finished 19th in the 500 freestyle with a time of 5:05.41. The senior led his heat after four laps.

"Alex Bauer and Travis Myers both brought their time down in the backstroke," added Butler coach Dacia Como.

Following are results from the WPIAL swimming championships, which concluded Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool. Area competitors who automatically qualified for this month's PIAA meet appear in bold.

Class AAAGirls100 freestyle: 1-Maggie Walker (Peters Township) 51.44

500 freestyle: 1-Becca Zimmer (Bethel Park) 5:00.43, 5-Julie Titley (Seneca Valley) 5:10.83, 16-Makena Lynch (Seneca Valley) 5:19.18, 17-Stephanie Ciraula (Seneca Valley) 5:19.9

100 backstroke: 1-Brooke Waugaman (Hempfield) 56.14

100 breaststroke: 1-Kylie Grady (North Allegheny) 1:04.95, 17-Rebecca George (Seneca Valley) 1:11.09, 25-Morgan Morrison (Butler) 1:15.75

400 freestyle relay: 1-Peters Township 3:32.58, 5-Seneca Valley (Julie Titley, Makena Lynch, Angela Panza, Abby Myers) 3:36.59, 19-Butler (Jordan McElhaney, Abagail Merhaut, Morgan Morrison, Brianna Keelan) 3:54.75

Boys100 freestyle: 1-Sho Sugimoto (Mount Lebanon) 46.65, 4-Dan Gutmann (Seneca Valley) 47.57

500 freestyle: 1-Jonathan Buerger (North Allegheny) 4:27.01, 13-Tyler Piedimonte (Seneca Valley) 4:59.02, 19-Erik Bergh (Butler) 5:05.41

100 backstroke: 1-Kyle Dudzinski (Upper Saint Clair) 50.39, 17-Anthony Geyer (Seneca Valley) 58.24, 18-Alex Bauer (Butler) 58.31, 22-Travis Myers (Butler) 58.51, 29-Eric Peirce (Seneca Valley) 1:00.89

100 breaststroke: 1-Jonathan Du (North Allegheny) 59.06, 19-Justin Pritchard (Seneca Valley) 1:04.74

400 freestyle relay: 1-North Allegheny 3:04.59, 11-Seneca Valley (Eric Peirce, Anthony Geyer, Tyler Piedimonte, Dan Gutmann) 3:22.16, 20-Butler (Alex Bauer, Matt Goettler, Erik Bergh, Jason Clouse) 3:30.92

Class AAGirls100 freestyle: 1-Katlin Coghe (Oakland Catholic) 52.89, 5-Courtney Shields (Mars) 54.44, 12-Kristy Daubner (Knoch) 55.86

500 freestyle: 1-Lindsay Vrooman (Ambridge) 4:52.47, 15-Gabri Pierre (Mars) 5:37.14

100 backstroke: 1-Andrea Marko (Greensburg Central Catholic) 56.06, 13-Jeanna Smialek (Mars) 1:05.84

100 breaststroke: 1-Anne Marie Bilott (Shady Side Academy) 1:06.78,

2-Rachel Szymkowiak (Mars) 1:07.68, 7-Rachel Tano (Knoch) 1:09.77, 15-Corinna Luschini (Mars) 1:13.01, 24-Nicolette Krause (Knoch) 1:15.34, 27t-Jessica Gross (Knoch) and Hannah Zibert (Knoch) 1:16.35

400 freestyle relay: 1-Oakland Catholic 3:32.97,

3-Mars (Rachel Szymkowiak, Corinna Luschini, Gabri Pierre, Courtney Shields) 3:44.16, 16-Freeport (Keil Erickson, Jamie Boyle, Maddie Petras, Katy Screen) 4:03.97, 25-Knoch (Hannah Zibert, Stephanie Gross, Jessica Gross, Leah Walsh) 4:14.89

Boys100 freestyle: 1-Mark Stepanian (Blackhawk) 45.97, 17-Ryan Sweeny (Freeport) 51.72, 21-Josh Tackett (Knoch) 51.94

500 freestyle: 1-Conner Calarie (Highlands) 4:42.02, 28-Kurt Muehlheuser (Mars) 5:26.43, 33-Van McCarren (Knoch) 5:28.37

100 backstroke: 1-Matt Millikin (Carlynton) 51.45, 15-Josh Tackett (Knoch) 58.82, 19-Kurt Muehlheuser (Mars) 59.74

100 breaststroke: 1-Mike Garza (Hampton) 59.19, 23-Aaron Goldman (Knoch) 1:08.46

400 freestyle relay: 1-Shady Side Academy 3:14.64, 24-Knoch (Aaron O'Leary, Jacob Shoemaker, Cole Blaugher, Mitch Andrews) 3:45.24, 26-Mars (Kurt Muehlheuser, Shawn Wharrey, Matt Lofstrom, Phil Pacey) 3:47.36