When Butler senior Travis Myers hits the water this week at the WPIAL Swimming Championships, he will do so with a heavy heart.

Myers' father, Cory, died Feb. 1 following a battle with cancer.

“Almost the entire team went to the funeral to support Travis,” said Butler swimming coach Dacia Como. “He had the choice of remaining with the team or taking some time off if he needed it. He decided to stick with it.”“

It wasn't that difficult of a decision for Myers to make.

“My dad wouldn't have wanted me to leave the team,” he said. “Near the end, I was really sad about what was happening to him and he was sick of seeing me like that.

“I definitely have my dad in mind every time I swim.”

The WPIAL Class AAA Swimming Championships will be held Thursday and Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool.

Myers is seeded 10th in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 57.42 seconds.

“Getting to states would be nice, I would have to take three to four seconds off my time for that,” he said.

Como is pleased with the progress Myers has made since picking up the sport as a freshman.

“He didn't swim for the (YMCA) and didn't know anything about swimming when he started,” said Como. “But he has built a foundation and love for the sport over his four years on the team.”

Myers enjoys swimming so much that he plans on remaining in the water at Westminster College.

“Coach Como was a good recruiter,” he said. “She got me started.”

n Seneca Valley's best seed in a boys event is its 400 freestyle relay, seeded 12th.

The quartet includes Michael Palaski, Brandon Nicklas, Nick Wargo and Matt Myers.

Wargo is ranked 14th in the 200 individual medley, while teammate Ryan Cwik is 14th in the 100 butterfly.

“Both of those guys have had good times this year, but I believe their best swim is still out there,” said Raiders first-year coach Brian Blackwell.

Wargo, a senior, will be making his fourth trip to WPIALs.

“I've had a great time swimming at Seneca Valley,” Wargo said. “No meet has been as enjoyable as the WPIAL meet at Pitt. It's an experience I'll always remember.”

Class AAA Girls

Madisen Tretter's season has offered a few surprises to the Seneca Valley junior.

She enters the WPIAL meet ranked 15th in the 100 freestyle at 55.23 seconds, which is a personal-best time.

“This year has gone much better than I expected,” she said. “Coach Blackwell came in and was really confident. His training is the biggest reason for my improvement.”

Tretter is also a member of the Raiders' 200 and 400 freestyle relay squads, both seeded 11th.

Both relays also include Kaitlyn Burkett, Alicia Zilka and Kate Miller.

n Butler's Taylor Campbell will look to improve on her 14th seed in the breaststroke event.

The junior is thankful that nerves will not be part of her WPIAL experience this season.

“This will be my third time there,” she said. “Being there before helps you mentally, you're not as nervous.

“I'm hoping to improve both my time (1:10.7) and place,” she added.

Como's message to her team remains constant no matter where her swimmers are seeded.

“She tells us that wherever we place, the important thing is that we get our fastest times,” said sophomore Macie Pennington, who will swim in four events.

Note: The top-three finishers in each event qualify for the PIAA Class AAA meet, to be held at Bucknell University in mid-March.

Following are the Butler and Seneca Valley swimmers who have qualified for the WPIAL Class AAA 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.<B>Girls200 medley relay:</B> 16-Butler (Emily Bruce, Taylor Campbell, Macie Pennington, Kati Herr) 1:59.0; 17-Seneca Valley (Sarah Ritchie, Carly Belsterling, Jacklyn Curtz, Holly Sauer) 1:59.3<B>200 freestyle:</B> 18-Kate Miller (SV) 2:00.47; 31-Alicia Zilka (SV) 2:04.08; 38-Macie Pennington (B) 2:04.9<B>200 individual medley:</B> 24-Taylor Campbell (B) 2:20.0; 29-Carly Belsterling (SV) 2:20.48<B>50 freestyle:</B> 25-Kaitlyn Burkett (SV) 25.83<B>100 butterfly:</B> 21-Jacklyn Curtz (SV) 1:02.86; 23-Madisen Tretter (SV) 1:03.04<B>100 freestyle:</B> 15-Madisen Tretter (SV) 55.23; 20-Kate Miller (SV) 55.61; 31-Kaitlyn Burkett (SV) 57.01; 37-Alicia Zilka (SV) 57.19<B>500 freestyle:</B> 22-Holly Sauer (SV) 5:29.55; 23-Macie Pennington (B) 5:30.19<B>200 freestyle relay:</B> 11-Seneca Valley (Madisen Tretter, Kaitlyn Burkett, Alicia Zilka, Kate Miller) 1:45.19; 23-Butler (Kati Herr, Amelia Rashid, Harlee Evans, Emily Bruce) 1:48.29<B>100 backstroke:</B> 28-Emily Bruce (B) 1:05.04; 34-Sarah Ritchie (SV) 1:05.26<B>100 breaststroke:</B> 14-Taylor Campbell (B) 1:10.7; 29-Carly Belsterling (SV) 1:12.88<B>400 freestyle relay:</B> 11-Seneca Valley (Madisen Tretter, Kaitlyn Burkett, Alicia Zilka, Kate Miller) 3:48.15; 18-Butler (Macie Pennington, Kati Herr, Taylor Campbell, Emily Bruce) 3:55.28<B>Boys</B><B>200 medley relay:</B> 16-Seneca Valley (Matyas Katzer, Dan Barnes, Ryan Cwik, Mitchall Schall) 1:47.87; 17-Butler (Travis Myers, Dante Cicco, Levi Leyland, Cole Chamberlain) 1:48.05<B>200 freestyle:</B> 25-Michael Rhein (SV) 1:53.03; 36-Brandon Nicklas (SV) 1:54.9<B>200 individual medley:</B> 14-Nick Wargo (SV) 2:09.27<B>50 freestyle:</B> 17-Michael Palaski (SV) 23.22; 19-Travis Myers (B) 23.29; 24-Matt Myers (SV) 23.39<B>100 butterfly:</B> 14-Ryan Cwik (SV) 56.34; 22-Jacob Kaufman (B) 58.07<B>100 freestyle:</B> 16-Matt Myers (SV) 51.42; 21-Michael Palaski (SV) 51.72<B>500 freestyle:</B> 19-Michael Rhein (SV) 5:04.86; 39-Brandon Nicklas (SV) 5:14.07<B>200 freestyle relay:</B> 13-Seneca Valley (Michael Palaski, Michael Rhein, Nick Wargo, Matt Myers) 1:34.5; 27-Butler (Hunter Dimmick, Cole Chamberlain, Dante Cicco, Levi Leyland) 1:38.4<B>100 backstroke:</B> 10-Travis Myers (B) 57.42; 16-Nick Wargo (SV) 58.69<B>400 freestyle relay:</B> 12-Seneca Valley (Michael Palaski, Brandon Nicklas, Nick Wargo, Matt Myers) 3:29.48; 24-Butler (Hunter Dimmick, Dante Cicco, Levi Leyland, Travis Myers) 3:39.07