PITTSBURGH — As Mars swimmer Jack Muehlheuser put it, “Credit Indiana, they had the better swim.”

After the WPIAL Class AA boys 200-yard medley relay Thursday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool, there wasn't much else the Planets could say.

Muehlheuser and teammates Thomas Pierre, Chris Georgiadis and Reed McDonough dropped over two and a half seconds from their top-seeded time of one minute, 42.23 seconds.

Indiana, seeded third behind Mars and Hopewell, cut over five seconds off its time to win the title.

Still, the Planets are headed to the PIAA meet with the second-place effort.

“We all had our best times and I couldn't ask for anything more,” said Muehlheuser, who swam the backstroke. “It was a great race.”

Georgiadis swam the butterfly leg in the event and is already looking forward to seeing Indiana again.

“The relay at states is really going to be intense,” he said. “I'm looking forward to that.”

Both Muehlheuser and Georgiadis returned to swim the 200 individual medley, placing fourth and second, respectively, to pave another route to states.

Muehlheuser made it to PIAAs last year in the 200 IM after placing sixth at the WPIAL meet.

But with only the top four going automatically, he had to wait for a secondary entry, which is determined after all of the district meets are held.

“This year I know I'm going for sure and that's a bit of a weight off my shoulders,” he said. “This was my best time (2:02.06) by a couple of seconds.”

Georgiadis' time in the event was 1:58.99.

Francis Folz was making his first appearance at WPIALs, but it didn't show.

The Mars freshman swam a 1:48.47 in the 200 freestyle, good for third place.

“I just want to thank God,” said Folz after accepting his medal. “He's a very key part of my success. A lot of credit goes to my coaches, with both Mars and Pine-Richland Aquatics, and my parents.”

Knoch's 200 medley relay team of Chadd Cummings, Ian Lindsey, Nathan Walls and Austin Wittmer earned a medal by finishing seventh.

• In Class AAA boys, Seneca Valley junior Ryan Cwik just missed out on a medal, placing ninth in the butterfly with a personal-best time of 55.23.

“I was hoping to get down to 54 seconds,” said Cwik. “But I'm happy with my time”

Butler's top effort was Travis Myers' 11th-place finish in the 50 freestyle.

The Golden Tornado's 200 medley relay was 12th.