PITTSBURGH — Joella Baker was confident in the North Catholic boys 200-yard medley relay team. She knew the foursome of Luke Lamb, John Lamb, Matthew Littleton and Jackson Kress could place high at Thursday’s WPIAL Class 2A championship meet and turn in a time that would get it to the state meet.

But what transpired at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool had the coach literally jumping up and down.

North not only won the event, it did so in a WPIAL-record time of one minute, 35.80 seconds. The old standard was 1:36.11, turned in by Hampton just two years ago.

North Catholic’s John Lamb swims the breaststroke during the Class 2A boys 200 yard-medley relay at the WPIAL Championships Thursday at Trees Pool. The Trojans won the event in a district-record time of 1:35.80. Justin Guido/Butler Eagle

“I would’ve been really happy with a top-three finish,” Baker said. “I’m so excited for the boys. This is our first-ever WPIAL swimming title.

“We changed our lineup a bit, moved Jackson from the backstroke to the anchor (freestyle). We were second after the first three laps and I felt good about it because he’s been chasing people down all season.”

Indeed, Kress gained the lead and the Trojans finished .68 seconds in front of runner-up Mount Pleasant.

“Our goal was to break the school record (1:38.64).” said John Lamb. “When we won, it was so crazy. Then the scoreboard started flashing ”WPIAL RECORD“ ... it was unreal!”

The effort will allow North’s fantastic four to take part in a school tradition.

“We have a bell at the school,” Baker said. “Anyone who is part of a WPIAL title at North Catholic gets to ring the bell. All year, we’ve been saying: ‘Let’s ring that bell!’”

Freeport’s Kira Schrecongost was not able to retain her girls 100 butterfly title from last year, but went home with an impressive consolation prize nonetheless.

The sophomore’s effort of 55.76 in the event, second only to South Park’s Katie Jackovic by a mere .13 seconds, broke her own school record.

“Obviously, I’m a little disappointed I wasn’t able to hold on to the title, but I thought I raced a smart race,” Schrecongost said. “I didn’t take it out as fast as I normally do, conserved some energy for the second lap.”

Only district champions are guaranteed a berth into the state meet, but a school-record time will no doubt make the cut when compared against other non-title times from across Pennsylvania.

“This gives me another couple weeks to get better,” Schrecongost said. “That’s how I’m looking at it.”