Butler sweeps Mars in pool

By Sam Tallarico Eagle Staff Writer

December 19, 2012 Last Updated: December 19, 2012 11:55 AM High School

Butler's Ryan Deemer swims to victory in the 100 butterfl y on Tuesday night during the Tornado's win over Mars.

BUTLER TWP — Two of the WPIAL's top swimmers were on display at Butler High School Tuesday and showed they were already in peak shape.

Mars' Maggie Gruber, who won WPIAL and PIAA Class AA titles in the 100 butterfly and 100 backstroke last year, won both events against Butler, setting pool records in the process.

The Tornado's Stephanie O'Toole, who entered the meet with four school and three pool records in her first two varsity meets this year, crushed the school and pool standard in the 100 breaststroke.

O'Toole and the rest of the Tornado girls went on to post a 99-75 victory, while the Butler boys also defeated the Planets 93-72.

“Stephanie did well and shattered the record in the 100 breast,” Butler coach Dave Bocci said. “The goal is to be there at the end (at the WPIAL championships).”

O'Toole's time of 1:04.71 in the 100 breast bettered the school record by Sarah Clouse (1:08.93, 2006) and the pool mark by Seneca Valley's Kelly Connelly (1:07.65, 2007). O'Toole also won the 200 freestyle (1:57.14) and was a member of the winning 200 medley and 200 free relays (1:53.79 and 1:44.82, respectively).

Taylor Campbell also was a part of the winning relays and captured the 200 I.M. (2:19.77) and 100 free (57.45) in the process.

Also among double individual winners, Gruber broke her own pool record at Butler in the 100 fly with a time of 56.94, besting her previous mark of 57.53.

She returned later in the 100 back and broke O'Toole's pool mark of 58.87 by finishing with a time of 57.60.

“She wanted to leave her mark in her senior year,” Mars coach Heidi Brandon said.

In the boys meet, Butler's Ryan Deemer picked up wins in the 200 I.M. (2:05.48) and the 100 fly (54.98) and swam the anchor of the winning 200 free relay (1:35.71) to help the Tornado to the hard-fought victory.

“I'm very happy with the way our team swam,” Bocci said. “It was a very hard week of training. ... I'm happy both teams won and for the guys, it was their first win.”

Mars picked up seven victories, including double individual wins by Reed McDonough in the 200 free (1:57.04) and 100 back (59.45) and by Tommy Pierre in the 50 free (23.92) and 500 free (5:05.25).

Both were instrumental in the winning 200 medley (1:45.50) and 400 free relay (3:31.15), as well.

“We've been sick,” Brandon said about both her squads. “It's good to get it out of the way now. We have a meet against Hampton Thursday, then we'll have some heavy Christmas practices and work them hard.”

Next up, Butler (girls 2-1, boys 1-2) will have a lengthy break in meets before they return to action Jan. 3 at Moon.

The loss was the first for the Planets' girls team (4-1), while the boys fell to 2-3.

Girls

Butler 99, Mars 75

200 medley relay: 1-Butler (Stephanie O'Toole, Taylor Campbell, Jillian McElhaney, Kati Herr) 1:53.79

200 freestyle: 1-Stephanie O'Toole (B) 1:57.14

200 individual medley: 1-Taylor Campbell (B) 2:19.77

50 freestyle: 1-Jillian McElhaney (B) 25.95

1-meter diving: 1-Claire Weiland (B) 160.5

100 butterfly: 1-Maggie Gruber (M) 56.94

100 freestyle: 1-Taylor Campbell (B) 57.45

500 freestyle: 1-Macie Pennington 5:34.60