Being seeded first and finishing first don't always go hand in hand.

Andrea McQueen knows that as well as anyone.

The Freeport junior entered last year's WPIAL Class AA swimming championships as the top seed in the girls 100-yard freestyle event before taking home a second-place finish behind Yough's Kelsey Grushecky.

"Being seeded first doesn't mean anything," McQueen said. "The second-seeded girl could swim a personal-best time."

"I'm glad she realizes that," Andrea's father and Freeport girls swimming coach Gregg McQueen said with a laugh. "I think being seeded first kind of blindsided her last year. I don't think she was expecting that and she didn't know how to handle it."

With a time of 54.22 seconds, Andrea McQueen again is seeded first in the 100 freestyle heading into this year's district championships, to be held Thursday and Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool.

One swimmer she won't have to worry about is Grushecky, now a senior.

"I noticed she isn't swimming this year," Andrea said. "That kind of surprised me."

McQueen also is seeded fourth in the 100 breaststroke at 1:10.02.

Her teammate, junior Gail Erickson, is seeded in the top 10 in two events: seventh in the 200 individual medley (2:17.74) and eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:04.18).

Erickson and McQueen are the leaders on the Yellowjackets' two relay teams that qualified for WPIALs and will team with sophomore Katy Screen and freshman Keil Erickson in the 200 medley relay (seeded 10th-2:01.01) and the 200 freestyle relay (13th-1:48.83).

"Keil is just a freshman, but she'll do fine with her sister (Gail) there," said Gregg McQueen. "She relies on her a lot."

The Mars girls have a number of swimmers with top-10 seedings, starting with junior Chloe Pierre in the 100 breaststroke (fifth at 1:10.92).

Sophomore Rachel Szymkowiak is ranked sixth in the 100 butterfly (1:01.26) and ninth in the 200 individual medley (2:18.95), while sophomore Courtney Shields is sixth in the individual medley at 2:17.43.

The team's three relays are ranked fifth (200 medley), eighth (400 freestyle) and ninth (200 freestyle).

The medley relay consists of Szymkowiak, Chloe Pierre, Shields and Gabri Pierre.

The 200 freestyle quartet is made up of Chloe Pierre, Lauren Laughlin, Jessica Nowicki and Jeanna Smialek.

And the 400 freestyle team is Szymkowiak, Gabri Pierre, Chloe Pierre and Shields.

"This is by far the strongest group of girls we've had since I've been here," said Mars coach Gail Quigley.

Knoch sophomore Rachel Tano is seeded 10th in the breaststroke (1:12.38). She placed 12th in the event as a freshman last season.

"Rachel has really developed and improved her times," said Knoch coach Stephanie Karwoski. "She's emerging as a leader and a mentor to the freshmen."

On the boys side, Mars' Jeff Gavin has become the model of consistency.

The senior hopes to add to his already impressive high school swimming resume as he competes at Trees Pool for the last time.

Two years ago as a sophomore, Gavin placed a strong fifth in both the 200 and 500 freestyle events.

Last season, he was fourth in the 200 event, while managing another fifth-place finish in the 500.

He's seeded second in both events this year, with times of 1:46.48 in the 200 and 4:50.48 in the 500.

"My goal in the 200 is to earn consideration for all-America, which means I would have to swim about a 1:43.5," Gavin said. "And in the 500, I'd be happy if I'm around 4:45.

"I'm pretty much guaranteed to make states in both events if I just swim my seed time. I would be seriously disappointed if I didn't get to states in both."

Gavin's teammate, senior Dave Pierre, is seeded eighth in the breaststroke event (1:06.61), while Knoch junior Matt Mahan is 10th in the same event at 1:07.11.

The WPIAL Class AA swimming championships will be held from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday and Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool.

Thursday's events will include the 200 medley relay, 200 freestyle, 200 individual medley, 50 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle relay. All other events will be held on Friday.