Reott, Birckbichler representing Moniteau at PIAA meet
CHERRY TWP — Moniteau does not have a swim team. It does have a pair of championship swimmers.
Kaitlyn Reott, a senior, recently won the 100-yard backstroke and 50-yard freestyle at the Distruct 9 Swimming Championships, hosted by St. Marys High School. Mason Birckbichler, a sophomore, won the 500-yard freestyle at the D-9 meet.
Both have been competing in high school meets for Moniteau as independents since they were freshmen. They usually swim at Slippery Rock High School meets.
Reott also swims for the Butler YMCA team while Birckbichler competes for the Slippery Rock Eels.
“It’s a busy schedule, but it’s worth it,” Reott said. “The more competition you can get, the better.”
Both swimmers will compete at the PIAA Championships Wednesday through Saturday of next week at Bucknell University. Reott reached the PIAA meet last year, placing fifth in the 50 free. She also qualified in the 100 breaststroke, but did not place.
This will be Birckbichler’s first trip to the PIAA Championships.
“I’m not sure how I’m gonna do,” he said of the state meet. “I know I’ve gotten better. I placed third at the district meet last year.”
His D-9 championship time in the 500 free this season was 5 minutes, 16 seconds. That’s eight seconds slower than his personal-best of 5:08, recorded during the regular season while swimming at a Slippery Rock High School meet.
Birckbichler said he’s swimming at high school meets because “my mom made me,” but does not regret making the move.
“It’s difficult because it’s a lot more practice,” he said. “I practice every day (with the Eels) at the Slippery Rock University pool, so I just put in extra work there. It’s been paying off.”
Birckbichler has been swimming for eight years, all with the Slippery Eels, before deciding to represent Moniteau in the pool as well.
Reott practices Monday through Friday at the Butler YMCA. She practices for two hours Tuesdays and Thursdays, but puts in three-hour days at the pool Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.
“We do dry-land work on those days, so I put in an extra hour of work in afterward,” Reott said. “I picked up the 100 backstroke this year because I noticed I was really improving in that event.”
Reott’s winning time in the 100 backstroke was 58.23 seconds, breaking the District 9 and St. Marys pool record. The previous mark of 58.49 was set in 2016.
Her winning time in the 50 free was 24.57 seconds.
She’s been checking the fastest times across the state in those two events.
“My goal is to place among the top four in the state in both events,” Reott said. “I have to get my backstroke time down to 57, my freestyle down to 23 to have a shot at that.”
Reott has a few major swimming events upcoming. This weekend is the YMCA district meet at SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. The PIAA Championships are next week. The YMCA state meet is March 24-26 and YMCA Nationals are April 2-8 in Greensboro, N.C.
Knoch swim coach Cori Jones is also the Butler YMCA coach and has worked a lot with Reott over the years.
“Being a high school coach, she knows what it takes to succeed at that level. She’s been a big help to me,” Reott said.
Reott hopes to contribute her swimming career in college. She sees Youngstown State, Gannon and Edinboro as possibilities.
“I’m hoping that works out,” Reott said of swimming collegiately. “That’s definitely something I want to do.”
