PITTSBURGH — At the WPIAL Class 2A swimming championships Thursday afternoon, Freeport’s Kira Schrecongost finished on the nose with her seeding time in the 200-yard IM.
The effort netted her a fourth-place medalist finish in the event at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. More importantly, it drove her to take back her crown in a race she’d already once reigned supreme in at the district meet.
“I was really excited, knowing I didn’t do what I wanted to in my 200 IM,” Schrecongost said. “So it was a little bit of a redemption swim coming off of that, for sure. I was like, ‘You’ve got to build up that anger and let it go.’”
Two events after her self-described so-so showing, Schrecongost, a junior, defeated South Park’s Katie Jackovic in the 100 butterfly, posting a time of 55.37. That was her best finish in the event this season.
Jackovic had beaten Schrecongost last year in the event after the latter won it at WPIALs as a freshman.
“I honestly was a little upset not being able to retain my title last year,” Shrecongost said. “There’s always so much more room for improvement within a year to prepare myself again. I think that I really took that into consideration, for sure.”
North Catholic junior Luke Lamb also won a gold medal by outracing Riverside’s Joseph Roth in the boys’ 50 freestyle. He had improvement on his mind and the title accompanied it.
“My best time before was 20.96, so I was just hoping to get a best time,” Lamb admitted. “To beat it by .4 was really big.”
A stable swim was a big reason why.
“I just felt great through the whole thing,” Lamb said. “My turn underwater and my last 25 (yards) felt really strong. I think that’s where I was able to bring it home and separate myself.”
Lamb also thanked North Catholic coach Todd Slobodnyak and his family for their support. He has more accomplishments in his sights.
“It’s really exciting,” Lamb said. “Especially being at such a big meet. There’s definitely more. At states, I want to win, too. I want to get even more.”
Sibling Success
One credited more work. The other less.
Knoch junior Giona Lavorini and her younger brother, Adrian, earned medals during the first half of the title meet. The elder Lavorini finished in front of the Yellowjackets’ Schrecongost in the girls’ 200 IM, while Adrian, a sophomore, had a sixth-place showing in the same event on his side.
“I go to practice five days a week,” said Adrian, who broke two minutes for the first time with his medalist swim. “I’ve been doing high school practice straight to my club practice at the YMCA.”
The younger Lavorini has a simple key to keeping his body fresh.
“I just eat a bunch,” he said with a laugh and added that his diet consists of mostly protein and carbs.
His sister has been pacing throughout the season, posting her best high school time in the 200 IM with her latest performance.
“Towards the end of the year, I won’t go to as many meets,” Giona said. “I do YMCA, too. I won’t go to invitationals. It’s definitely weird to see my friends go to those meets, but it’s also nice because I don’t have to go and I can have a weekend off.”
Girls
Freeport, Knoch
200 medley relay: 2-Freeport (Kasey Schrecongost, Kira Schrecongost, Caitlyn Brennan, Mary Anne Altman) 1:47.84
200 IM: 3-Giona Lavorini (K) 2:06.80, 4-Kira Schrecongost (F) 2:07.81
100 butterfly: 1-Kira Schrecongost (F) 55.37
Boys
Freeport, Knoch, Mars, North Catholic
200 IM: 6-Adrian Lavorini (K) 1:59.71
50 freestyle: 1-Luke Lamb (NC) 20.50
