The Mars girls swimming team will take another crack at a section title next year.

But for now, the team's focus is on the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool.

That's the site of the WPIAL Class AA Swimming Championships Thursday and Friday.

For the third straight season, the Planets (7-1) placed second in the section behind Shady Side Academy.

But Mars coach Heidi Brandon didn't witness a second-place effort this year.

"The girls were phenomenal," she said. "They're in the pool by 5:30 in the morning for practice. Plus, we've got a great feeder program."

A big contributor to the team's success, not only this season, but for four years running, is Gabri Pierre.

The senior is seeded eighth in the 200 freestyle and 13th in the 500 freestyle.

"Making states the last few years, that's the most memorable thing about my high school career," said Pierre, who will swim at St. Francis (Pa.) University next season. "And the fact that I was teammates with my sister (Chloe)."

"Gabri really became a leader this year," said Brandon. "It was nice to see those leadership abilities come out."

The Planets' Maggie Gruber may be a freshman, but she already holds school records in the 100-yard backstroke, 200 freestyle and 500 freestyle.

She is seeded second in both the 100 butterfly (57.5 seconds) and the backstroke event (59.87).

Pierre and Gruber will both swim on Mars' best relay team, the 400 freestyle, which also features Phoebe Pierre and Corinna Luschini.

They are seeded fourth (3:52.59).

Knoch girlsThe Knights lost two of the four swimmers from their 200 medley relay team that placed fifth at WPIALs last year in Rachel Tano and Nicolette Krause.But coach Rick Hassler hasn't seen a dropoff in 2010.Kristy Daubner (freestyle leg) and Jill Vogus (butterfly) returned to team with Anna Cunningham (backstroke) and Jessica Gross (breaststroke). The quartet enters the district championships seeded sixth with a time of 1:59.64.Daubner, a junior, is seeded sixth in both the 50 freestyle (25.4) and 100 freestyle (56.39). She placed fourth and 12th, respectively, last season."I was actually seeded higher (fifth) in the 50 going into WPIALs last year," Daubner said. "But I improved my times in both the 50 and 100 this season, so I'm happy about that.""A seed is just a number," said Hassler. "You have to go out and do it Thursday and Friday, and Kristy understands that."

Shady Side Academy girlsButler County will be well represented when Shady Side Academy hits the pool.Anne Marie Bilott (Penn Township), Hillary Cummings (Oakland Township) and Tory Bruch (Penn Township) all will be competing at Trees Pool.Bilott is the top seed in the 100 breaststroke at 1:08.58, more than a second better than second-seeded Mackenzie Wargo of Apollo-Ridge.Bilott's personal-best time in the event came when she won a WPIAL title as a sophomore last year with a 1:06.78."I was seeded first in the breaststroke two years ago as a freshman and that was a lot of pressure, but I still placed third," she said. "There's a bit of pressure this time, but I know how to deal with it since I've been to WPIALs twice already."Bilott and Cummings will swim the butterfly and breaststroke legs, respectively, of the SSA's top-seeded 200 medley relay team (1:54.02), while Bruch and Bilott each will be responsible for a leg on the 200 freestyle relay, which is seeded third.Cummings is seeded ninth in the individual breaststroke event and 16th in the 200 IM.Bruch is 15th in the 200 freestyle and will swim in the Indians' 400 freestyle relay, seeded fifth.

Freeport girlsKeil Erickson will represent Freeport by swimming the 200 IM (2:24.32) and the 100 butterfly (1:04.75). Both times are personal bests for the senior.

Mars boysJack Muehlheuser went from finishing 19th in the 100 backstroke a year ago to being a major threat at WPIALs this time around.The sophomore's time of 56.96 has him seeded third behind Indiana's Matt Rochna and West Allegheny's Tim Mangis.Muehlheuser, one of 12 boys on the Mars team, has taken nearly three seconds off his previous best time."Since last year, I've been working really hard to improve my technique and increase my endurance," he said. "My goal is to swim a 55.09, which would qualify me for USA Sectionals and, hopefully, get me to states as well."

Knoch boysBefore he takes to the track for the Knights this spring, junior Van McCarren has some business to take care of in the pool.His time in the 200 freestyle of 1:57.19 has him seeded 15th and less than a second off Joe Wagner's school record."That's what I'm shooting for at WPIALs," said McCarren. "I'm also swimming the 500 free and I am just looking to get a personal-best time in that."McCarren also swims the freestyle leg on the team's 200 medley relay squad, which includes Josh Tackett (backstroke), Aaron Goldman (breaststroke) and Cole Blaugher (butterfly).The group is seeded 12th at 1:51.12 after placing 15th in the event last year.Tackett, a junior, is seeded 12th in the 100 backstroke (1:01.0).

Freeport boysJunior Ryan Sweeny will compete in the 50 and 100 freestyle events.The top four finishers in each event are guaranteed a spot in the PIAA Class AA meet later this month.