FOX CHAPEL — At first glance, Anne Marie Bilott and Hillary Cummings might appear to be a pair of upstart sophomores.

But Bucknell University's Kinney Natatorium, the site of the PIAA swimming championships, is familiar territory for both of them.

Bilott of Penn Township and Cummings of Oakland Township played key roles in the Shady Side Academy girls swim team's second-place finish at the WPIAL Class AA meet last week.

And for the second straight year, the team is headed to the state championship event, which will be held Wednesday and Thursday.

Bilott will arrive as a WPIAL champion after topping the field in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1 minute, 6.78 seconds. She is seeded third in the event at PIAAs.

Bilott also is seeded fifth in the 200 individual medley (2:10.22) and will swim legs on the Indians' 200 medley and 400 freestyle relay teams.

Cummings is 15th in the breaststroke at 1:08.95 and will have a say in where the medley relay team finishes as well.

"I'm reaching for 1:07 in the breaststroke," Cummings said. "I was at the state meet as a freshman, so I kind of know what to expect and what to look for."

"They ride in together every day and are really good friends," said SSA coach John Landreth. "They complement each other well."

For Bilott, her breaststroke title came after a few bumps in the road.

As a freshman, she set SSA's school record with a time of 1:08.23, but struggled to approach that standard earlier this season.

"Her times this season weren't where they were as a freshman," said Landreth. "It took a lot of confidence in her own abilities to keep working hard. I'm super proud of her for letting the technique take over."

"I was happy with my freshman season, but I definitely knew I could improve," said Bilott. "I just focused on technique every day."

When she stood atop the medal stand as the WPIAL's newest breaststroke champion, Bilott said, "It was one of the most exciting moments of my swimming career and I had tears in my eyes."

Cummings placed fifth in the breaststroke event at WPIALs.

"Hillary has made so much improvement as well," said Landreth. "It's very satisfying as a coach to see a swimmer make it to states, not only in a relay, but in an individual event as well.

"(Anne Marie and Hillary) swim the same events and that could cause friction between the two of them, but it doesn't," the coach added. "They know that they should judge themselves by their own personal times and not by each other."

Bilott will swim the third leg of SSA's 400 freestyle relay, which ranked second in the state at 3:34.13.

On the 200 medley team, which is seeded fourth (1:50.69), Bilott swims the butterfly and Cummings the breaststroke.

"I really think that both relays have a shot at a state title," said Landreth.