CRANBERRY TWP — Kyle Maziarz knows the bullseye is now on his back and he is totally fine with it.

North Catholic's junior diver won a Class AA WPIAL and PIAA title last season with scores of 427 and 418.7, respectively.

“I know every meet I go into now, divers from other teams are going to get that look from their coach,” said Maziarz. “I've felt the pressure since the end of last season, but I think I've done well with it.”

North Catholic coach T.J. Barry agrees.

“He hasn't stopped competing, is doing it pretty much year-round now,” he said. “He hasn't flinched and I don't see the pressure getting to him.”

Maziarz had a very strong off-season while competing for the University of Pittsburgh Aquatic Club, doing well enough at regionals to reach the zone meet.

“That gave me a lot of time for growth,” he said. “I focused on new dives.”

Through two meets this season — against Riverside and North Allegheny — Maziarz has won twice with scores of 292 and 284, respectively.

His short-term goals are clear.

“I want to break 300 in a dual meet, break the WPIAL record (499.1 by Pine-Richland's Ryan Fagan) and I want to defend my titles,” he said. “My biggest competition in the WPIAL will probably be Beaver's Andrew Cestra (who placed third at districts last February). He was very good last year and I train with him, so I've got that competition right there in practice every day.”

Following is a look at Butler County swimming and diving teams for 2018-19.

(*) Denotes PIAA qualifier

Butler

Coach: Dave Bocci, 7th season

Girls

Returning district qualifiers: senior Rachel Ledford (backstroke, IM); juniors Laura Goettler* (IM, breaststroke) and Ellie Weiss (50/500 freestyle); sophomores Eve Merhaut (breaststroke, 500 freestyle) and Abbie Griffith (backstroke, butterfly)

Note: Goettler won a WPIAL Class AAA title in both the 200 IM and breaststroke.

Bocci says: “We lost WPIAL diver Paige Williams to a back injury. She is done for the season and that is something we have to overcome.”

Boys

Returning district qualifiers: seniors Alex Deemer* (200/500 freestyle), Zach Callithen (50/100 freestyle) and Simon Diehl (IM, butterfly); sophomores Sam Deemer* (butterfly, backstroke), David Bocci* (IM, 500 freestyle) and Tanner Veitmeier (200 freestyle, backstroke)

Bocci says: “We are bigger and deeper, with a good blend of upper and underclassmen.”

Freeport

Coach: Nikki Heasley, 8th season

Girls

Returning district qualifiers: senior Ariana Clark (butterfly, backstroke); sophomores Madison Moretti (butterfly, 100 freestyle) and Brooke Welling (50/100 freestyle).

Heasley says: “We have nine swimmers and are a bit smaller than last year, but we have experience. All three relays qualified for WPIALs last year and they should again.”

Boys

Returning district qualifiers: junior Carver Clark (IM, 500 freestyle)

Heasley says: “We are a very small team with seven boys and we're inexperienced. I'm just getting to know them.”

Knoch

Coach: Rick Hassler, 1st season (2nd stint)

Girls

Returning district qualifiers: seniors Abby Bielstein (200/500 freestyle), Lindsey Fanton* (IM, butterfly), Vanessa Robb (diving) and Kristin Jerich* (diving); juniors Grace Phillips (200/500 freestyle), Madison Gumto (relays) and Aryanna Napora* (diving)

Hassler says: “We're not a veteran team, but we have a good mix of experience and younger swimmers.”

Boys

Returning district qualifiers: junior Braden Zukowski* (IM, breaststroke); sophomores Michael Phillips (IM, 500 freestyle) and Zac Wilson* (IM, breaststroke)

Hassler says: “I think we'll be competitive once we get into section meets.”

Mars

Coach: Todd Slobodnyak, 2nd season

Girls

Returning district qualifiers: senior Jenna Halenda (200 freestyle); juniors Maddie Mueller (diving) and Caroline Stamper (50 freestyle, breaststroke); sophomore Megan Smith (IM, backstroke)

Slobodnyak says: “We want to see the team step up and compete in the section, which includes some big and established programs.”

Boys

Returning district qualifiers: senior Andrew Pierre* (200/500 freestyle), junior Zach Leachman (200/500 freestyle); sophomore Aidan Wolf (200 freestyle/backstroke)

Note: Pierre won a WPIAL Class AA title in both the 200 and 500 freestyle.

Slobodnyak says: “We are a Class AA team competing in a AAA section. We are trying to be strategic with what events we put our swimmers in.”

North Catholic

Coach: T.J. Barry, 4th season

Girls

Returning district qualifiers: juniors Emma Kunzmann* (IM, backstroke) and Emily Paul (butterfly); sophomores Ainsley Bissett* (200/500 freestyle), Brittney Carmazzi* (200 freestyle, butterfly) and Julia Kocsis* (IM, butterfly).

Barry says: “Our goal is to win the section and finish in the top two at WPIALs. We placed third last year and are now a deeper team.”

Boys

Returning district qualifiers: juniors Anthony Ravasio (butterfly) and Kyle Maziarz* (diving, 50 freestyle)

Note: Maziarz won a Class AA WPIAL and PIAA title in diving.

Barry says: “We have eight members on the team this year. Anyone who out-numbers us can usually beat us, but we have some talented kids.”

Seneca Valley

Coach: Brian Blackwell, 8th season

Girls

Returning district qualifiers: seniors Katelyn Caccamo* (diving), Katie Clark (breaststroke), Sarah Stevens (backstroke, 100 freestyle) and Alyvia Meanor (butterfly, freestyle); juniors Maddie Montalbano (diving), Meghan Keppler (diving), Julia Listwak (butterfly), Taylor Schoeffel (backstroke) and Gianna Petrella (butterfly); sophomore Edie Sawyer* (breaststroke).

Blackwell says: “We were 11-1 last season and are hoping to repeat that strong performance. North Allegheny is a good challenge for us. Our girls have good potential.”

Boys

Returning district qualifiers: seniors Max Bredl (backstroke, butterfly) and John Simoes (backstroke, freestyle); juniors Owen Blazer* (butterfly, backstroke) and Max Skeen (50/100 freestyle); sophomores Trevor Elliott (diving) and Renhan Xu (200 freestyle)

Blackwell says: “We lost a lot of seniors from last year's 11-1 team and have several freshmen coming in. Hopefully, they can fill the void.”

Slippery Rock

Coach: Kirby Burns, 1st season (2nd stint)

Girls

Returning district qualifiers: junior Kaitlin Novak (breaststroke, butterfly); sophomores Reagan Suorsa (IM, 500 freestyle, butterfly) and Alyssa Olshanski (IM, 100 freestyle)

Burns says: “We have eight total girls, though a couple are out right now with injury. We can still swim a full slate and be competitive with any team that has similar numbers.”

Boys

Returning district qualifiers: senior Heston Suorsa* (IM, backstroke); junior Riley Lewis (breaststroke)

Burns says: “Heston owns the school record in the backstroke and Riley has the breaststroke record. We are very small with just four boys.”