North Allegheny boys set to defend PIAA swimming team title

By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, March 11, 2018 | 10:27 PM

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After earning a seventh straight WPIAL Class AAA title, the North Allegheny boys swimming team is eager to show its might at the PIAA championship meet Wednesday and Thursday at Bucknell.

The Tigers — the defending champions — are seeded first in seven of the 12 events.

“We've been performing and racing at a high level all season,” junior Jack Wright said. “We've all been looking forward to this meet for a long time.”

The 200-yard freestyle relay team of junior Jack Wright, senior Mason Gonzalez, sophomore Rick Mihm and senior Andrew Zhang (1 minute, 21.15 seconds) and the 400 freestyle relay team of Mihm, sophomore Josh Galecki, junior Joel Songer and Wright (3:03.12) broke meet records at the WPIAL championship March 1-2 at Pitt's Trees Pool the Tigers set last season.

Wright shattered a WPIAL record in the 200 freestyle (1:37.82) and is also seeded first at states.

Other top seeds are Mihm in the 200 individual medley (1:49.46) and 500 freestyle (4:28.89); Gonzalez, 50 freestyle (20.06); and the 200 medley relay team of Zhang, junior Jerry Chen, Gonzalez and Songer (1:30.97).

The Tigers took first place in the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays last season.

Gonzalez, a Stanford recruit and the defending PIAA champion in the 50 and 100 freestyle, is eyeing the meet record in the 50 freestyle (19.58) set by David Nolan of District 3 Hershey in 2011. He said if he cannot reach that, he hopes to qualify at least for the Phillips 66 National Championships in July.

Gonzalez is seeded second in the 100 freestyle (44.14) to Penn Hills junior Kimani Gregory (44.09). Both improved a meet record Gonzalez broke at the WPIAL championship a year ago.

“Obviously, our main goal is to strive to win the meet, but we have many other goals as well,” Gonzalez said. “Some (of us) are chasing down national high school records in some of the relays, (which) we broke earlier this year and are hoping to reset.”

Among other seeded swimmers are Zhang, second in the 100 backstroke (49.28) and sixth in the 100 butterfly (50.05); Wright, third, 100 freestyle (44.43); Songer, fifth, 50 freestyle (20.94); and Chen, fifth, 100 breaststroke (57.43).

“We always want to be faster than our swims (at) WPIALs,” said Zhang, a Northwestern recruit. “During preparation, we try to keep everyone excited and not too nervous (or) overwhelmed.

“It's just about letting the training we've put in take over and having the mindset to win both individually and as a team.”

On the girls side, the Tigers hope to be among top finishers after claiming a record 10th consecutive WPIAL Class AAA crown.

Sophomore Torie Buerger, the WPIAL champion in the 100 backstroke, is seeded third in that event (55.80) and fifth in the 200 individual medley (2:03.84), in which she was WPIAL runner-up.

Freshman Molly Smyers is seeded sixth in the 500 freestyle (4:58.32) and 200 freestyle (1:51.76) after placing first and second in those at WPIALs.

The 200 freestyle relay team of junior Mary Flavin, Smyers, senior Ann Juneau and senior Kristine Mihm (1:36.16) and the 400 freestyle relay team of Kristine Mihm, Smyers, junior Lila McGrath and Buerger (3:28.87) are seeded fifth and the 200 medley relay team of Buerger, Juneau, McGrath and Flavin (1:45.74) sixth.

“Our goal is do better than we did last year,” Kristine Mihm said. “We are aiming to get in the top five and have our relays place among the top three.”

The girls came in seventh last season.

Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer.

Tags: North Allegheny