Northgate junior steals show
Tri-State Sports & News Service
Seeing a person win the 500-yard freestyle by six seconds at the WPIAL Class 2A swimming finals at Pitt’s Trees Pool Thursday wasn’t a big deal.
Having someone do it in the 200 freestyle, well, that’s a little rarer.
That’s exactly what Karen Siddoway pulled off as the Northgate junior finished in 1:51.09 to defeat second-place Kaelyn McClain, the sophomore from Elizabeth Forward, by 6.46 seconds to win her first individual title.
“It was interesting in the first 100 because I didn’t pay attention to where anyone else was in the pool and I was just thinking about how I feel in the pool,” Siddoway said. “Before that, I sights set on breaking the was so nervous because it WPIAL record of 23.10 seconds was so intense and it was so in the 50 freestyle set in my head and I had so by Emily Zimcosky of Geibel much energy.” in 2015.
Siddoway shook off her She might have been a nervous energy and posted tiny bit disappointed she a personal best that was didn’t get it, but winning also 8.45 seconds faster than her first WPIAL title made her seed time of 1:59.54. She up for it. was the only competitor to “It’s absolutely amazing break 2:00 before the meet. and absolutely an honor to
“All I could think was do it,” Gardner said. “To that it was so close because hold the 50-free plaque for one of my goals this season the photo was just amazing.” was to break 1:50,” Siddoway said. Gardner not only won,
“I was kind of hoping, she did so by a landslide. but it’s still pretty good, Her time of 23.25 seconds even though I was hoping was 0.15 off WPIAL record for like a 1:49.” pace, and she beat Blackhawk
Mount Pleasant’sBlackhawk senior Skye Fogle to Heather Gardner had her the wall by 1.14 seconds.
Mars junior Andrew Pierre wasn’t the top seed in the 200 freestyle and, because he was swimming in the No. 2 position in Lane 5 next to top qualifier Cole Thome of Indiana, he understandably was nervous.
“It’s kind weird because I’m used to swimming against people I know and who I usually swim against. I know how they’re going to take it out,” Pierre said. “This guy, I had no idea.”
Conversely, the Indiana sophomore had no idea what to expect from Pierre, which worked to Pierre’s advantage as the Planets middle-distance specialist won his first individual title in 1:44.15, beating Adam Morrison of Deer Lakes by 2.55 seconds. Thome dropped his seed time by more than two seconds, but still finished fourth in 1:47.13.
“I felt really good and I improved a lot on my turns,” Pierre said.
Dean Kralic had finished fourth in the 100 butterfly each of the past two years, but came into the final this year as the No. 2 seed and appeared primed for his first title. And he delivered.
Kralic closed the individual portion of the meet with a 50.29-second final that edged top-seeded Belle Vernon freshman Ian Shahan by 1.36 seconds to win his first individual title.