Freshman claims 2A silver
Belle Vernon freshman Ian Shahan has some improvements to make after his first foray into the PIAA Class 2A championship meet. But not many.
Shahan, who won WPIAL titles in the 100-yard butterfly and the 100 backstroke, finished his state championship meet with a second silver medal, this one in the backstroke and was the top boys finisher Saturday for the district at Bucknell University’s KinneyN atatorium.
In his final individual heat, Shahan swam a 50.55 seconds to drop his time more than a second from his morning qualifier of 51.70, which seeded him just 0.04 behind junior Josiah Lauver of Bishop McDevitt. But Lauver shaved more off his evening time witha 49.70-second showing to win his second title.
Shahan wasn’t the only WPIAL swimmer from his school to come close as the meet closed out.
Leopards teammate Robert Spek is also dropped more than a second off his morning seed time in the 100 breaststroke, but his time of 58.31 seconds was only good enough for third and left him 1.23 seconds behind Clearfield senior Chase Bietz. Friday, the junior finished 10th in the 200individual medley.
Though Shah an and Spek is were the only swimmers from the WPIAL to finish in the top three, several others brought home medals, including Neshannock freshman Conner McBeth (fourth in the 100 freestyle) and Mars junior Andrew Pierre, who came in fourth in the 500 freestyle and also earlier medaled in the 200 freestyle. Northgate’s Karen Siddoway came in second to Bloomsburg senior Hannah Everhart in the 100 freestyle. Siddoway touched the wall in 50.88 seconds and finished just 0.38seconds behind Everhart.
Mount Pleasant sophomore Heather Gardner won the WPIAL title in the 100 breaststroke, but Gardner had to settle for a fourth-place finish in the event as her time of 1:04.21 was 2.07 seconds behind the champion Annie O’Dareof Gwynedd Mercy.
Ringgold’s Anna Vogt was in the running for the PIAA girls diving title, but came up just short. The Rams junior scored 372.95 points, good enough for third place and only 24.00 behind the champion, Big Spring senior Shannon McCabe. Elizabeth Forward senior Jordan Vasko also medaled as she came in seventh with 314.40 points.