Shady Side hit with youth, inexperience
Shady Side Academy won four consecutive WPIAL Class 2A titles on the strength of a solid group who graduated after last season.
Because of this, the expectations aren’t quite as high for the Indians as they head into the new campaign.
“We’re looking to take three relays to WPIALs and see what can happen,” Shady Side Academy coach John Landreth said. “I wish I could say we’re going to contend, but if we finish top 15, it will be a good year for us.”
Without that veteran core of swimmers, Shady Side will rely on a young and relatively inexperienced group. The only swimmer the team has back from its state competitors from a year ago is junior Maya Groff, who swam the 200-yard medley relay and the 100 breaststroke.
There are also a couple of swimmers, such as senior backstroke specialist Marie Kim, sophomore Ashley Chu and soccer player Sophia McMahon, who rejoined the Indians in the pool after their semifinal run in the PIAA Class 1A tournament.
“I knew what was going to happen,” Landreth said. “I started thinking of this last year about what do we need to do to bring this along.”
Still, going from winning a fourth consecutive WPIAL title to projecting a second-10 finish as a good year is something of a disappointment. But in the end, Shady Side isn’t about to wallow.
“It happens,” Landreth said.
Though Shady Side may struggle, the WPIAL as a whole has some hope for possible gold medals at the state meet at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium in March. Northgate senior Karen Siddoway finished with silver in the 100 and 200 freestyles last year and is the top returning swimmer in both events.
Class 3A
Olivia Livingston probably won’t say it aloud, but she was probably glad to see the back of Pennridge’s Morgan Scott when she graduated earlier this year.
Livingston has won the PIAA Class 3A title in recordbreaking fashion in the 50 freestyle in both of her previous trips to Lewisburg, but Scott stopped her short of winning double gold both years with wins in the 100 freestyle.
This year, the Gateway junior will be a heavy favorite to win both.
Livingston was the only WPIAL individual swimmer to win a PIAA gold medal last year.
Laura Goettler of Butler finished second in the 100 breaststroke and the junior is the top returning finisher from last year. She will also be among the favorites in the 200 individual medley where she will be the No. 2 returner behind Claudia Thamm of North Penn.
In the WPIAL, North Allegheny will be looking to make history. The Tigers have won 10 consecutive titles and, with a victory at Pitt’s Trees Pool, will tie Oakland Catholic (2000-10) for the all-time record with 11 consecutive titles.
Oakland Catholic won all of its crowns in Class 2A.