Quaker Valley swimmers look to build on successful season

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, December 8, 2024 | 11:01 AM

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The Quaker Valley swimming and diving program racked up a banner season in 2023-24. The Quakers are looking for similar results in 2024-25.

But before diving too deep into this year, a review of last season as it pertains to the team’s returning athletes seems to be in order.

Margaret Getty qualified for the PIAA Class 2A championships in four events as a junior last year, advancing in the 200- and 500-yard freestyles and two relays.

Getty swam a personal-best time of 1 minute, 57.10 seconds to place fifth in the 200 free at WPIALs. She also logged a PR of 5:19.48 to take third in the 500 free.

“Overall, I’m very pleased with how I did,” Getty said afterward. “The season has overall been very positive and exciting, and I am sad to see it come to an end.”

Getty, sophomore Lydia Kilpela, and two recent graduates, Rena Gilligan and Emily Connors, were QV’s relay contestants.

“I was very happy with how I competed both individually and as a relayer,” Kilpela said. “Both our girls medley and 200 free relays qualified for states. Having qualified in two of our three relays truly shows the depth of our team. We accomplished a lot at the WPIAL finals.”

Kilpela finished in the WPIAL’s top 20 in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley with personal-best times in both.

Quaker Valley’s girls squad secured sixth place in 2A at the WPIAL finals, and the boys ended up 12th.

“Even though we had a small group of girls at WPIALs,” Getty said, “we didn’t let that stop us from having amazing races and supporting our team.”

Junior Alexa Westwood also was a WPIAL qualifier in the 100 backstroke.

“I was proud of the way our relays competed,” Westwood said. “Making states in two out of the three relays was a huge accomplishment and showed the depth of our team.

“It was a little sad that it (was) one of the last events I will swim with the seniors. Emily Connors finished her career strong and will be remembered as one of Quaker Valley’s all-time best swimmers.”

QV diving star Ruby Olliffe, a fourth-year competitor as a senior this year, repeated as a state qualifier after finishing as the WPIAL runner-up in 2A. Olliffe placed fourth at the PIAA championships.

Switching to Quaker Valley’s boys team, junior Marcuz Zhan made his presence felt last season as a PIAA finalist in the 200 and 500 freestyles. He also swam with the PIAA-qualifying 200 medley and 200 free relayers

Thomas Fuener, another senior, advanced to the PIAA finals in the 100 butterfly. Junior Ryan Steinfurth was an alternate in the 100 back.

Fuener, Steinfurth, senior Adlan Hifri and Zhan teamed up in both relays.

To recap, the Quakers’ WPIAL qualifiers were Fuener (100 free), Steinfurth (100 free), Hifri (100 breast) and junior Austin Young (100 free). Hifri grew up in Asia and spent most of his life abroad. Last year was his first in the United States.

Others looking to make an impact for the Quakers in 2024-25 include senior Grace Marraffa, juniors Margaret Burns, Kendra Hines and Makenna Kamnikar and sophomores Arianna Batina, Anna Fuener and Harper LaLomia.

Top freshmen are Charlotte Chappell, Lillian Gibson, Cali Murawski, Amelia Suhayda and Augustin Zhan.

QV is a cooperative program with Sewickley Academy in the pool. Kilpela and the Zhan brothers are Sewickley Academy students.

The Quakers will compete in Section 2-2A, joined by Beaver, Beaver Falls, Blackhawk, Central Valley, Hopewell, Riverside and West Allegheny.

QV will kick off the new year Jan. 2 by hosting Beaver Falls.

Tags: Quaker Valley