Countdown to WPIALs: North Allegheny’s Mason Gonzalez has 4 titles to defend

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, February 19, 2018 | 7:12 PM

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Tribune-Review sports reporter Michael Love and the TribLive High School Sports Network will be profiling 10 swimmers to watch leading up to the 2018 WPIAL championship meet, set for March 1-2 at the Pitt's Trees Pool.

TRIBHSSN is the exclusive audio and video home for the WPIAL Class AAA and AA championship meets, which will be broadcasted and video streamed live at TribHSSN.triblive.com.

Here is the second installment of a 10-part series featuring some of the area's top swimmers.

Mason Gonzalez

School: North Allegheny

Class: Senior

Events: 50-yard freestyle, 100 freestyle, relays TBD.

2017 WPIAL results: 50 freestyle, 1st (20.05 seconds, WPIAL record); 100 freestyle, 1st (44.17, WPIAL record); 200 medley relay, 1st (1:33.93); 200 freestyle relay, 1st (1:22.93, WPIAL record).

Mason Gonzalez will swim at Stanford starting next year — he finalized his decision in November — but the North Allegheny senior has several goals left to accomplish in his high school career.

His mission starts March 1 and 2 with the WPIAL Class AAA championships at Pitt's Trees Pool.

The standout freestyler has several WPIAL and PIAA titles to defend, and he hopes to eclipse his own records in both the 50 and 100 freestyle.

Gonzalez repeated as the WPIAL Class AAA 100 free champion last year with a time of 44.17 seconds, breaking his own mark of 44.82 set as a sophomore. He went on to claim PIAA gold at Bucknell University in the 100 with an even better time of 43.62.

“Mason is so mentally tough, and that is reflected in his work ethic,” North Allegheny coach Patrick Wenzel said. “He doesn't like to lose, even in practice. He likes to be pushed in practice, and that helps him be ready every time he's on the blocks. He is looking forward to swimming fast at WPIALs and states.”

Gonzalez also owns the WPIAL record in the 50 free, and he hopes to move under 20 seconds after speeding to a 20.05 time last year.

He won a WPIAL title in every event he entered the past two seasons, including helping the Tigers 200 and 400 free relays capture back-to-back crowns.

Gonzalez set the table as a freshman, taking second in the 200 free, third in the 100 free and helping the 200 and 400 free relays to runner-up finishes.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

Tags: North Allegheny