North Allegheny swimmers ready to defend WPIAL titles

By: HSSN Staff
Friday, February 23, 2018 | 11:00 PM

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The North Allegheny boys swimming team is such an overwhelming favorite, it will be looking ahead at the WPIAL Class AAA championship meet Thursday and Friday at Pitt's Trees Pool.

The Tigers girls team, though, will need to do its best to become the first girls squad to earn 10 straight WPIAL Class AAA titles.

The Tigers boys — the six-time defending champions — are seeded at the top in nearly every event. In the 100-yard freestyle, they rank first to third.

Both squads went 11-0 in dual meets.

Coach Patrick Wenzel said the boys hope to qualify as many swimmers as possible for the PIAA championship March 14-15 at Bucknell, where they took the crown last year.

“Our best guys will be pointing towards that meet, but should still be a force to be reckoned with at WPIALs,” he said.

The 200 freestyle relay (1 minute, 20.46 seconds) and 400 freestyle relay (2:57.59) teams of senior Mason Gonzalez, senior Andrew Zhang, junior Jack Wright and sophomore Rick Mihm set national public high school records earlier this season.

The 200 medley relay team (1:30.55) of Zhang, junior Jerry Chen, Gonzalez and Wright are also seeded first at WPIALs.

Gonzalez in the 50 freestyle (20.37) and 100 freestyle (44.28); Mihm, 500 freestyle (4:33.34) and 200 individual medley (1:49.35); Wright, 200 freestyle (1:38.27); and Zhang, 100 backstroke (50.64) and 100 butterfly (50.50), are other top seeds.

“A lot of my teammates are getting their first shot at the WPIAL meet, or are aiming to make it to PIAAs,” said Gonzalez, a Stanford recruit and WPIAL record holder in the 50 and 100 freestyle. “We're hoping to see a lot more swimmers in those final heats at WPIALs, and, in turn, qualify more swimmers for PIAAs so we can take a large group and really go out and own the pool at states.”

Zhang, a Northwestern recruit, expects veterans to shine.

“Many of our individual finalists last year weren't seniors, which means they've improved a lot since,” he said.

On the girls side, the Tigers expect a hotly contested meet with Mt. Lebanon and Upper St. Clair, with Moon as a sleeper.

“As long as we swim with confidence, we have a chance,” said Wenzel, who also guides the Tigers girls.

The 200 freestyle relay team of sophomore Torie Buerger, senior Ann Juneau, junior Mary Flavin and senior Kristine Mihm (1:36.83) and the 200 medley relay team of Buerger, Juneau, junior Lila McGrath and Kristine Mihm (1:46.35) are seeded first for the Tigers.

Buerger in the 200 individual medley (2:02.47) and 100 backstroke (56.12); freshman Molly Smyers, 500 freestyle (5:06.18); and Kristine Mihm, 200 freestyle (1:54.42), also rank first.

“We all have been very focused during practices,” said Juneau, a George Washington recruit. “We are going to swim with passion and leave it all in the pool.”

Kristine Mihm said the Tigers have worked hard in and out of the pool and trained smart.

Moon coach Jeff Berghoff considers the Tigers the team to beat.

“I think everyone is aiming for them,” he said.

Karen Kadilak is a freelance writer.

Tags: North Allegheny