A-K Valley swimmers awarded bids to PIAA meet

By: HSSN Staff
Tuesday, March 6, 2018 | 7:45 PM

Kiski Area senior Josh Madzy was pretty confident his time in the 100-yard backstroke at last Friday's WPIAL championships would net him a spot at the PIAA meet.

While not an automatic qualifier in the event — the top three in each Class AAA event earned that distinction — he felt his sixth-place finish in a time of 51.66 seconds was more than fast enough to put him in the field at the PIAA championships, March 14-17 at Bucknell.

Kiski coach Lisa Pepka said Madzy wasn't as sure about his 200 freestyle time — a seventh place at 1:43.89 — but the Class AAA boys 200 free race last Thursday was fast, and the top eight finishers moved on.

“Josh's pretty excited about getting to states in both,” Pepka said. “Now, we're starting to build him back up so he has a chance to drop more time.”

Dropping more time is the goal of several other Alle-Kiski Valley swimmers and relays that found out Tuesday, after a three- or four-day wait, their times also were good enough to be included.

In addition to the top three in each Class AAA event from WPIALs, the top four from Class AA also secured automatic berths. After the 16 automatic spots from all over the state for each event were set, the PIAA selected eight more relays and 16 more individuals using district-meet times.

The Fox Chapel girls 200 medley relay (Grace Gackenbach, Jaclyn Filo, Joslyn Filo and Molly Wiese) was the final time qualifier in girls Class AAA. Also earning time qualifications in girls AAA was Plum's Devan Taylor in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke.

In boys Class AA, Deer Lakes' Noah Loper earned a trip to states based on time in the 200 IM in addition to his automatic bid in the 500 free (second at WPIALs). The Lancers' boys 400 free relay of Loper, Adam Morrison, Alex Sharkins and Max Hilliard, with their seventh-place time, also picked up a berth.

Alternates for their events are the Plum girls 200 medley relay (Delanee White, Taylor, Charlotte Jones and Alex Smith) in Class AAA and Springdale's Rachel Halapchuk in the Class AA girls 100 back.

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

Tags: Deer Lakes, Fox Chapel, Kiski School, Plum, Springdale