Amelia Suhayda, Marcus Zhan lead Quaker Valley swimmers at WPIAL meet

By: Ray Fisher
Sunday, March 8, 2026 | 11:01 AM

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Quaker Valley senior Marcus Zhan earned a runner-up finish in the 200-yard freestyle event at the WPIAL Class 2A swimming championships Feb. 26-27 at Pitt’s Trees Pool.

Zhan, who attends Sewickley Academy and competes for the Quakers as part of a cooperative sponsorship, turned in a time of 1 minute, 46.51 seconds.

“I had decent swims, but I can’t say I’m happy with my execution in those races,” he said. “I know I can definitely improve and do better in the future. For the state meet, I hope to race faster than what I did at WPIALs.”

The senior swimmer also placed sixth in the 500 free in 4:49.88 and competed in two relay races for QV — the 200 and 400 freestyle events.

Zhan’s younger brother Augustin also was a two-time medalist, finishing fourth in the 500 freestyle event in 4:47.03 and eighth in the 200 individual medley in 2:01.94.

And Augustin joined his older brother in the two relays.

“My brother did very good,” said the elder Zhan sibling. “He’s actually been sick for the past month, so being able to go out there and swim how he did was pretty impressive.”

As a team, the Quakers ended up 13th in the district in Class 2A with a 73.50-point total at the WPIAL finals. Northgate won the boys championship with 229 team points, followed by Indiana (209), Shady Side Academy (180), Knoch (173) and Mt. Pleasant (172) in the top five.

“The QV boys did great,” Marcus Zhan said. “For many, it was their first WPIAL (finals), so it was definitely a fun learning experience.”

Two other individual point-producers for QV were freshmen Luke Monyok, who placed 14th in the 100 breast stroke event in 1:04.56, and Michael Fuener, who tied for 16th in the 100 butterfly with Greensburg Salem’s Travis Himes with a 58.50 time.

Monyok and Fuener participated in the 200 medley relay for the Quakers. Monyok also competed in the 200 free relay while Fuener swam in the 400 free relay.

All three relay squads added to QV’s overall point total with the 200 free placing 12th and the 200 medley and 400 free both finishing 16th.

The Quakers’ 200 medley relayers consisted of sophomore Ian Benson, senior Austin Young, Monyok and Fuener.

Young, Monyok and the Zhan brothers competed in the 200 free relay; Young, Fuener and the two Zhans swam in the 400 free relay.

Quaker Valley’s girls team tied for 10th place with Thomas Jefferson, both with 73 points, in the final WPIAL Class 2A team standings.

The Quakers were sparked sophomore Amelia Suhayda, who captured the runner-up spot in the 100 butterfly event in 57.50.

Suhayda also placed 11th in the 100 free in 55.33 and participated in two relays.

QV’s 200 freestyle relayers, consisting of freshman Halle Myers, senior Alexa Westwood, junior Lydia Kilpela and Suhayda, corralled third place with a 1:42.65 time.

Sophomore Cali Murawski, Westwood, Kilpela and Suhayda ended up ninth in the 400 free relay with a time of 3:47.54.

Indiana took first place in Class 2A in the girls district team standings with 284 points, followed by Franklin Regional (277), Shady Side Academy (214), Northgate (205) and Hampton (182).

The PIAA swimming and diving championships are March 11-14 at Bucknell .

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