Fox Chapel swim teams speeding toward section titles

By: Michael Love
Monday, January 31, 2022 | 6:01 PM

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Payton O’Toole made a splash two years ago as a freshman at Burrell with a fifth-place finish in the 200-yard freestyle at the WPIAL Class 2A championships at Pitt’s Trees Pool. She also was sixth in the 500 free.

A trip to states in the 200 free was dashed as the onset of the coronavirus pandemic canceled the PIAA Class 2A meet at Bucknell.

O’Toole didn’t compete at the high school level last year as she was in the process of transferring to the Fox Chapel School District.

“We weren’t sure when we were moving, so I didn’t want to commit to anything at Burrell that I couldn’t finish,” said O’Toole, who also swims for the Fox Chapel Killer Whales. “Also, with covid and everything, I decided to focus on just one group.”

Familiarity with her new high school classmates and teammates through club, O’Toole said, made the transition smooth, and she now is hoping for big things for not only herself but also the team.

“They made me feel very much included, and it is an awesome feeling to know I can help this team hopefully win another section title and a WPIAL title,” said O’Toole, who ranks third in both the 200 free (1:55.19) and 500 free (5:08.52) on the latest WPIAL Class 3A girls performance lists.

“It is very excited to see the depth and talent we have. Being able to become a part of this team and add to it is an amazing feeling.”

The Fox Chapel boys and girls teams both are 9-0 overall and 4-0 in Section 3-3A after defeating Gateway last Thursday. They hope to finish off undefeated section campaigns with meets against Franklin Regional (Feb. 10) and Shaler (Feb. 17).

The girls team seeks its third straight section title and fifth since 2015, while the boys hope for back-to-back titles after going through a 31-year drought.

Taylor said both teams also will get a good test of their progress at noon Saturday with a nonsection meet at Upper St. Clair.

The Fox Chapel girls, in addition to the goal of closing out their third straight section title, also hope to challenge for the WPIAL title in early March.

The Foxes’ point-scoring individual and relay performances at WPIALs last year placed them fourth in the team standings with 207 points behind North Allegheny (425), Seneca Valley (249) and Upper St. Clair (223).

The 200 medley and 200 free relays have secured automatic qualifying times for WPIALs, and the 400 free relay is close.

Junior Sophie Shao, the two-time WPIAL and PIAA champion in the 100 butterfly, again is on point as she owns the top times in the Class AAA 100 fly (54.65) and 200 IM (2:07.44).

Defending 100 backstroke champion Talia Bugel, a junior, is second in the 100 back (56.52) to only Mt. Lebanon’s Sylvia Roy.

“We are so motivated,” said senior Rei Sperry, who is ranked fourth in both the 50 free (24.47) and 100 free (52.37). “We’ve had some intense practices the past couple of weeks, and it is showing in our meets. We have to ability to reach all of our goals this year.”

Sperry last year helped the 200 medley relay, with Shao, Bugel and the graduated Vivian Shao, claim the WPIAL title with a school-record time of 1:45.16.

The same four also set a school record last year in the 400 free relay – 3:30.06 – in taking seventh at the PIAA championships.

Others making an impact for the Fox Chapel girls are senior Ariana Pasquella (sixth in the 100 breaststroke, 1:07.20), freshman Margaret Rusche (ninth, 100 fly, 58.99), and freshman Sarah Pasquella (11th in the 100 breast, 1:07.89). All three times are automatic qualifiers to WPIALs.

Sophomore Claudia Smith and freshman Isabella Marcos also hope to make their mark as WPIALs draws closer.

Positive vibes also abound on the boys team.

“I am surprised with how fast we’ve been at every meet,” said Nathaniel Ross, who sits eighth overall in the 200 free on the Class 3A performance list with a top time of 1:45.32. The cut automatically places him in the field for WPIALs.

“We are really motivated with a lot of guys who can get WPIAL cuts and challenge a lot of the (school) records that we have. Winning back-to-back sections and getting as many to WPIALs as possible are big goals we set at the start of the season.”

Others on the boys side with automatic times are junior Emmanuel Drappatz (ranked 10th in 50 free, 21.97), junior Aadil Pattada (9th in 100 back, 53.66), and freshman Christian Dantey (10th in 200 IM, 1:58.81).

Also making an impact are seniors David Dering and Holden Smith, sophomores Henry Koloc, Peter Manelis and Oscar Ruff and freshman Owen Howell.

Freshman Jackson Hagler will make his WPIAL diving debut Feb. 26 at North Allegheny. He is ranked fifth in Class 3A with a best score of 247.95.

“For the past couple of years, I’ve been wanting to compete with the team and feel what it is like,” said Hagler, a diver for about two years who also competes for Team Pitt. “I’ve watched guys like Jonah Cagley and David Manelis the past couple of years, and they were so good. I really look up to them and all they achieved. That motivates me to work hard every day. I expect to do well at WPIALs. I just want to go there, compete and have fun.”

Fellow freshman Josh Gunzenhauser also has qualified for diving WPIALs. He currently is ranked 10th (184.55) on the Class 3A boys list.

Another freshman, Ainsley Anderson, is pushing to qualify for the Class 3A girls diving championships. The target qualifying score for six dives is 200.0, and she is 1.3 points away (198.7)

“Hopefully, she qualifies (against Upper St. Clair),” Fox Chapel diving coach Vernon Yenick said. “She just learned two new dives she needs for WPIALs.”

Michael Love is a TribLive reporter covering sports in the Alle-Kiski Valley and the eastern suburbs of Pittsburgh. A Clearfield native and a graduate of Westminster (Pa.), he joined the Trib in 2002 after spending five years at the Clearfield Progress. He can be reached at mlove@triblive.com.

Tags: Fox Chapel