Freeport’s Schrecongost sets school record at WPIAL championships

By: Michael Love
Saturday, March 6, 2021 | 9:20 PM

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Alexis Schrecongost finished third in the WPIAL Class AA 100-yard breaststroke as a freshman and placed fourth last season.

She battled both years but fell just short against the likes of graduates Heather Gardner from Mt. Pleasant, Rachel Blackburn from Highlands and Harley Kessler from Indiana.

The Freeport junior didn’t take a back seat to anyone Saturday at Upper St. Clair High School.

Schrecongost set a school record in the 100 breast with a time of 1 minute, 6.03 seconds.

She edged Indiana freshman Yana Noronha by eight one-hundredths of a second for her first WPIAL championship.

“I looked up and saw that time and the ‘1’ beside my name, and I had to double check it a couple of times,” said Schrecongost, whose previous best mark in the 100 breast, 1:07.13, came as a freshman.

“I was like, ‘Wow, that is my name there in that spot.’ I knew (Noronha) from YMCA meets. The race was really tight for first, second and third. I am just so happy that I won it.”

California sophomore Anastasia Georgagis touched the wall in third (1:06.60).

Earlier Saturday — the Class AA girls and boys meets were contested all in one day — Schrecongost posted a fourth-place finish in the 100 freestyle (53.44).

She is looking forward to the PIAA Class AA championships March 19 at Cumberland Valley High School. Only the WPIAL champions in each individual and relay event under the new covid-altered format are guaranteed a spot at states.

The PIAA has cut the entries to 16 for each individual and relay event, and six at-large spots will be available once all of the district winners are determined.

“I didn’t think that I would be where I am right now with all that has gone on this season, but I think some extra time with things like dry land training really helped me improve my swims and my times,” Schrecongost said.

“I do dry land now on a regular basis.”

The Freeport girls 200 medley relay of Schrecongost, seniors Brooke Welling and Madison Moretti and freshman Caitlyn Brennan kicked off the meet for the Alle-Kiski Valley teams with a sixth-place finish in a time of 1:55.28. Schrecongost, Welling, Moretti and sophomore Aimee Heasley added a fifth-place medal in a time of 1:44.29.

Moretti produced an eighth-place medal in the 100 butterfly (1:03.72) as the Yellowjackets finished ninth in the girls team standings with 120.5 points.

Senior Beth Shoop, an independent swimmer representing Riverview, kicked off her final WPIAL meet with a sixth-place finish in the 200 free (2:00.89). It was her first WPIAL medal in the event.

She followed that with her third WPIAL medal in the 500 free as she raced to a time of 5:27.45 and placed sixth.

“This has been amazing,” Shoop said. “I thought about representing my school in my years prior to high school. I am super happy with how I’ve done, being able to progress and go up the podium each year.”

Sam Wygonik, junior independent swimmer representing St. Joseph, took home two medals — including a fourth in the 500 free (4:51.70) — on the boys side.

Wygonik earned a WPIAL medal in the 500 free as a freshman in 2019. He just missed one in the 200 free.

The junior independent swimmer representing St. Joseph missed WPIALs entirely last year after having surgery to repair an elbow injury.

Wygonik added a sixth in the 200 free (1:47.97).

“It was really good to get out there and race with others who are just as fast as me,” he said. “We were able to race off of each other. I really didn’t get to do that as much as I wanted this season. I think if I end up going to states, I can do better. Being out there again at WPIALs felt like it was where I needed to be.”

Medal-winning performances continued with Plum senior Logan Minick, who set a school record (4:53.63) in the 500 free.

The record, a 4:54.38, had stood since 1992.

Minick also placed eighth in the 200 free (1:48.93).

Also taking home top-eight medals were Plum junior Sam Schohn in the 100 breast (fifth, 1:01.17), Highlands sophomore Aidan Ochoa in the 100 butterfly (sixth, 53.60) and 100 back (sixth, 54.31), Knoch junior Caden Traggiai in the 500 free (sixth, 4:57.44) and 200 free (seventh, 1:48.19) and Plum senior Aaron Frederick in the 100 free (seventh, 50.56) and 50 free (eighth, 23.00).

Minick, Schohn, Frederick and senior Jordan Rogers teamed up for Plum to place seventh in the 200 medley relay (1:44.23) and the 400 free relay (3:25.36).

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: Freeport, Riverview, St. Joseph