‘Fun begins’ for Norwin swimmers as WPIAL championship looms

By: Karen Kadilak
Monday, February 17, 2020 | 9:48 AM

Norwin junior swimmer Jordan Kutchak worked hard in the offseason and is reaping the rewards.

Kutchak earned a gold medal in the girls 200-yard freestyle in the Westmoreland County Coaches Association meet in January. Her time of 1 minute, 57.65 seconds is on a list of top marks in WPIAL Class AAA.

She hopes to make the podium at the WPIAL championship Feb. 27-28 at Pitt.

“I expect her to swim very well once she tapers,” Norwin coach Doug Watson said. “She is just learning how to swim fast.”

Kutchak said she gave up other sports to focus on swimming.

She stayed in the pool over the summer and went to voluntary after-school practice in the fall. She is doing more dry-land training.

“I love swimming,” she said, adding the team is like a family.

Senior Ethan Tulenko said Kutchak is a great training partner.

Tulenko (1:41.81) ranks third in WPIAL Class AAA in the boys 200 freestyle after setting a meet record at the Westmoreland County Coaches Association championship.

“She always has a good attitude and pushes me and the others during practice,” he said.

Kutchak and Tulenko are among 14 Knights who will compete individually or in relays at the WPIAL championships. Senior Phong Tran, the gold medalist in the boys 200 individual medley at the county meet, is one of the qualifiers.

“We have a lot of good seeds,” Watson said. “The fun begins.”

Tags: Norwin