Hempfield girls nip Franklin Regional in record-setting Westmoreland County swim meet
By: HSSN Staff
Sunday, January 28, 2018 | 5:02 PM
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Shannon Geer competes during the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Geer came in at seventh place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Penn-Trafford's Ben Yant competes in the boys' 200 yard freestyle during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Yant came in fourth place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Elizabeth Smeltzer is congratulated by teammates after finishing the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Smeltzer came in third place overall in the event, with a final time of 2:18.67.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Penn-Trafford's Zachary Snelling competes in the boys' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Snelling won third place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Courtney Kosanovic competes in the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Courtney Kosanovic dives for the start of the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Courtney Sanderson reacts after completing the girls' 50 yard freestyle during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Joey Astrab competes in the boys' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Latrobe's David Marinchak competes in the boys' 100 yard butterfly event during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Michael Fry competes in the boys' 100 yard butterfly event during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Franklin Regional's Jacob Bailey competes in the boys' 100 yard butterfly event during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Franklin Regional's Abigail Ramey competes in the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Ramey won first place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Kiski Area's Joshua Madzy competes in the boys' 200 yard freestyle during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Madzy won first place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Shannon Geer competes in the girls 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Geer came in at seventh place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Lynn Gardner competes during the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Gardner came in at ninth place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Greensburg Salem's Cassidy Madison competes in the girl' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Madison came in at 11th place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Mikayla McCallen competes in the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. McCallen came in 16th in the event.
Hempfield's Shannon Geer competes during the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Geer came in at seventh place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Penn-Trafford's Ben Yant competes in the boys' 200 yard freestyle during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Yant came in fourth place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Elizabeth Smeltzer is congratulated by teammates after finishing the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Smeltzer came in third place overall in the event, with a final time of 2:18.67.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Penn-Trafford's Zachary Snelling competes in the boys' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Snelling won third place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Courtney Kosanovic competes in the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Courtney Kosanovic dives for the start of the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Courtney Sanderson reacts after completing the girls' 50 yard freestyle during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Joey Astrab competes in the boys' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Latrobe's David Marinchak competes in the boys' 100 yard butterfly event during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Norwin's Michael Fry competes in the boys' 100 yard butterfly event during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Franklin Regional's Jacob Bailey competes in the boys' 100 yard butterfly event during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Franklin Regional's Abigail Ramey competes in the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Ramey won first place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Kiski Area's Joshua Madzy competes in the boys' 200 yard freestyle during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Madzy won first place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Hempfield's Shannon Geer competes in the girls 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Geer came in at seventh place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Mt. Pleasant's Lynn Gardner competes during the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Gardner came in at ninth place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Greensburg Salem's Cassidy Madison competes in the girl' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. Madison came in at 11th place in the event.
Shane Dunlap | Tribune-Review
Derry's Mikayla McCallen competes in the girls' 200 yard individual medley during the Westmoreland County Coaches Association swimming championships Saturday Jan. 27, 2018 at Derry High School. McCallen came in 16th in the event.
“It was a total team effort,” Hempfield coach Kevin Clougherty said. “Each kid contributed. If they were just a little bit slower, a little bit off, we would not have won.”
Hempfield took first place in two events.
Zoey Wilson finished first in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 1 minute, 58.03 seconds.
The Spartans 200 free relay team of Wilson, Maddy Cisco, Taylor Dahl and Emily Smith edged Penn-Trafford by seven-hundredths of a second (1:41.25).
“It's a testament to the entire team, not just one or two kids. We're very fortunate in that way,” Clougherty said.
Mt. Pleasant sophomore Heather Gardner broke two meet records, helping her team place first in Class 2A.
Gardner's winning 50 free time of 23.38 was a meet record. She accomplished the same feat in 100 breaststroke (1:05.57).
“I was kind of expecting it,” Gardner said. “I went in with the mindset knowing that I wanted to get under a 24 (seconds) and knowing I wanted to get under 1:06 in the breaststroke. I knew with those times, I'd get a meet record.”
Franklin Regional girls earned first place in several events. Junior Abigail Ramey finished first in the 200 IM (2:10.17) and was a part of the winning 200 medley relay team.
On the boys side, Penn-Trafford won the team title with 372 points – 70 better than second-place Franklin Regional (302) — and produced a meet record in the 400 free relay (3:16.81).
Luke Babik, John Sandala, Zachary Snelling and Jacob Yant were the relay participants.
Penn-Trafford freshman Ben Yant earned first place in the 500 free (5:00.32).
Another freshman, Ian Shahan of Belle Vernon, the 2A champions, earned recognition by finishing first in two events and setting a meet record in the 100 backstroke (53.12).
“I didn't even know I broke it,” said Shahan. “It wasn't until I got out of the pool to talk to my coaches that I found out. I wanted to see how well I could push myself, how fast I could actually go.”
Shahan also finished first in the 100 free (48.03).
“I was happy with my times. I'm hoping to do good at WPIALs and maybe win the title.”
Shahan helped Belle Vernon win the Class AA boys title. The Leopards finished with 180 points, 31 more than Mt. Pleasant (149).
The Hempfield boys finished third. The Spartans' 200 medley relay team of Adam Toth, Todd Wilson, Nolan Steeley and Gavin Mayo placed first in 1:40.38.
Mayo finished first in the 50 free (21.48), a tenth of second off the meet record.
