Plum swimmers seek WPIAL success

By: HSSN Staff
Monday, February 26, 2018 | 11:00 PM

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After more than three months of dual meets and practices of varying intensity, members of the Plum swim teams are on the cusp of the WPIAL Class AAA championships.

The Mustangs will test their mettle Thursday and Friday morning at Pitt's Trees Pool.

“It's been a slow decline for the kids with more rest to get them ready to go,” Plum coach Shawn Haupt said.

“They've been visualizing what they want their swims to be. I expect everyone to be feeling pretty good.”

Junior Devan Taylor has enjoyed success at WPIALs the past two seasons with school-record times, WPIAL medals earned and trips to states achieved.

Her next goal is a WPIAL title, and she is set up for that opportunity with a No. 2 seed in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:06.00).

Butler's Laura Goettler is the top seed at 1:04.64.

“Devan's feeling great,” Haupt said. “She knew she would be second in the breaststroke, and she's really excited about that. She's ready to go after the title.”

Taylor added the 200 individual medley school record this season to the one she had in the 100 breast, and she heads into the event seeded fifth (2:09.64).

“The 200 IM was a little bit of a surprise to her, being in the top five,” Haupt said. “When you see you're in the top heat, it gets you pumped up.”

The Class AAA events will be contested both days from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday will feature the 200 medley relay, the 200 IM, the 200 freestyle, the 50 free, the 100 butterfly and the 200 free relay.

Friday's lineup will have the 100 free, 500 free, 100 backstroke, 100 breast and the 400 free relay.

The top eight finishers in each event will earn medals, and the top three qualify automatically for states, set for March 15 to 18 at Bucknell.

The PIAA also will select additional qualifiers based on their WPIAL times.

Junior Justin Decheck hopes to break through for a medal in the 100 back as he is seeded ninth (54.38).

He's also seeded 14th in the 100 fly.

“The fly seed was a little better than we thought, and he's right where he wants to be in the backstroke,” Haupt said. “He's in the middle lane in the second-fastest heat. He hopes to win his heat and see where that puts him.”

Sophomore Delanee White returns to individual competition at WPIALs. She is the 14th seed in the 100 back (1:01.16) and is 18th in the 200 IM.

“Delanee was a little nervous at WPIALs last year, but she was able to drop time,” Haupt said. “Now she knows what to expect. She has some big goals and is pretty confident.”

Sophomore Cara Gettings hopes to move up the ranks in the 500 free (27th seed) and 200 free (30th seed).

“Cara's worked so hard to get to where she's at,” Haupt said. “It is her first time in the WPIAL environment, so it will be interesting to see how she handles it.”

Freshman Charlotte Jones makes her WPIAL debut in the 100 fly (18th) and 500 free (31st).

“We knew of Charlotte's potential at the start of the season, and it's nice to see how she's progressed,” Haupt said.

Among the six Plum relays, the girls 200 medley — White, Taylor, Jones and junior Alexis Smith — is the highest seed in 12th (1:54.13).

“They have a chance at the school record,” Haupt said. “Like any record, it's not going to be easy, but they are poised to do it.”

The school record in the girls medley relay is a 1:50.26 set in 1992.

Taylor, Smith, Jones and White also will team up in the 200 free relay. The quartet is seeded 20th.

The boys 400 free relay (Justin DeCheck, Aaron Frederick, Jordan Rogers, Joey DeCheck) is the 16th seed, while the boys 200 medley relay (Justin Rowe, Evan Smith, Noah Schollaert, Joey DeCheck) is 24th.

The remaining relay count has the girls 400 free relay (Gettings, Smith, Abigail Glassoool, Molly Giles) in 25th, and the boys 200 free relay (Justin DeCheck, Frederick, Rowe and Joey DeCheck) seeded 21st.

Michael Love is a Tribune-Review staff writer. Reach him at mlove@tribweb.com or via Twitter @Mlove_Trib.

Tags: Plum