Quaker Valley’s Huang in position to defend WPIAL swimming titles

By: Karen Kadilak
Friday, February 21, 2020 | 6:02 PM

For the second consecutive season, Quaker Valley sophomore swimmer Isabel Huang looks forward to topping the podium at the WPIAL Class AA championship Thursday and Friday at Pitt.

Huang earned a pair of gold medals at the Midwestern Athletic Conference meet Feb. 14-15 at Moon. Her times of two minutes, 7.22 seconds in the 200-yard individual medley and 57 seconds in the 100 backstroke were seconds faster than her seeds.

Huang, the defending WPIAL Class AA champion in both events, entered the meet ranked third in WPIAL Class AA in both.

The Quakers, who finished with an 8-0 record in Section 2-AA, placed third of 17 teams from Allegheny, Beaver, Butler and Lawrence counties.

“I was able to race in a tech suit and see where I am in the season so far,” said Huang, a Sewickley Academy student who competes for the Quakers as part of a cooperative sponsorship. “My results are helping me prepare for how I am going to swim at WPIALs.”

Quaker Valley coach Alexis Glenn said she expects Huang, as well as the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams, to have an outstanding meet. Anchored by Huang, the 200 freestyle relay (1:40.50) and 400 freestyle relay (3:40.45) placed first and second at the MAC championship.

Junior Halle Wagner, freshman Ella Fuener and senior Sophie Besterman also competed.

Huang said her main goal is to keep dropping her times.

“Additionally, I hope our relays make it to states,” she said. “I want to have lots of fun.”

Top finishers at WPIALs advance to the PIAA championship March 13-14 at Bucknell. Huang placed fifth in the 200 individual medley and 11th in the 100 backstroke last season.

Besterman said she would love to make states with a relay.

“We are looking strong,” she said.

On the boys side, junior Simon Iwanonkiw leads the Quakers.

Iwanonkiw took first place in 1-meter diving at the MAC meet. The Quakers, who went 4-4 in the section, took ninth.

Tags: Quaker Valley