Schohn, Plum swim teams pushing pace

By: Michael Love
Saturday, December 18, 2021 | 11:01 AM

Purchase Photo Options

After making his mark at WPIALs last year and competing at the PIAA championships, Plum senior Sam Schohn’s goals are clear for the 2021-22 swim season.

“I worked really hard in the offseason to get back to states and go even faster,” Schohn said. “I got best times in both of my major events (100-yard breaststroke and 200 individual medley) at the first meet (Dec. 14 against Kiski Area), and that was without a taper. I am ahead of where I ended last year, and it feels pretty good.”

Schohn took fifth in the 100 breast (1:01.17) at last year’s WPIAL Class 2A championships at Upper St. Clair High School, and he added an 11th in the 500 free (5:05.86). He also helped the Plum boys 200 medley relay (1:44.23) and the 400 free relay (3:25.36) earn seventh-place medals.

He earned a spot at states in the 100 breast, and he placed 11th (1:01.09).

“Sam is looking fantastic,” Plum coach Shawn Haupt said. “His weaknesses last year were his strength, his walls and his underwaters. We focused on improving on those areas, and you can really see the difference. The work he put in is paying off. He’s ahead of where I thought he would be, and that’s because he has been so focused and determined.”

Schohn is part of an exclusive Plum swim group. He is one of just three seniors on the boys and girls rosters that total 21 swimmers (five boys, 16 girls).

Girls captains Hannah Westover and Elizabeth Glasspool are the other seniors.

Glasspool returns after placing 10th overall (59.72) in the Class 3A girls 100 butterfly at WPIALs last year. She also helped the 200 free relay take 10th in a time of 1:40.87.

“My high school seasons have flown by so fast,” she said. “I have so many great memories, and I am excited to see what this season brings.”

Glasspool owns the school record in the 100 fly with a 59.00 recorded at the 2020 WPIAL championships at Pitt’s Trees Pool.

Going sub-59 and bettering the record is one of her main goals this season.

“I want to put a new number up on the record board, and I think I have it in me to do it,” Glasspool said.

Haupt said Glasspool also increased strength training in the offseason, and it is showing in how fast she is going in her events.

“She is really on track to have her best season yet,” Haupt said.

Haupt said junior Nina Ricciuti and sophomore Reese Schollaert are back and looking for big things after swimming as part of the 200 free relay at WPIALs last year.

“The girls are solid and consistent,” Haupt said. “The numbers are a little down from past years, but the depth is decent. I feel that every lane is filled by someone who can pull their weight and score points.”

Haupt said freshman Giuliana Ricciuti is expected to make an impact in a number of events in her first varsity season.

“She had a really good first meet (against Kiski Area),” Haupt said. “Any event I put her in, she’s good. She’s going to make WPIALs in a couple of events.”

Haupt said the small boys group is getting better with each practice and meet.

“They are very athletic and are putting in the work in order to see improvement in their results,” Haupt said.

Haupt said freshman Maddox Sciullo has been battling back from a leg injury.

“It’s going to be a slow roll getting back to where he was, but he has good potential, and it will be good to see how he will develop,” Haupt said.

Plans are in place to return to the traditional format of WPIAL qualifying after changes were made last year amidst all of the covid uncertainties plaguing the high school sports world.

Qualifying standards are in place at WPIAL.org. Last year, when the WPIAL championships moved to Upper St. Clair from Trees Pool, the number of entries for each event was limited to the top 16.

New WPIAL swim committee chairman David Babik, also the coach at Penn-Trafford, said the WPIAL will be negotiating with Trees Pool to have the championship meet return to the facility.

Trees Pool was scheduled to host the Pitt Christmas Meet last Friday through Sunday.

“We are confident that the kids who work hard and want to get to WPIALs will get there,” Haupt said.

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: Plum