Senior’s 4-medal haul highlights successful WPIAL meet for Quaker Valley swimmers

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Sunday, March 9, 2025 | 11:01 AM


Thomas Fuener ended his WPIAL swimming career in style.

The Quaker Valley senior was a four-time medalist at the WPIAL Class 2A championships Feb. 27-28 at Pitt’s Trees Pool.

“WPIALs went well,” Fuener said. “It was a great way to wind down my high school career, and I’m proud of my swims. The 100 fly was a good race, and swimming the 100 back with Ryan (Steinfurth) was a memorable moment. I couldn’t ask for a better WPIAL meet.”

Fuener placed sixth in the 100-yard butterfly in 51.9 seconds and the 100-yard backstroke in 55.66 and swam a leg on the 200 medley and 200 freestyle relays.

“Thomas medaled in all four events he swam at WPIALs and qualified for states in all his events,” QV coach Mercedes McCarthy said. “Athletes who don’t swim all year with a club don’t often reach the success level he has.

“He is the high point earner for the team. And he can pretty much swim any event at WPIALs. He’s just a very good natural swimmer.”

Fuener has earned 10 WPIAL medals since his freshman year. He plans to attend Pitt and major in political science.

“Thanks to Merci and Matt (Kwalick) for their coaching this season,” Fuener said. “We look forward to states.”

All three of the QV boys relay teams were medalists at the WPIAL meet.

The 200 free relay team finished fifth in 1:32.18 thanks to the efforts of juniors Marcus Zhan and Austin Young, freshman Augustin Zhan and Fuener.

The 200 medley and 400 free secured sixth-place finishes with times of 1:41.55 and 3:24.07.

Seniors Ryan Steinfurth and Adlan Hifri, Fuener and junior Marcus Zhan competed in the 200 medley relay. Freshman Augustin Zhan, Hifri, Young and Steinfurth swam in the 400 freestyle.

Augustin Zhan claimed the fifth spot in the 500 free with a 4:48.07 effort and eighth place in the 200 IM in 2:00.2, ending the meet as a four-time medalist.

Older brother Marcus Zhan finished fifth in the 200 free with a time of 1:48.01 to take home three district medals. He narrowly missed out on winning another medal with a ninth-place showing in the 500 free.

Steinfurth also was a three-time medalist as he secured seventh place in the 100 backstroke in 56.0 to go along with his two relay medals.

Hifri and Young were double medalists at the meet. Hifri ended up 11th in the 100 breaststroke.

The Quakers took sixth place in the boys final team standings.

“I think the team did amazing,” Fuener said. “The boys team placed sixth, and that is definitely something to be proud of. All of the relays qualified for states, and those were very exciting to watch and compete in.”

The top 10 teams were Indiana (322.5 points), Mt. Pleasant (261), Hampton (231), Shady Side Academy (200), Northgate (197), QV (172), South Fayette (112), Blackhawk (93), Belle Vernon (90) and Elizabeth Forward (84.5).

“It was a very successful WPIAL meet for QV/SA swimming. I’m very proud of the team landing in the top 10 of the WPIAL,” McCarthy said. “Sixth place overall for the boys with only six swimmers, ninth place for our section-winning girls team.

“We scored in almost every event we competed in and earned medals in four relays. The boys earned six individual medals. Including diving, the girls earned four individual event medals.”

Margaret Getty was the star of the WPIAL show for the QV girls squad, finishing second in the 500 free thanks to her time of 5:14.34. The senior standout also placed fifth in the 200 free in 1:57.34 and swam a leg on the girls 200 free relay team that corralled seventh place (1:43.59).

“Margaret’s 500 free was amazing to watch,” McCarthy said. “She had an injury to her wrist this season and had to sit out a few meets, but she overcame (the injury) and battled her way to finish second.

“She walks away from her senior year with three WPIAL medals. Including the medley relay, she will swim in four events at states.”

Getty was joined in the relay race by freshmen Cali Murawski and Amelia Suhayda and sophomore Lydia Kilpela.

Suhayda was a double medalist for the Quakers. Along with earning a medal in the 200 free relay, she placed sixth in the 100 butterfly with a 58.62 time. She also finished 13th in the 100 free.

In two other individual events, Kilpela and Murawski were WPIAL qualifiers in the 100 back and 500 free, respectively.

Kilpela, sophomore Anna Fuener, Suhayda and Getty wrapped up 11th place in the 200 medley relay.

And the 400 free relay team — Kilpela, sophomore Harper LaLomia, Murawski and junior Alexa Westwood — finished 13th overall.

The QV girls earned 110 points to take ninth in the final team standings behind Indiana (240.5 points), Mt. Pleasant (238), Franklin Regional (204), Freeport (197), Hampton (181), Derry (167), Thomas Jefferson (149) and Northgate (119.5).

Shady Side Academy rounded out the top 10 with 88 points.

A total of 13 Quaker Valley swimmers in 10 individual events and four relays qualified for the PIAA championships set for March 12-15 at Bucknell.

“All our first-year WPIAL swimmers will be moving on to states,” McCarthy said. “Anna Fuener in the medley relay, Cali Murawski the 200 free relay, Amelia Suhayda in the 100 fly and medley plus 200 free relays and Augustin Zhan in four events: 200 IM, 500 free, 200 and 400 free relays.

“Other swimmers heading to Bucknell are Marcus Zhan, Alexa Westwood, Austin Young, Adlan Hilfri, Lydia Kilpela and Ryan Steinfurth, plus our team diver Ruby Olliffe.”

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