WPIAL releases latest swimming and diving performance lists

By: Michael Love
Tuesday, January 25, 2022 | 6:06 PM

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Fox Chapel junior Sophie Shao, the defending WPIAL and PIAA Class 3A champion in the 100-yard butterfly, looks at her time in the event on the swimming performance list on the WPIAL website and sees who also is recording top times and making a charge up the rankings.

Shao is a couple seconds clear in the 100 fly as the latest boys and girls lists for individual and relay swimming events and also for diving in Class 3A and Class 2A were released Monday evening.

Her top time of 54.65 seconds came during Fox Chapel’s meet with Shady Side Academy on Dec. 10. The closest competitor to her since that time is Seneca Valley senior Ria Dietz with a 57.24 in a dual met with Mt. Lebanon on Dec 21.

Shao also is highly ranked in several other events, including the 200 IM, where she is first with a 2:07.44, just a tenth of a second ahead of North Allegheny sophomore Natalie Sens.

A common theme on the performance lists at this point of the season is versatile swimmers appearing among the leaders in a number of events.

That is when the decisions start to be weighed and strategies are formed in terms of preparation for WPIALs. The performance lists can play a part by allowing a swimmer and his or her coach to see where others throughout the WPIAL stand.

The performance lists also are populated by several freshman and other newcomers ready to make their marks at WPIALs.

Gateway freshman Hunter Raymer, for example, has established himself in the distance events and owns the top time in the Class 3A 500 freestyle — a 4:43.16 set in a nonsection meet against Blackhawk on Dec. 20.

He also is 11th in the 200 free (1:45.98).

Each individual swimmer can enter up to two individual events and two relays at WPIALs or one individual event and three relays.

The WPIAL again has adopted automatic and secondary times for swimmers to meet should entries have to be limited to a certain number.

Last year, 16 were entered in each individual event and 12 were entered for relays. After the automatic qualifiers were determined, the secondary qualifying times were used to fill in the remainder of the field.

The fields for each Class 3A and 2A diving competition at WPIALs were not capped with each qualifier gaining entry.

For diving, point-total qualifying standards for six dives at dual meets and 11 dives that might take place at an invitational are posted on the WPIAL website.

The WPIAL diving championships for Class 2A will be Friday, Feb. 25 at North Allegheny.

North Allegheny also is scheduled to host the Class 3A diving finals Saturday, Feb. 26.

The WPIAL swimming committee still is determining where the swimming championships will be held, but the dates for the those meets will be March 3-4.

Because of covid logistic issues with Pitt’s Trees Pool, the championships last year were moved to Upper St. Clair.

All qualifying meets for swimming and diving are to be concluded by Feb. 19 with an entry deadline of Feb. 21.

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.