Mapletown’s Menear making quite a splash
Mapletown freshman Ella Menear swims the breaststroke leg of the 200 IM during the Derry-Laurel Highlands meet at Laurel Highlands Jan. 17. Menear finished with a WPIAL Class AA qualifying time of 2:14.28. (Photo by Jim Downey)
Mapletown freshman Ella Menear swims the backstroke leg of the 200 IM during the Derry-Laurel Highlands meet at Laurel Highlands Jan. 17. (Photo by Jim Downey)
Mapletown freshman Ella Menear swims the butterfly leg of the 200 IM during the Derry-Laurel Highlands meet at Laurel Highlands Jan. 17. Menear finished with a WPIAL Class AA qualifying time of 2:14.28. (Photo by Jim Downey)
Jim Downey | 缅北禁地
Mapletown freshman Ella Menear swims in the 100 backstroke during the Derry-Laurel Highlands meet at Laurel Highlands on Jan. 17. Menear lowered her qualifying time in the event to 59.29 seconds.
Mapletown High School has had its fair share of notable athletic performances through the years, but the Maples haven鈥檛 quite witnessed the season Ella Menear is having.
She is 鈥渃oached鈥� by her mother Christy Menear, Mapletown鈥檚 volleyball coach, and father Rick Menear, elementary school principal in the Southeastern Greene School District. Menear swims with a club team in Morgantown, along with Albert Gallatin鈥檚 Jael Dankle.
The freshman played volleyball for her mother last fall (鈥淚 actually really like it鈥�) and expects to play softball in the spring.
The freshman is one of a large contingent of local swimmers who perform (and have already qualified) without a team, and early returns have her currently among the best in the WPIAL. The first performance list was posted a week ago and Menear鈥檚 time of 1:00.03 in the 100 backstroke was second to Laurel Highlands鈥� Elizabeth Thomas. Menear also had the third-fastest time in the 100 freestyle of 55.62 seconds, sitting behind Hopewell鈥檚 Gabrielle Webster and Mount Pleasant鈥檚 Heather Gardner.
With the second performance list yet to be released, Menear lowered her time in the backstroke last Friday at Laurel Highlands, her 鈥渉ome鈥� pool. She finished second to Thomas with a season鈥檚 best time of 59:29 seconds. Thomas also lowered her time to 58.46 seconds.
Menear qualified in a third event in last Friday鈥檚 meet when she finished the 200 IM in 2:14.28. She pushed the Fillies鈥� Maria Mrosko, one of the best in Class AA, through the butterfly and backstroke legs, but the defending WPIAL bronze medalist pulled away in the breaststroke. Mrosko touched the wall in 2:10.99, improving her time on the initial performance list. Menear qualified with a time of 2:14.28.
Not bad considering it was the first time Menear swam the event in an attempt to qualify for the WPIAL finals.
鈥淢y time was two seconds off my best time. I鈥檓 real happy with that,鈥� said Menear. 鈥淚t really helped me to have someone (Mrosko) to push me.鈥�
Menear鈥檚 admission of which is the weakest of the four strokes in the individual medley explains why Mrosko pulled away midway through the race.
鈥淭he breaststroke is my worst stroke,鈥� admitted Menear. 鈥淭he backstroke and freestyle help me with the breaststroke. I鈥檝e been practicing, been working on (the breaststroke). It鈥檚 my weakest and I try as hard as I can.鈥�
Being pushed by Thomas, who placed fourth in the WPIAL last year as a freshman, in the backstroke also helped Menear meet another time goal.
鈥淚 want to go under a minute in the backstroke. That鈥檚 my goal. My best time (ever) is a 58 (seconds). I want to bring it down into a high 59 (seconds),鈥� said Menear.
Although she can only swim in two individual events, Menear hopes to add a fourth option to her list.
鈥淚 want to qualify for the 50 freestyle, too,鈥� added Menear. 鈥淭he 100 backstroke is my favorite and best. I鈥檓 debating between the 100 freestyle or 200 IM for the WPIALs.
鈥淚鈥檓 just focusing on my time right now. You have to push yourself to get that time.鈥�
鈥淭hat time鈥� is around 2:09 or 2:10 in the 200 IM and 58-low (seconds) in the 100 backstroke.
Word鈥檚 getting around Mapletown High School of Menear鈥檚 accomplishments so far this season. The Maples had a swimmer last year, but he moved out of the district so the WPIAL medal hopes all fall on Menear.
鈥淚 find it pressuring. Everyone expects me to do good,鈥� said Menear. 鈥淗opefully, we鈥檒l have another swimmer (next year). That would be cool to see.
鈥淚 feel this year is the most pressure. I鈥檓 just getting into it. I鈥檒l get to know the people around me better.鈥�