King leads Mount Pleasant鈥檚 record-breaking day in pool
Mount Pleasant senior Lily King is not only expected to win but do so in record-breaking fashion at this point in her swimming career.
The weight of those lofty expectations can be a heavy burden to bear.
King had no problems handling that pressure on the first day of the WPIAL Class 2A Swimming Championships held at the University of Pittsburgh鈥檚 Trees Pool Thursday.
The North Carolina State recruit won the 200 freestyle for the third year in a row with a blistering time of 1:44.62, not only breaking her own WPIAL record but bested the Trees Pool record as well.
King was so dominant her margin of victory was an astounding 10-plus seconds over second-place Scarlett Zolnak of Franklin Regional, who finished in 1:55.12.
That was just one of three WPIAL records Mount Pleasant swimmers brought down on Thursday.
Senior David Mutter snapped his own district record he set a year ago by winning gold in the boys 100 butterfly in 48:01. King teamed up with senior Kiersten O鈥機onnor, junior Lainey Brown and senior Maddie Barrick to take gold in the girls 200 medley relay with a time of 1:45.22, breaking the old mark set by Mount Pleasant at the 2023 meet.
O鈥機onnor (backstroke) started off the medley relay race and was followed by Brown (breaststroke) and Barrick (butterfly) with King (freestyle) swimming the anchor leg.
King increased her WPIAL gold medal count to seven.
King admitted, as spectacular as she鈥檚 been, she does get nervous at times with the high standards that follow her around.
鈥淭he support I have from my team and my coaches helps ease the pressure,鈥� King said Thursday night. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e very encouraging and help me stay calm when my nerves get high.鈥�
King鈥檚 laser-like focus is another reason she continues to excel.
鈥淚 also try to clear my head before I swim so that the only thing I鈥檓 thinking about is my race and how I鈥檓 going to execute it,鈥� King said.
Mount Pleasant鈥檚 boys team was victorious in the 200 medley relay also with Mutter teaming up with seniors Seth Painter and Joseph Gardner and junior Gunnar Probst for a time of 1:35.08.
O鈥機onnor gave the Lady Vikings another gold medal by winning the 50 freestyle for the third year in a row with a time of 23.30
Other medal winners for Mount Pleasant were Gardner in the boys 200 IM (second, 1:53.54), Probst in the boys 50 freestyle (second, 21.89), junior Cody Fusco in the boys 200 freestyle (seventh, 1:48.76), sophomore Riley Shinsky in the girls 50 freestyle (seventh, 24.99), the boys 200 freestyle relay team of Fusco, senior Quinn Heinnickel, Probst and Gardner (second, 1:30.22) and the girls 200 freestyle relay team of Shinsky, Brown, Barrick and O鈥機onnor (second, 1:38.28).
Belle Vernon senior Tim Reda placed fourth in the boys 200 freestyle (1:47.34), junior Brady Malekovich was fourth in the boys 50 freestyle (22.17) and freshman Josie Nikolic was fifth in the girls 50 freestyle (24.74).
Laurel Highlands junior Kasey Mahoney took home a sixth-place medal in the boys 200 IM (1:58.59).
Southmoreland junior Allison Stionnett was fourth in the girls 200 IM (2:09.07).