Elizabeth Forward swimmers top LH
Elizabeth Forward has been the dominant team in Section 5-2A, and the Warriors continued their strong season with a sweep over Laurel Highlands at Elizabeth Forward High School.
The boys earned a 96-78 victory and the girls a 90-71 triumph for the home team.
Despite the team setback, the Mustangs still had several strong individual efforts, as Addie Ciez won the 50-yard freestyle in a WPIAL-qualifying time of 25.68. The senior was second in the 500 freestyle to Albert Gallatin sophomore Caylee Psenicska, who won the race in 5:19.72. The Colonials do not field a team, but Psenicska competes for her school at Laurel Highlands’ meets.
Ciez’s time of 5:23.54 was a WPIAL cut. The Lady Warriors’ Riley Hobaugh was third in 5:42.74, but swam a WPIAL mark for Class 2A girls. Psenicska’s victory doesn’t factor into the team, which awarded Ciez the team points.
The Mustangs’ Lincoln Metheney won two individual races in the 200 and 500 freestyle with WPIAL-qualifying times for Class 2A boys of 1:58.20 and 5:20.29. Teammate Kasey Mahoney topped the field in the 100 breaststroke (1:00.19), which was a WPIAL cut.
Mahoney and Metheney were joined by Drew Tupta and Aidan Swaney in winning the 400 freestyle relay in a WPIAL cut of 3:37.30. Swaney was second to Mahoney in the 100 breaststroke, but still qualified for the district championship meet after swimming 1:07.96. Tupta was second to Elizabeth Forward’s Matt Vietmeier (58.55) in the 100 butterfly, but his time of 59.42 met the WPIAL standard. He also swam a district cut in the 50 freestyle with a time of 23.90. EF’s Bryce McLaughlin won the race in 23.11 and Nathan Pozzuto (23.56) was second.
The Warriors’ Brodie Weagley edged Mahoney in the 200 IM (individual medley) with a winning time of 2:00.86. Mahoney reached the wall at 2:00.94. Both results beat the WPIAL-qualifying standard.
Joey Mohar joined Mahoney, Metheney and Tupta in swimming a WPIAL cut of 1:49.79 in the 200-medley relay. The home team’s quartet of McLaughlin, Vietmeier, Weagley and Nathan Pozzuto won the race in 1:44.24.
BOYS: TRINITY 53, BELLE VERNON 51; GIRLS: TRINITY 59, BELLE VERNON 44 — Brady Malekovich and Derek Milkovich won two individual races, but the Leopards suffered a setback to the Hillers in Section 5-2A action.
Malekovich won the 50 freestyle and 100 backstroke, and Milkovich topped the field in the 200 IM and 500 freestyle. Teammate Gaige Watson won the 100 breaststroke.
The Lady Leopards’ Josie Nikolic won the 200 IM. Teammate Megan Shusteric earned a victory in the 100 freestyle.