Mahoney making his mark
Laurel Highlands senior among WPIAL leaders in swimming
Submitted photo
Kasey Mahoney will continue his swimming career at PennWest Clarion, but before that time comes, the Laurel Highlands senior hopes to make a detour at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium to compete in the PIAA Class 2A Swimming and Diving Championships.
Mahoney’s path to Lewisburg for the state meet will begin at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool for the WPIAL championships.
Mahoney has qualified for five events in the district meet, including the 100-yard breaststroke, which is the race he placed fourth in last year at the state championships.
Mahoney also swam WPIAL qualifying times in the 50 and 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly and 200 IM (individual medley). He also qualified for the state meet in the 200 IM last season, where he placed 15th.
“The goal is definitely to get back to states,” Mahoney said. “I would like to get in the top eight again. The breaststroke is definitely my best event, but I have to swim well to qualify for states. It is not going to be easy.”
Mahoney, who has the school record at Laurel Highlands in the 100 breaststroke, was fifth in the event two years ago at the state meet. He finished the race in 56.86. Mahoney is seeded third in the top times in the WPIAL among Class 2A schools with a time of 59.08.
The times that have been entered for the top swimmers in the WPIAL are of meets contested on or before Jan. 8. All WPIAL cuts are recorded at dual meets and invitationals in the regular season.
“I think having a set goal time each year, and meeting that time is a good goal,” Mahoney said. “Obviously, they are difficult times, but to reach them as an individual is a great feeling. To a point, swimming is an individual sport and you focus on your times and hitting your PRs (personal records), but we support each other as a team and really want to see each other do well.”
The top seed in the WPIAL in Class 2A for the breaststroke is West Allegheny senior Alex Aivalotis, who swam 57.01 on Dec. 19. Northgate sophomore Sam Cavanaugh is the second seed at 59.06.
Swimmers can improve upon their times throughout the next month. The deadline for entry is Feb. 16 at noon.
Mahoney has gone back-and-forth with Aivalotis, but there is no bad blood between the two whatsoever.
“I have swam many times against Alex and I consider him a friend,” Mahoney said. “That is one thing about swimming. Everyone is very supportive of each other. Even if that person is your rival.
“I play on our soccer team, and there is no comparison between the two when it comes to trash talk. You just don’t have that in swimming. My parents are always surprised when they see how nice everyone is.”
Mahoney checks in behind Cavanaugh in the 200 IM after swimming 1:59.75 on Dec. 16. Cavanaugh’s top time of 1:56.44 was completed on Dec. 18, however, Mahoney believes he may have overtaken the top spot.
Mahoney is fourth in the 50 freestyle with a time of 22.12 and fifth in the 100 butterfly (55.24). He swam 51.04 on Dec. 18 to qualify for the district meet in the 100 freestyle, which is a top-10 time.
The Mustangs’ three relay teams have qualified for the district meet, as the 200 freestyle team is the seventh seed (1:37.12), the 400 freestyle is 10th in 3:36.27 and the 200 medley relay sits in 16th at 1:51.
“All three of our relay teams have qualified for the WPIAL,” Mahoney said. “We still have all of our section meets remaining, so we hope to use those to improve our times.”
Mahoney is not the only Laurel Highlands swimmer to qualify for the district meet in individual events, as teammates Lincoln Metheny (500 freestyle/9th/5:08.06, 200 freestyle/17th/1:55.99) and Drew Tupta (500 freestyle/26th/5:25.71, 200 freestyle/28th/158.60) have made the cut.
Addie Ciez represents the girls from Laurel Highlands well, as she has qualified in four events: the 200 IM (2:17.80), 500 freestyle (18th/5:40.09), 100 breaststroke (20th/1:14.93) and 200 freestyle (21st/2:06.24). The senior has committed to Frostburg State University.
Uniontown senior Hannah Foster has qualified in the girls 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:12.57, which puts her as the 14th seed in Class 2A. Teammate Addison Caruso is 36th in the 100 butterfly at 1:07.35.
The Red Raiders’ Patrick Foster (100 breaststroke/15th/1:07.40) and Zachary Fisher (100 breaststroke/24th/1:08.57) have also made the cut. Uniontown’s 200 freestyle relay team is seeded third at 1:31.55. Its 400 relay squad is 16th at 3:42.48.
Albert Gallatin’s Caylee Psenicska is the seventh seed in the girls 200 freestyle after swimming 2:00.27 on Dec. 16. The sophomore has also made the cut in the 500 freestyle (7th/5:28.79) and 100 butterfly (20th/1:05.05).
Southmoreland’s Allison Stinnett has the top seed in the girls 100 breaststroke in Class 2A with a time of 1:49.77. She has also qualified in the 50 freestyle (7th/25.37) and 100 butterfly (7th/1:02.38).
The Scotties’ Daniel Basato has made the cut in the boys 200 freestyle with a time of 1:59.27. He is currently the 34th seed.
Mount Pleasant senior Noah Lahm is the top seed in the 1-meter diving competition in Class 2A with a score of 214.25 for six dives.
The Lady Vikings’ Ella Paul is the fourth seed in diving for the Class 2A girls after scoring 198.10.
Teammate Riley Shinsky is in three individual events: the 50 freestyle (8th/25.46), 100 freestyle (14th/56.89) and the 200 freestyle (16th/2:04.33).
Mount Pleasant’s Sadie Poole has met the qualifying standard for the WPIAL in the 100 butterfly (10th/1:03.21) and 100 freestyle (21st/57.68).
Lady Viking senior Lainey Brown is sixth in the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:10.70. She has also qualified in the 100 freestyle (24th/57.84) and 200 IM (26th/2:25.28).
Mount Pleasant senior Gunnar Probst is carrying the flag for the Vikings in qualifying for the 50 and 100 freestyle and the 100 butterfly. Probst is the fifth seed in the 50 freestyle (22.13). He is sixth in the 100 freestyle (49.59) and 13th in the 100 butterfly (56.71).
Fellow senior Cody Fusco is the ninth seed in the 200 freestyle (1:52.86) and 11th in the 500 freestyle (5:12.22).
Junior Lucas Poole rounds out Mount Pleasant’s individual qualifiers as the 21st seed in the 100 butterfly (58.66).
The Lady Vikings have qualified in all three relays, with the 200 medley coming in as the fourth seed in 1:56.31.
The Vikings are sixth in the 400 freestyle relay in 3:30.29. They also qualified in the 200 medley relay.
Belle Vernon ninth grader Josie Nikolic has qualified in nine events: the 100 breaststroke (5th/1:10.35), freestyle (5th/54.97), backstroke (10th/1:05.10) and butterfly (9th/1:05.98); the 50 (17th/25.85), 200 (8th/2:00.72) and 500 (17th/5:40.02) freestyle; and the 200 IM (11th/2:19.14).
Teammate and fellow first year Megan Shusteric has made the cut in six events: the 50 freestyle (20th/26.15); 100 butterfly (9th/1:02.65) and freestyle (26th/57.96); the 200 freestyle (10th/2:01.85) and IM (20th/2:23.93); and the 500 freestyle (12th/5:33.05).
Rounding out the Lady Leopards’ strong ninth-grade class is Audrey Selva in the 200 freestyle. She is the 26th seed with a time of 2:07.04.
Belle Vernon also qualified in the 200 freestyle relay for the Class 2A girls. The quartet is the 10th seed at 1:50.47. The 400 freestyle relay is 15th at 4:10.16.
The Leopards’ Gaige Watson made the cut in five events: the 100 breaststroke (21st/1:08.04) and butterfly (59.19); the 200 IM (26th/2:13.87) and freestyle (37th/1:59.68); and the 500 freestyle (23rd/5:25.31).
Teammate Brady Malekovich is seventh in the 50 freestyle at 22.73 and 11th in the 100 freestyle with a time of 51.23. He has also qualified in the 200 backstroke (22nd/1:02.20) and freestyle (31st/1:58.90).