Canon-McMillan’s Mele among fast swimmers at WPIAL meet
By Eleanor Bailey
Justin Manhollan gets the Petes Township medley relay off to a fast start with his backstroke. The junior helped the Indians to a ninth-place showing in the event. The unit lowered their seed time by a second, clocking in with a 1:38.32 time.
Eleanor Bailey/the Almanac
Carly Frizzell pulls out of the water on her breaststroke. The Peters Township senior competed in the 200-yard IM during the WPIAL Class AAA championship.
Just because North Allegheny is running away with another boys and girls team swmming title doesn’t mean area swimmers had a bad day at the WPIAL Class AAA championships. The first session of action featured best times by many of the competitors.
Abby Mele was one such performer. The Canon-Mcmillan senior finished fourth in the 100-yard butterfly with a personal best mark of 1:50.34.
“Abby had a fantastic swim,” said C-M coach Paul Riesmeyer. “She’s done a fantastic job.”
Not bad for missing a quarter of the season to illness.
“She’s overcome a lot of adversity and done well,” added Riesmeyer.
Better than Mele, herself, could imagine.
“When I was swimming I didn’t think I was going to go that fast so I am really impressed with how I swam,” she said.
Mele had incentives to do well.
For starters, this was the last time she would swim the 100 fly at WPIALs before she matriculates to Duquesne University to continue her career. She also had a great audience. Her aunt and uncle as well as her mom and dad were among the crowd of 1,000 swim enthusiasts.
“That just means a lot,” Mele said. “I wanted to swim fast for them. Also it’s my last fly (race). So I was very excited for that. I am really happy with my time.”
Peters Township head coach Mike Meyers was delighted with the times posted by his relays as well as his individuals.
“We got best times in everything,” he said. “I’m happy.”
The 200 freestyle relay took third behind NA and Franklin Regional with a 1:25.73 mark. Aidan Dowdall, Justin Manhollan, Alec Haag and Ryan Rose comprised the unit.
PT’s medley grouping of Manhollan, Michael Pazuchanics, Scott Zhu and Rose missed the podium by one spot with ninth place.
The girls’ medley combined for eighth place. Carly Frizzell, Lily Markowski, Cassidy Sweeney and Maddie Langlois comprised the team.
Individually, Cassidy took third in the fly with a 56.58 time and Rose finished fifth in the 50 free with a 21.62.
“Cassidy did great. She’s really on track,” Meyers said. “She looked real smooth. She held her stroke the whole time. She’s a gamer. She really likes to swim.
“Ryan did well, too. I think he can go faster. I think they both can,” said Meyers as both swimmers will compete in two more individual races today.
Matt Tucker also expects an improved showing from his South Fayette competitors.
The girls had a near-record performance in finishing ninth in the medley. Abbie Duncan, Lexi Ray, Allie Whalen and Morgan T. Young combined for a 1:49.86 time.
“The medley set it off. They were real close to a school record so that was really good,” Tucker said. “We had quite a few best times.”
Duncan started off the relay with the fastest backstroke time of 25.76. She will challenge for the individual title during the second day of competition. The senior is seeded first in the 100 back with a 55.87 time, good enough for All-America consideration.
“We are looking forward to (Friday),” Tucker said. “We had girls and boys go faster and get best times today.”
Riesmeyer summed the future up best for all swimmers coming back for Day 2 of the competition at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool.
“Tomorrow is going to be a good day,” he said.
Even if North Allegheny runs away with the team titles.
The Tigers led the boys’ competition with 196 points. Seneca Valley follows in second place with a 136 score. Upper St. Clair is third at 92.
NA led the girls’ division with 215 points. Mt. Lebanon is second with a 125 score.
Visit www.wpial.org for complete meet results.