Shining moment: Mapletown’s Menear defends WPIAL title
PITTSBURGH – Mapletown junior Ella Menear defended her 200 individual medley title Thursday on the first day of the WPIAL Class 2A Swimming Championships at Pitt’s Trees Pool.
Menear steadily pulled away from the field to take gold with a time of 2:04.46, nearly four seconds faster than her seed time.
“I was nervous. I’m always nervous coming into a big meet,” said Menear. “I was not taking anything for granted.
“My backstroke has always been my best stroke. I make up for my breaststroke.”
Menear said she took a different training approach to this year’s meet.
“I didn’t taper. I’ll save it for states,” added Menear.
Menear looks to double once again when she swims the 100 backstroke this afternoon. She is the defending state champion in that event.
“(Winning gold in the 200 IM) gives me motivation. I’m not taking anything for granted,” said Menear, adding, “The 100 backstroke is definitely my favorite, best event. I’m looking forward to tomorrow.”
California’s Anastasia Georgagis was disappointed with her seventh-place finish in the 200 IM. Her time was 2:12.76.
“My beginning was a little off. I tried to make up some ground in the breaststroke,” said Georgagis.
Georgagis swims the 100 breaststroke this afternoon.
“I’m more determined since I didn’t do my very best today,” said Georgagis.
Ringgold’s Natalie Noll placed seventh in the 200 freestyle in 2:00.04
Belle Vernon’s 200 freestyle relay placed fifth in 1:42.78. Delaney Patterson, who was on the relay, was eighth in the 200 IM with a time of 2:15.66.
In girls Class 3A, South Fayette’s Zoe Poe finished in a tie for third place in the 200 freestyle with a time of 1:54.14. Teammate Maddie Berg was 11th in the same event. Her time was 1:56.52.
South Fayette is 14th in the team standings while Peters Township is 18th. North Allegheny is in first place.
Peters Township’s Aiden Filer was the top boys finisher in Class 3A. he was tied for 14th in the 50-yard freetyle with a time of 22.60. The Indians finished 12th in the 200 freestyle relay with a tiem of 1:30.78.
In team standings, Peters Township is in 16th place, South Fayette is 22nd and Canon-McMillan 23rd. Seneca Valley holds first place after one day of competition.