Mar 17, 2022 2 min read

Mapletown junior Ella Menear won two WPIAL gold medals a couple weeks ago.

Menear reset the time in one event.

Now, Menear seeks to continue her success in the pool in March as the top-seeded swimmer when the two-day PIAA Class AA Swimming & Diving Championship gets underway Friday at Bucknell University.

Menear won the gold medal in the 100 backstroke last year and placed third in the 200 IM. The junior has the fastest time in the 200 IM by two seconds and by a quarter second in the 100 backstroke.

The PIAA field returned to pre-pandemic entrants with 32 in all events, allowing a number of local girls to qualify on time.

The Ringgold girls will have the 200 medley relay and Natalie Noll (200 freestyle, 500 freestyle) in the state meet.

California’s Anastasia Georgagis qualified in the 200 IM and 100 breaststroke. Delaney Patterson (200 IM, 100 breaststroke), and the 200 and 400 freestyle relays advanced for Belle Vernon.

Nick Reda (200 freestyle, 100 backstroke) and Jake Wessel (100 breaststroke) will swim for Belle Vernon in the state meet.

Ringgold qualified Benjamin Carpeal (200 IM), the 200 freestyle relay, and Andrew Noll (100 backstroke).

Ringgold’s Brooke Mihalik is a local diver in the state meet.

South Fayette qualified Zoe Poe (200 free, 500 free), Maddie Berg (500 free) and Gabby Baiano (500 free); and the girls 500 yard free relay.