Peters Township prepared to make waves at WPIAL meet

Feb 24, 2025 By Eleanor Bailey 4 min read

In 2023, the year before Alex Hardwick took over as coach, Peters Township could be found near the bottom of the team standings during the WPIAL Class 3A Swimming Championships. The girls had mustered just eight points and only two squads finished lower than them in the team standings. The boys managed 26 points, three team slots higher than the lowest club.

After cracking the top 10 in the girls standings in 2024, the Indians are looking to make a bolder move when this year’s finals take place Feb. Thursday and Friday at Pitt’s Trees Pool. Action starts at 9:45 a.m. each day.

“We have a crack at top 5,” enthused Hardwick. “I’m excited about the meet and extremely proud of the progress we have made.”

During the regular season, the Indians racked up a 10-2 overall record. They finished runner-up to Mt. Lebanon in the Section 4 standings with a 5-1 record. Their only losses were to the Blue Devils and Fox Chapel.

While Lebo and the Foxes are in the battle for runner-up honors to North Allegheny, which is gunning for its 16th WPIAL title in a row and 28th overall, the Indians intend to be in the mix for the following slots, battling Latrobe and Pine-Richland.

“These girls have worked extremely hard and are in a nice position heading into the meet,” Hardwick said. “They are coming off an extremely fast meet with Mt. Lebanon, which has some very talented girls.”

Sylvia Roy is the most gifted. A Virginia recruit, she participated in last summer’s U.S. Olympic Trials. She is also going for a four-peat in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke events at the WPIAL meet.

PT’s Lauren Opitz and Ava Komoroski have given and will continue to provide Roy competition.

A senior, Opitz is entered in the 100 back as well as butterfly for the WPIAL Championships. The Emory University recruit enters the event seeded second behind Roy with a 55.75 time. The mark is the school record at Peters Township.

“Lauren has had a really remarkable year,” Harwick said. “She’s been a phenomenal leader this year and has worked extremely hard.”

Noting Opitz was all-state in both of her events last year Hadwick added, “We are expecting her to bring home some hardware at states.”

A sophomore, Komoroski is entered in the 50 and 100 freestyle events. Her seed times are 23.43 and 51.50.

“Sylvia takes away a swim from each of our girls because they have got two of the top seeds,” Hardwick noted. “Our goals for Ava are the same as for Lauren. Get swims up to make it to the states.”

Peters Township has high expectations for three of its boys swimmers.

To date, Wyatt Stetor has had a record-breaking year. A freshman, he took down the school’s record in the 200 individual medley. His time of 1:53.76 is third best in the WPIAL this season.

Additionally, Stetor is an entrant in the 500 free with a seed time of 4:41.35.

The event features Central Catholic’s McClellan Clark. A University of Tennessee recruit, Clark has won the 500 two years in a row. He broke a 15-year-old WPIAL record last winter with a 4:27.01 time.

“The 500 is going to be the fastest event at WPIAL this year,” Hardwick predicted. “Wyatt’s seed time would have taken fifth last year. The field is very good with five seniors in the top eight. We expect Wyatt to continue his season on and get to states.”

Hardwick added that it’s “awesome” to see a freshman etch his name in history but Stetor has a bright future ahead because of his versatility. Stetor completed the WPIAL sweep this winter, meaning he met the qualifying standards for all the individual events for the championships.

“Wyatt’s a good kid and it tickles me how excited and passionate he is about the sport that he brings others with him. It is going to be a thrill to see what he gets out of this sport and how far he goes.”

Ryan Smith and Isaac Lee are also going to WPIALs for the Indians. Both are juniors with expectations of reaching the podium. Smith will race in the 100 fly and back. Lee is entered in the 100 free and fly.

“Ryan and Isaac should both medal – top 8 performances,” Hardwick said.

Hardwick notes that performances by the relays and other individual qualifiers have and will continue to power Peters Township’s resurgence in the pool.

“We’re turning the program around. Catching back up to tradition. One meet at a time,” Hardwick said.