PT’s Komoroski wins WPIAL swimming title
Cruises to victory in 100 freestyle
PITTSBURGH – Ava Komoroski of Peters Township took an Aesop-like approach to her 100-yard freestyle race during the second day of the WPIAL Class 3A Swimming Championships On Friday at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool.
“I started off not going too hard because I knew I wasn’t going to be able to bring it back if I did,” she said.
Komoroski’s steady pace paid off much like it did for the tortoise against the hare. The sophomore outlasted the jackrabbits and won the race.
“I made sure my starts and turns were good and I kicked as hard as I could on the last leg,” Komoroski said.
“It’s crazy. Unbelievable. I was hoping for a while that this would happen but I honestly didn’t think it would because there are just so many great swimmers, especially freestylers in the WPIAL.
“I’m only a sophomore,” she stressed. “I’m just over the moon.”
Peters Township skipper Alex Hardwick was equally ecstatic.
“Ava did a really nice job, especially in that last 25 (yards) fighting them off and getting her hand on the wall first,” he said. “That kind of confidence building bodes well for her. She knows she can win events like this and she’ll build off it. It’s exciting to see what lies ahead in the next two years as well as at states. I’m looking forward to seeing how she does there.”
Komoroski won the 100 in 51.58 and qualified for the PIAA Championships to be held March 14-15 at Bucknell University.
She and Hardwick have their sights on lowering her WPIAL time, perhaps clocking around 50 seconds. Anything under 50.08 would break the school record held by Maggie Walker Gruber.
“I’d love to drop another second and I’d also love to medal and get on the podium at states,” Komoroski said. “I’d love to try and get the school record. I’m looking forward to that.”
Hardwick assured that Komoroski is capable of challenging the mark.
A record performance prevented Komoroski’s teammate, Lauren Opitz, from reaching the top of the podium in her signature swim. Opitz finished runner-up to Mt. Lebanon’s Sylvia Roy in the 100-yard backstroke. Opitz clocked a 56.60 while Roy shattered the WPIAL record with a time of 52.53.
A Virginia recruit, Roy became only the third female swimmer in WPIAL history to win eighth individual titles.
Hardwick said that racing against Roy makes a swimmer better. He predicts good things for Opitz at the state championships.
“I’m definitely looking forward to states for Lauren. We’re gonna clean up a couple of things in her race.”
Komoroski and Opitz helped the Indians hold their own in the team competition. They led Peters Township to a seventh-place finish in the standings. The Indians racked up 120 points.
North Allegheny won its 29th overall girls championship and 17th in a row with a score of 415. Fox Chapel was the runner-up (306) followed by Pine-Richland (223) and Mt. Lebanon (173).
The Tigers also won the boys team title, their third in a row and 19th overall with 395.5 points. Upper St. Clair garnered runner-up honors with a 227 score while Mt. Lebanon followed in third place (210). The Peters Township boys took ninth place (108).
“I think that’s the first time both teams have been in the top 10 in a long time,” Hardwick said. “So it’s really great. I look at it as we are moving forward. We are a work in progress and hopefully we keep chipping away.”
The Indians placed several swimmers on the podium during the second day.
While Lee Isaac secured seventh in the 100 boys freestyle, Wyatt Stetor was eighth in the 500 free. Stetor and Isaac helped the 400 relay team, which also consisted of Ryan Smith and Logan Hartman, to a seventh-place showing.
The girls 400 relay finished ninth. Komoroski, Megan McChesney, Opitz and Addison Bowers comprised the unit.
Additionally, Ryan Smith was 12th in the 100 back.
Canon-McMillan and the South Fayette girls had several swimmers competing in the meet.
Among the Big Macs and their top finishers were: Alaina Kauffman 24th in 500 free; Kaelyn Yates was 18th and Annabelle DiDaniels was 20th in the 100 back; Colin McKain also competed in the back. The 400 free girls relay team of Kauffman, Giada Panelli, Carly Stewart and Yates finished 17th.
Among the Lions and their top performers were: Cloey Barnes, 14th in the 100 breast, Abby Poe and Carrie Fisher raced in the 500 free, and the 400 free girls relay team of Sydney Restivo, Poe, Macy Koerner and Fisher finished 11th.
Class 2A
Josh Grimenstein from South Fayette won the silver medal in the 100-yard backstroke in the Class 2A championships. The senior finished in 51.37, just off the winning pace of 50.90 set by Hampton’s Chris Belch.
Grimenstein’s teammate, Grant Logan, took 10th. His younger brother, Daniel, placed 22nd.
Grimenstein helped the 400 relay team mount the podium. The unit, which also included Alex Lou, DJ Poe and Logan, placed eighth.
Also for the Lions, Poe secured seventh in the 500 free. The freshman posted a 4:50.83 time.
Trinity’s Paige Schott added to her medal collection. The sophomore finished fourth in the 100 breaststroke (1:06.27). She garnered a bronze medal in the 100-yard butterfly, shattering her own school record with a time of 58 seconds flat on Day 1.
Ringgold’s Natalie Noll finished fourth in the 100 backstroke, which was won by Mount Pleasant’s Kiersten O’Connor in 54.62.
Also for the Rams, Emily Carpeal placed 14th in the 500 free. Noll and Carpeal combined with Ella George and Kaylie Rabbitt for 11th place in the 400 relay.
Among the top performers for Belle Vernon on Day 2 included: Brady Malekovich, sixth in the 100 free; Josie Nikolic, ninth in the 100 free, which was won in WPIAL record fashion (47.65) by Lily King of Mount Pleasant, and Megan Shusteric, ninth in the 500 free.
The Leopards scored eighth in the 400 free relay.
Indiana edged Mount Pleasant, 240.5 to 238, to win the girls team title. Belle Vernon finished 11th overall while Trinity placed 17th.