Kostelnik places 7th in 500 freestyle finals
Laurel Highlands’ Seth Abraham swims in the boys 100 breaststroke during the WPIAL Class AAA/AA Swimming Championships Friday at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees. Abraham finished 27th with a time of 1:05.90.
Laurel Highlands’ Lee Knoyer swims in the boys 100 backstroke during the WPIAL Class AAA/AA Swimming Championships Friday at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. Knoyer finished 28th with a time of 59.22 seconds.
Laurel Highlands’ Justin Kostelnik swims in the boys 500 freestyle at the WPIAL Class AAA/AA Swimming Championships Friday at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. Kostelnik won his second medal, finishing seventh with a time of 4:45.69.
Laurel Highlands' Elizabeth Reilly swims the second leg the girls 400 freestyle relay at the WPIAL Class AAA/AA Swimming Championships Friday at the University of Pittsburgh's Trees Pool. Reilly completed her leg in 58.86 seconds and the Fillies finished 19th in a time of 3:52.08.
Connellsville Area’s Kendra Wagner swims in the girls 500 freestyle at the WPIAL Class AAA/AA Swimming Championships Friday at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. Wagner finished 10th with a time of 5:11.76.
Uniontown Area’s Lauren Van Nosdeln swims in the girls Class AAA 100 backstroke Friday at the WPIAL Class AAA/AA Swimming Championships at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool. Van Nosdeln finished 11th with a time of 1:04.96.
Laurel Highlands’ Justin Kostelnik placed seventh in the Class AAA 500 freestyle Friday with a time of 4:45.69 on the second day of the WPIAL Class AAA/AA Swimming Championships hosted by the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool.
Kostelnik did not earn an automatic berth into the PIAA Championships with his finish, and now awaits word on Monday to see if he secured a spot. The junior already earned a berth into the state meet by finishing third in the 100 butterfly on Thursday.
Kostelnik also swam in the 400 freestyle relay, setting a school record for the first 100 yards (49.08). Teammates Lucas Thomas, Lee Knoyer and Seth Abraham helped the Mustangs to 12th overall with a time of 3:20.78.
Abraham finished fourteenth in the 100 freestyle with a time of 50.06 seconds, and also participated in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.90), while Knoyer competed in the 100 backstroke, finishing with a time of 59.22 seconds.
The Laurel Highlands girls 400 freestyle relay team also competed in the championships. Mackenzie Robatin, Elizabeth Reilly, Brooke Mansberry and Emily Yarish finished the race with a time of 3:52.08.
Yarish also participated in the 100 breaststroke, swimming a time of 1:09.72.
Belle Vernon’s Brandon Luda competed in the 100 freestyle, finishing in 52.90. Teammate Tom Crawford swam a time of 5:10.32 in the 500 freestyle. With a time of 58.69 seconds, senior Scott Verner finished 10th in the 100 backstroke.
Luda, Alex Yawny, Crawford, and Verner finished 10th in the 400 freestyle relay with a time of 3:27.72.
The Belle Vernon girls 400 freestyle relay team of Rachel Smith, Johni Beeler, Rebecca Wardle and Gibby Kohr finished the race with a time of 4:13.60. Kohr also finished the 100 freestyle with a time of 59.41.
Uniontown’s Lauren VanNosdeln finished eleventh in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:04.96.
Connellsville’s Kendra Wagner finished the 500 freestyle in 5:11.76 for 10th place. Wagner also competed alongside teammates Sierra Emert, Leah Lilley and Rachel Barczyk in the 400 freestyle relay, finishing in 3:50.01.
Mount Pleasant junior Dillon Zarycki finished the 100 freestyle with a time of 51.89 seconds. Also from Mount Pleasant, Dylan Ringer competed in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:00.71, and Brandon Springer finished the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:09.91.
Springer and Zarycki also competed in the 400 freestyle relay, along with teammates Ethan Hurst and Seth Wright, finishing with a time of 3:39.48.
Fallon Nelson placed fifth in the 500 freestyle, finishing with a time of 5:16.26. Participating in the 100 backstroke for Mount Pleasant’s girls team were Kyra Lasko (1:05.79) and Hali Emerick (1:08.11).
The Lady Vikings’ 400 freestyle relay team of Alyssa Dombrosky, Olivia Darr, Chelsea Jesso, and Nelson finished seventh with a time of 3:48.00.