Mustangs have strong showing in ‘county’ meet
Laurel Highlands’ John Ek rolls out of the tuck position during his dive in the Mustangs’ non-section meet against Uniontown and Connellsville, on Wednesday, Dec. 21, at Uniontown Area High School natatorium.
John F. Brothers | Herald-Standard
Uniontown’s Chase Bowen swims the breaststroke during the boys 200-yard individual medley against Connellsville and Laurel Highlands, Wednesday, at Uniontown Area High School.
Connellsville's Ian McCombie swims the the backstroke during the boys 200-yard individual medley relay Wednesday during the Falcons' non-section meet with Uniontown and Laurel Highlands at Uniontown Area High School.
George Trimbath swims the boys 200-yard freestyle for Connellsville during the Falcons' non-section meet with Uniontown and Laurel Highlands Wednesday at Uniontown Area High School.
Noah Barczyk swims the boys 200-yard freestyle event for Connellsville during the Falcons' non-section meet with Uniontown and Laurel Highlands Wednesday at Uniontown Area High School natatorium.
Ian McCombie swims the breaststroke leg of the boys 200-yard medley relay for Connellsville during the Falcon's non-section swim meet against Uniontown and Laurel Highlands Wednesday at Uniontown Area High School.
Connellsville's Grant Solomon swims the butterfly leg of the boys 200-yard medley relay during Wednesday's non-section meet with Uniontown and Laurel Highlands at Uniontown Area High School.
Laurel Highland's Dylan Rice hits the water during the diving competition against Uniontown and Connellsville Wednesday at Uniontown Area High School.
The Laurel Highlands boys won six events and had top-three finishes in most of the others Wednesday night as the Mustangs breezed to a victory over Connellsville and Uniontown at the Uniontown Area High School Natatorium.
The Mustangs finished first with 108 points. Connellsville was second with 68 and Uniontown third with 61.
John Ek and Dylan Rice started things off for the Mustangs by finishing 1-2 in the diving competition. Ek, the reigning Class AA silver medalist, won with a WPIAL qualifying score of 225.85 points. Rice, who was sixth in the WPIAL finals, also qualified with his score of 209.20 points.
Ek has a goal in mind as he moves through his junior season.
“I’m trying to win the WPIALs,” said Ek.
Ek said he had to deal with a different board at Uniontown.
“It’s so hard. It’s so quick. That’s the challenge on diving on a board like this,” said Ek. “I wanted to do the best I could. I had no point goal in mind. I just wanted to win first place.”
Not only does Ek want to win gold, he’d like to break the school record.
“I want to score 300 points. I think the school record is 294 and I scored 286 last year,” said Ek.
The Mustangs also opened with a win in the pool with Jacob Johnson, Jamey Siebert, Brandon Thomas and Jonathon Lewis taking the 200 medley relay in a qualifying time of 1:47.34.
Johnson (50 freestyle, 23.77), Lewis (500 freestyle, 5:24.21), and Thomas (100 backstroke, 57.89) all hit the WPIAL qualifying time in their first-place finishes. Thomas, Lewis, Rice and Johnson won the 200 freestyle relay in a qualifying time of 1:36.29.
Noah Barczyk and Ian McCombie accounted for the Falcons’ first-place finishes with Barczyk winning the 200 freestyle (1:57.91) and McCombie taking first in the 200 IM (2:11.06) and 100 breaststroke (1:09.27).
Barczyk said he enjoyed the competition with the county rivals.
“I want to have fun and hit some best times,” said Barczyk. “We know everyone we’re racing. It’s a lot of fun when you know everyone.”
The Falcons qualified in all three relays last year, but have a big hole to fill with Collin Mastowski’s graduation.
“Ian and I have to step it up in the relays without Collin in there,” said Barczyk.
Jonathan Sharp had a hand in two of Uniontown’s first-place points, winning the 100 freestyle in a qualifying time of 51.23 seconds and anchoring Riley Gilleland, Chase Bowen and Evan Klatt to first in the 400 freestyle relay with a qualifying time of 3:43.03.
Gilleland had the Red Raiders other first-place, winning the 100 butterfly in 1:02.31.
Sharp was a WPIAL and PIAA medalist last year, and the senior is looking to do the same this year.
“I wanted a good time. I had 51 (seconds) in the 100 (freestyle) and I wanted a 50,” said Sharp. “I want to go (out) and be the best I can be.
As for the competition against the county schools, Sharp said, “It makes you more hyped, it’s more competition.”