Lady Vikings breeze to a 131-38 victory
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Mount Pleasant’s Emily Bednar won the 100 breaststroke in 1:17.03 in Thursday’s non-section meet against visiting Uniontown.
Jim Downey | Herald-Standard
Mount Pleasant’s Helena Baumgardner swims in the 100 backstroke during Thursday’s non-section meet against visiting Uniontown.
Mount Pleasant's LynnJoelle Gardner swims the breaststroke leg of the 200 IM during Thursday's non-section meet against visiting Uniontown.
Uniontown's Valerie Grimes pops out the water to catch a breath in the breaststroke leg of the 200 IM during Thursday's non-section meet at Mount Pleasant.
Uniontown's Valerie Grimes reaches back in the backstroke leg of the 200 IM during Thursday's non-section meet at Uniontown.
MOUNT PLEASANT — Though the swimming and diving season is still in its first week, thoughts of the Uniontown and Mount Pleasant girls looked forward the WPIAL and PIAA championships months away.
The Lady Vikings were too strong and too deep for the visiting Lady Raiders, breezing to a 131-38 non-section victory.
Mount Pleasant’s Heather Gardner advanced to the state meet last year in the 50 freestyle and 100 breaststroke, and enjoyed the experience so much the sophomore wants to go back to Bucknell University.
Her winning time of 24.82 seconds easily won the 50 freestyle and she won the 500 freestyle by over a minute with her winning time of 5:35.76.
Gardner joined Cally Hixson, Gabby Probst and Hannah Bell to win the 200 freestyle relay in 1:51.77 and capped her night with her sister LynnJoelle, Emily Bednar and Hixson taking first in the 400 freestyle relay in 4:01.76.
“I want to qualify in both, especially the 500 (freestyle), and go out and have fun,” the younger Gardner said of her approach to the meet, adding, “And, work on my turns.”
She met her pre-meet time goals.
“I want to swim 24 (seconds) in the 50 (freestyle) and if I swim 5:35 in the 500 (freestyle), I’d be happy,” said Gardner. “I want to go as fast as I can. If not, that will make me work harder.”
Gardner left the PIAA finals last spring wanting more and wants another shot in the pool to meet those goals.
“I didn’t do a well as I wanted (in the state meet). I’ve been there. I know what to expect,” said Gardner. “I was really nervous. It was not as good as I wanted.”
She figures if she can set the school records in the 50 freestyle (23.20) and 100 breaststroke (1:02), those times should bring success in the state meet.
Bell, LynnJoelle Gardner, Aaliyah Lankey and Sarah Ivory opened the meet by winning the 200 medley relay in 2:09.33.
Hixson (200 freestyle, 2:09.06; 100 freestyle, 58.59), LynnJoelle Gardner (200 IM, 2:27.03), Logan McCormick (100 butterfly, 1:14.44), Helena Baumgardner (100 backstroke, 1:12.72), and Bednar (100 breaststroke, 1:17.03) all had first-place finishes for the Lady Vikings.
Valerie Grimes had a second-place finish in the 200 IM (2:38.62) and 100 butterfly (1:15.24), as did Maeve Carei in the 50 freestyle (29.14) and Rylee Levander in the 100 backstroke (1:15.08).
The Lady Raiders finished second in the 400 freestyle relay.
Grimes, a senior, understands this is her last shot at qualifying as an individual for the WPIAL finals after swimming on relays.
“There are not as many experienced swimmers as last year,” said Grimes. “The pressure is starting to mount now. I’m trying to swim fast in all of them (events) until I get at least one, but I’m focusing on my three individual events (200 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 200 IM).”
“My dad was a swimmer. I have to keep the shoes (filled).”
Grimes continued, adding, “I wanted to focus on my turns. I was gliding into walls too much.”
The Lady Raiders hosted University (W.Va.) High on Tuesday.
Levander won the 200 freestyle in a WPIAL qualifying time of 1:59.74. She also won the backstroke in 1:13.88. Zabrallia Sykes finished first in the 100 freestyle in 1:10.11.
The 200 medley relay finished first in 2:12.74 and the 400 freestyle relay won in a qualifying time of 4:04.42.