Red Raiders close season with 100-85 win over Falcons
Results of most sports events are reserved to first-place finishes, so the names Chase King, Rocco Furrer, David Maroski, and Donte Rugula won’t appear in the meet summary.
However, it was the third- and fourth-place finishes by the aforementioned Uniontown swimmers that provided the difference Thursday night in the Red Raiders’ 100-85 victory over visiting Connellsville in the Section 5-AA finale.
The Red Raiders and Falcons both had six first-place finishes and six second places, but Uniontown had seven third-place finishes and seven fourth-place finishes for the slim difference.
Divers opened the meet with Connellsville’s William Gillott placing first with a WPIAL-qualifying 259.30 points.
The point total was a personal best and broke the school record held by his dad, Sean Gillott. The sophomore’s previous best score was 235.
Gillott noted the dive that helped him improve his point total.
“I did a reverse 1½ pike. I did it a lot better. I was able to land it straight up and down,” explained Gillott.
A first-year diver, Gillott has made great strides throughout the season.
“My dad wanted me to break his record,” said Gillott.
The WPIAL Class AA Diving Championships are Feb. 23 at North Allegheny. Those divers advancing to the final round will dive 11 times, while section meets only have six dives.
“I haven’t done 11 dives, but I have a lot of dives I practice. It’s a little different. I have to keep them fresh,” said Gillott. “The 2½ front is my best dive. I have trouble with the reverse 1½. I’m just not good at it.”
Gillott has high aspirations for his first district championship.
“I hope to be in the top three. That would be ideal for me,” said Gillott.
The next three divers all met the WPIAL qualifying standard. Uniontown’s Judah Bean was second with 195.70 points, the Falcons’ Braden Cross third with 185.00 and the Red Raiders’ Wyatt Deen placed fourth with 165.95 points.
Bean fell just short of his goal for the meet.
“I wanted to break 200,” said Bean, whose PR is 199.5 points.
Bean hit the qualifying mark early, so he spent the season honing his diving list.
“My growth has been exponential,” said Bean, who credits his participation in Muay Thai martial arts with the flexibility needed for diving. “I’m really surprised. I’ve been quite clumsy. I think (the martial arts) translated. I’m capable of exploding on my rotation.”
“The front 1½ pike is my go-to dive. I’m very comfortable with it. It feels very natural,” explained Bean. “I’m much smoother with the front 2½. I just threw it in the last two weeks.
“I’m happy with my progression. My entry was a little sloppy. I am looking to clean it up by next week.”
Cross was looking to finish with a better point total.
“I’m not extremely happy. My goal was 200,” said Cross.
Cross has added dives to his list in preparation for the WPIAL final.
“My back 1½ half twist, I score 6½ or 7 most of the time,” said first-year diver. “The double somersault in a pike position, I’m just putting them together.
“I’m still learning new dives. I still need two more dives. I’ll learn them on Monday.”
Cross added, “Most of diving is fear factor. I say the name of the dive over and over, repetition in my mind. The dive goes so quick in the air.”
Dean wasn’t particularly pleased with his fourth-place performance.
“The new dives got in my head,” said Dean. “The pike position, I have to work on the little things to get better.
“I need to be more patient on the board.”
Dean noted having Bean alongside to compete with, and against, has helped him so far this season.
“It’s especially good to have a teammate, as good or better, with me to get me to the next level of competition,” said Dean.
Dean qualified for the WPIAL finals last year, just missing the top eight.
“It was my first year. I didn’t know what to expect,” said Dean.
The Red Raiders’ Logan Voytish broke the school record in the 100 butterfly with a WPIAL qualifying time of 51.84 seconds.
Voytish and Connellsville’s Kasey Stanton had a spirited battle in the 50 freestyle with the Uniontown senior touching the wall first in 22.09 seconds and Stanton close behind in 22.37 seconds. Both times met the WPIAL qualifying standard.
The Red Raiders’ Parker King finished first in the 200 IM in a qualifying time of 2:11.63 and returned to the pool a little later to win the 100 breaststroke in another qualifying time of 1:03.39. Brody Schiffbauer won the 100 backstroke in 1:07.23.
Schiffbauer, King, Voytish and Chase Brumley finished first in the 200 medley relay in a qualifying time of 1:47.08.
Kasey Stanton won the 100 freestyle in a qualifying time of 51.75 seconds. Cory Stanton finished first in the 200 freestyle (2:02.75) and 500 freestyle (5:34.49).
Dalton Shoemaker, Cory Stanton, Corbin Hoffer and Kasey Stanton won the 200 freestyle relay in a qualifying time of 1:38.89. Hoffer, Cory Stanton, Kasey Stanton and Shoemaker finished first in the 400 freestyle relay in a qualifying time of 3:39.71.
Albert Gallatin’s Aaron Moccaldi finally made the WPIAL qualifying time in the backstroke after he touched the wall – with a second to spare – in 1:00.44. Moccaldi participated in the girls race in Lane 6. The sophomore said he was able to feed off the energy of the meet.
“I’m going to get this,” Moccaldi said of his approach. “The difference is one good turn.
“The last 25 (yards) I was moving back and forth.