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Thursday, March 2, 2023, TRIB-LIVE
Fox Chapel senior and Brown commit Sophie Shao had another big day at the WPIAL Class 3A swimming championships at Pitt’s Trees Pool.
With two more individual titles during Day 1 on Thursday, her total WPIAL-title haul in her four years now stands at nine, individually and relays.
Shao defended her WPIAL title in the Class 3A girls 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2 minutes, 2.85 seconds and then came back in the 100 butterfly and made it a clean sweep with her fourth title in the event in as many seasons.
She swam to the 100 fly crown in a time of 53.98, just off her record-breaking swim of 53.85 recorded at WPIALs last year.
“I didn’t taper, so (the 100 fly) was honestly a really good swim for me,” Shao said. “I am very happy with that. I am definitely focusing on states a lot. It will be fun.
“I walked down the stairs (coming off podium) and was, ‘Wait, that was my last 100 fly at WPIALs.’ As much as I wanted to break my own record, I know I’ve really worked hard this season. I know it will pay off later when I do taper.”
Fox Chapel sophomore Christian Dantey captured his first individual WPIAL title — and the first for a Fox Chapel boys swimmer — in the 200 free with a time of 1:40.85. He came in seeded fifth (1:44.54).
“Last year, at states, I went a 1:42, and the fastest heat time coming in (Thursday) was a 1:43, so I knew I was the fastest swimmer there,” Dantey said. “I saw the fifth seed as nothing to really worry about.
“It just feels amazing. Ever since states last year, I dreamed every single day about being first on the podium.”
The Fox Chapel girls 200 medley relay kicked off the Class 3A meet in a battle for the top spot with North Allegheny.
The Foxes quartet of Shao and seniors Talia Bugel, Sarah Pasquella, and Peyton O’Toole came close to the title, but the Tigers edged them by 12 one-hundredths of a second, winning with a time of 1:43.97.
O’Toole came in third in the girls 200 free (1:53.54). North Allegheny’s Lexi Sundgren defended her 200 free title in a time of 1:51.90.
Foxes sophomore Margaret Rusche finished third in the 100 fly (57.08), and Pasquella took third in the 50 free (23.88).
North Allegheny leads the Class 3A girls standings with 307 points. Fox Chapel is a distant second with 178 points, but the Foxes lead by 50 points over third-place Seneca Valley.