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Thursday, March 3, 2022, TRIB-LIVE
A 38-year WPIAL record is no more.
Fox Chapel junior Sophie Shao captured the Class 3A girls 100-yard butterfly title — her third in as many years — Thursday at the WPIAL swimming championships at Pitt’s Trees Pool.
Her time of 53.85 seconds — her personal best for high school after a 54.22 at the PIAA championships two years ago — surpassed the longstanding Class 3A mark of 54.16 set by Penn Hills’ Melanie Buddemeyer at WPIALs in 1984.
Shao now also owns the fastest overall 100 fly time in WPIAL history, as she edged Class 2A record-holder Margaret Gruber from Mars, who swam a 53.88 in 2013.
“I’ve been training hard to try and get (Buddemeyer’s) record,” said Shao, who had recorded a 54.14 at the Speedo Junior Nationals in December.
“Actually, I didn’t know until after I swam freshman year that it was the WPIAL record. After that, I was like, ‘I’ve got to get it.’ This year was the year. (The 54.14) was motivation, and also states is a big motivation. I’ve got competition this year, and I am really excited.”
Buddemeyer, reached shortly after Shao’s record-setting swim, said she knew her record would eventually fall.
“I never ever dreamed it would stand for 38 years,” she said. “It’s mind-boggling in itself, and I am very humbled by that. Also, there is no duo in the WPIAL who I respect more than (Fox Chapel) coach Dan Taylor and Sophie. My daughter, Ali, who swam with Sophie, always said she was a such a hard worker and very humble. If it had to be broken, it couldn’t have been planned any better.”
Shao’s first individual WPIAL title Thursday came in the 200 individual medley as she swam to a winning time of 2:02.51, more than three seconds faster than runner-up Natalie Sens, a sophomore from North Allegheny.
It was Shao’s first 200 IM title after finishing second to North Allegheny’s Molly Smyers last year. Shao didn’t swim the 200 IM as a freshman, opting for the 100 breast, where she finished fourth.
“I’ve been working hard to get that title, too, so it really means a lot,” said Shao, who swam three events on Day 1 with only the 400 free relay on Day 2.
The Fox Chapel girls 200 medley relay of junior Talia Bugel (back), senior Ariana Pasquella (breast), Shao (fly) and senior Rei Sperry (free) kicked off the Class 3A meet in fast fashion with a WPIAL title in a school-record time of 1:43.90.
It is the second straight title for the group and first for Pasquella, who joined this year after last year’s member, Vivian Shao, graduated.
“As I watched each one of them come in, I was like, ‘Go, go!’ My adrenaline was rushing,” said Sperry, the team’s anchor.
“I was getting so fired up. We knew this was our WPIAL title, our record and our chance to defend it. We just came together with great swims.”
Only the champions in each event from each of the 12 PIAA districts earn automatic bids to the state meet March 16-19 at Bucknell University. The remaining state berths will be determined based on the remaining times from the district meets.
With the three WPIAL titles leading the way, the Fox Chapel girls own 174 points and sit in second place in the team standings after Day 1. North Allegheny is in first with 212 points.
Sperry returned to the pool in the 50 free and placed second overall with a personal-best time of 24.02.
Mt. Lebanon freshman Sylvia Roy bested the field in the event with a time of 23.09.
Sperry and Roy also faced off in the 50 free at a dual meet Jan. 11.
“She is so fast. I have so much respect for her,” Sperry said.
“It’s cool to race someone that good. You know they’re there, and you know they are going to push you to go faster.”
Kiski Area junior Levi Hansen broke his own school record and earned a silver medal in boys 200 free with a time of 1:40.96.
He was right with champion Kevin Donaldson, a senior from Seneca Valley, the whole race, and the two traded the top spot a few times. Donaldson came away with the title in 1:40.22.
“I knew it was going to be a good race because our times coming in were similar,” said Hansen, who is seeded fifth for Friday’s 500 free.
“I just wanted to pace off of him so I could race with him. I swam my fastest and gave it my all. Hopefully, I will be able to race (Donaldson) again at states.”
The Fox Chapel girls 200 free relay of Bugel, sophomore Gloria Wen, freshman Sarah Pasquella and junior Payton O’Toole took third in a time of 1:38.10.