BY CORY ISENBERG
JOHNSTOWN — While many of the area’s swimmers have already come out of the pool for the season, a small group is still persevering as they prepare for this weekend’s PIAA Class AA championships at Bucknell University.
The largest area contingent of swimmers at the state championships, which begin today, are from Westmont Hilltop High School.
The Hilltoppers have established a tradition of excellence when it comes to their swimming program even without having their own home pool. They practice 45 minutes a day at the YMCA and swim their meets at Pitt-Johnstown.
“We actually have eight girls and four boys attending states this year,” Westmont coach John Hicks said. “The east is such a powerhouse in swimming. They not only claim the top spots, but they actually get those extra 10 swimmers.
“We have some exceptional swimmers, and with the talent that we have, they are going to do extremely well at states. The best seeding we have is 17th, but that’s just on paper. When we actually get there, our girls and boys really perform exceptionally when they get onto the bigger stages. They excel because by pushing themselves they know they are going to be on top.”
Westmont junior Nikki Miller will be swimming in the 200- and 500-yard freestyle while senior Nikki Kovach and sophomore Kara Kovach are participating in the 100-yard freestyle. Nikki Kovach is also in the 50-yard freestyle.
Sophomore Naofa Noll will be in the 200-yard individual medley and in the 100-yard butterfly.
In the boys’ competition for Westmont, junior Ray Ward will be swimming in the 200-yard freestyle while freshman Ryan Koul is in the 50-yard freestyle
In the relays, Kara Kovach, junior Kasey Azar Jr., senior Julia Wolfe and Nikki Kovach will be in the 200-yard freestyle race while freshman Libby Atterbury, senior Ashley Schafer, Noll and Kara Kovach are in the 200-yard medley relay.
Noll, Miller, Kara Kovach and Wolfe are in the 400-yard freestyle relay.
Ward and Koul are joined by their teammates, seniors Bob Nickels and Paul Nathaniel, in the 200-yard freestyle relay.
“We look at things on paper and then we perform better than we do on paper, and we’re hoping to take that next step and perform a lot better when we get to the state competition,” Hicks said. “It comes down to starts, turns, finishes. There are so many factors that come into it. Sure, you can practice three years and not miss any time in the pool and then get to a meet and one turn is off and your chances are over. It’s how you perform when you get onto the bigger stages.”
There are several other area swimmers who have earned spots in the state championship spotlight.
Conemaugh Township senior Kelci Rullo knows something about being an independent swimmer.
The Indians swimmer, who is in the 200-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle at the state meet, comes from a school that doesn’t have its own swim team. Rullo has been up to that challenge and will be attending NCAA Division II’s Wheeling Jesuit University next fall to swim for the West Virginia school.
Other area swimmers attending the state meet will be Ligonier Valley junior Paige Pecora in the 50-yard freestyle along with Somerset’s boys 400-yard freestyle relay of juniors Stuart Brougher, Cody Zediker and Austin Gehman along with senior anchor Gordi Centi.
