USC Girls Swimming Defeats Peters, Boys Fall

The swimming and diving teams hosted a dual meet with Section 5 rival on Thursday, Feb. 9—the fastest ever held at the high school.

The girls team defeated Peters and the boys team lost.

By the end of the competition 14 records fell—10 pool records and 4 team records. Of the 104 swims, 89 were WPIAL Championship qualifying swims and 49 of the 52 USC swims were WPIAL qualifying swims.

The USC girls started the meet by breaking the team and pool records by more than five seconds, a record set just last year. The swim was the fourth fastest reported in the state this year.

The next great swims came in the 200 Freestyle. Victoria Shaffer (USC) won the girls event with a personal best that ranks her 14th in the state. Alex Hardwick followed with a pool record and the top time in the state.

The 200 IM followed with more excitement. Natalie Johnsen (USC) won with a personal best and the 12th fastest in the state. Ryan Dudzinski (USC) followed with a win and a personal best placing him second in the state.

The 50 Freestyles were fast. Brittany Dudzinski (USC) won with a personal best and the ninth best time in the state—also a team record. Andy Tomiczek (USC) followed with a win setting the pool and team records and posting the third fastest time in the state.

The girls 100 Fly was the fastest in the state this year. Natalie Johnsen set a pool record winning this event.

The boys 100 Freestyle was the fourth fastest swim in the state. Alex Hardwick set the pool record winning this event.

The boys 500 Freestyle was a close one. Ryan Dudzinski posted the second best time in the state beating Kyle Higgins (PT) who posted the eighth best time in the state.

Next up was the 200 Freestyle Relays. The USC girls broke a 31-year-old pool record on route to posting the 14th best time in the state. The USC boys set the pool record winning the event with the top time in the state.

Another top state time was posted by Brittany Dudzinski in the 100 Backstroke. She set the pool and team records with her personal best swim. Andy Tomiczek won the boys 100 BK with the 10th best time in the state besting Pletz (PT) who posted the 13th best time in the state.

The girls 100 Breatstroke was won by Emily Schmitt who posted a personal best time and the 13th best swim in the state.

The final events of the meet—girls and boys 400 free relays—rounded out the meet with some of the most exciting swims. The USC girls broke another 31 year old pool record winning with the seventh best time in the state. The USC boys also broke the pool record with the fifth best time in the state. The PT boys won the event with the fourth best time in the state.

A total of 16 swims were top 16 times in the state.

200 Medley Relay

Girls            USC – 4th

200 FR

Girls            USC/Shaffer – 14th

Boys            USC/Hardwick – 1st

200 IM

Girls            USC/Johnsen – 12th

Boys            USC/Dudzinski – 2nd

50 FR

Girls            USC/Dudzinski – 9th

Boys            USC/Tomiczek – 3rd

                   USC/Hardwick – 4th

100 FL

Girls            USC/Johnsen – 1st

100 FR

Boys            USC/Hardwick – 4th

500 FR

Boys            USC/Dudzinski – 2nd

                   PT/Higgins – 8th

200 FR Relay

Girls            USC – 14th

Boys            USC – 1st

100 BK

Girls            USC/Dudzinski – 1st

Boys            USC/Tomiczek – 10th

                   PT/Pletz – 13th

100 BR

Girls            USC/Schmitt – 13th

400 FR Relay

Girls            USC – 7th

Boys            USC – 5th

                   PT – 4th

Did you go to the meet? Tell us in the comments!