Neither Maeve Kelley nor Ella Menear have ever competed at the PIAA Class 2A swimming finals.

That’s what happens when you’re sophomores and, your freshman year, a pandemic sweeps in and cancels the meet.

But though neither has ever stood on the blocks in the state finals, they will be the centers of attention Friday at Cumberland Valley High School when the girls meet opens at 10:30 a.m.

Kelley, sophomore at Shady Side Academy who transferred from Winchester Thurston, is a four-time WPIAL champion with a pair of wins in both the 200-yard and 500-yard freestyles. But unlike last year when she was only one of 32 individuals who would have swam at Bucknell University’s Kinney Natatorium, this time around, beating her will be the goal of every swimmer in her events.

This year, she’s the top seed in both events.

“I think it’s going to be a little bit more pressure, but I also think it will be a little bit more exciting,” Kelley said. “I’ve never competed at states and last year I didn’t get that experience and I was kind of raw from that, so I think I’ll be more excited this year because it’s my first state meet and I didn’t get it last year.”

Kelley swam a 1:54.28 in the 200 freestyle to win the WPIAL title and her time in the event is only 0.16 seconds better than junior Meghan Ehrnfeldt of Schuylkill Valley. Ehrnfeldt has state experience from her freshman year when she competed in the event, but she didn’t make it out of the morning qualifiers and finished 10th after the consolation heats when Northgate alumna Karen Siddoway won the title.

Kelley is also the top seed in the 500 freestyle with her WPIAL championship time of 5:00.53 and her two closest seeded competitors in the event are also state newbies. Freshman Kimberly Shannon of Lewisburg is in at No. 2 with a 5:02.15 in the District 4 finals, while sophomore Ryleigh Collins of Wyoming Seminary posted a 5:04.39 in winning her second consecutive District 2 championship.

Perhaps the biggest surprise might be the improvement in her times from last year to now. Kelley won the WPIAL 200 freestyle in 1:55.05 and the 500 freestyle in 5:06.20, significant drops considering the interruptions all swimmers have had to deal with because of COVID-19 shutdowns and restrictions.

“Honestly, I think the gap in training may have been good because I was a little burned out at the end of the season last year. I think everyone is, but I think having those breaks may have helped mentally and then physically,” Kelley said. “Obviously, you had to train harder to get back up to where you were, but in the end, I think it helped.”

Menear may not have competed previously in the state finals, but she is certainly going to know the person in the lane next to her in both of her heats. And that swimmer will have a personal stake in beating the Mapletown sophomore.

When Menear won the district titles in both the 200 individual medley and 100 backstroke, she ended a two-year run in both for Quaker Valley junior Isabel Huang, who was undefeated in individual events in the WPIAL at that point. Huang, who came in second to Menear in both, will also be the No. 2 seed in the state in both despite being one of six timed qualifiers.

“I guess it’s a [big] mental aspect to it, so I’m just going to continue to train and stay motivated,” Menear said “I did a three-day drop for WPIALs, but I’ll do a full taper for states.”

Kelley and Menear are the only No. 1 seeds from the WPIAL in individual events. South Park freshman Katie Jackovic is the No. 2 seed in the 50 freestyle, 0.08 seconds behind senior Halle Meyers of Fairview, and second to Springfield-Mont senior Maura Fluehr by 0.49 seconds in the 100 freestyle.

Fluehr finished third in the event behind the champion Siddoway as a sophomore with a 51.30. She is also the reigning champion — from 2019 — and No. 1 seed in the 100 butterfly, 1.85 seconds faster than North Catholic senior Brittney Carmazzi

Boys

There is a very good chance that three WPIAL swimmers could come out of the meet as double-gold state champions.

But only if two of them tie.

Indiana senior Kyle Thome is the top seed in the 200 freestyle by 2.40 seconds over Notre Dame Green Pond junior R.J. Farina and by 0.63 seconds over District 2 record-holder Woobie Kupsky off MMI Prep.

Where things get interesting is in the 50 freestyle, where seniors Conner McBeth of Neshannock and Ian Shahan of Belle Vernon set the record at the WPIAL finals with a 20.36 and are both the top seeds in the state.

In addition to the 50 freestyle, both are also the top seeds in their other events.

Shahan is the reigning 2019 champion in the 100 butterfly. He was the top seed last year and was sent a gold medal by the PIAA as the top qualifier in the state — though he’s not officially recognized as a state champion — and his 49.62 is 1.74 seconds faster that Bryant Lacroix of Bloomsburg, who did not swim this event in 2019.

Shahan was also the 2019 champion in the 100 freestyle but he moved to the 50 freestyle this year instead. That leaves McBeth, who finished third in 2019, as the top returning finisher from that heat and his qualifying time of 44.87 is 2.11 seconds faster than New Hope Solebury senior John Devaney, who was 11th in 2019.

In addition to the individual top seeds, the Hampton 200 medley relay and the Riverside 200 freestyle relay are both top seeds. The Panthers’ 400 freestyle relay is seeded second, but only 0.14 seconds behind Lower Moreland.

First Published: March 19, 2021, 9:15 a.m.