Published: February 26, 2008 11:57 pm      

Regionals on horizon for area swimmers

Area swimmers hold some of the top seedings for this weekend’s District 6-9 Class AA swimming and diving regional championships at the Penn State Natatorium.

Eleven area schools. including Westmont Hilltop, Somerset, Bishop McCort, Central Cambria, Ligonier Valley, Richland, Cambria Heights, Northern Cambria, Conemaugh Township, Forest Hills and Bedford, will be represented among the 25 schools participating.

Westmont senior Kelly Dorian and Bishop McCort junior Mitchell Smith are the top-seeded boys in their respective events.

Dorian, who is the second seed in the 50-yard freestyle, holds the top spot in the 100-yard butterfly with a best time of 54.35.

Smith holds his top seeding in the 100-yard backstroke with a time of 54.13.

Westmont junior Joe Ward is seeded second in the 50-yard freestyle. Hilltopper teammate Kevin Koul, also a junior, is second seeded in the 100-yard freestyle while Somerset senior Cooper Ware is the third seed.

John Livingston, also a Westmont junior, is the third seed in the 200-yard freestyle and the 500-yard freestyle.

The 200-yard freestyle relay of Westmont is seeded second while the Hilltoppers 400-yard freestyle relay is a third seed.

In the girls events, Ligonier Valley junior Kalyn Kramer is second in both the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard freestyle.

Central Cambria sophomore Renee Risaliti is a second seed in the 200-yard individual medley while Mounties junior Kyrsta Payne is seeded second in the 100-yard breaststroke.

Westmont junior Abby Motley is a third seed in the 50-yard freestyle and Bishop McCort senior Kate Murphy, a third seed in the 100-yard freestyle.

The Hilltoppers have third-seeded relays in the 200-yard and 400-yard categories.

The PIAA Class AA swimming and diving championships will be held March 14 and 15 at Bucknell University in Lewisburg.