The Wyoming Area girls’ swimming program has created an interesting challenge for itself with its recent, steady improvement.
With a large squad, the Lady Warriors enter the 2025-26 season, looking to improve their record for the sixth straight season.
“Our depth will help us immensely,” Wyoming Area coach Maureen Pikas said. “We have a roster of 35 girls on the team. We are always hoping to build our program and produce as many swimmers and divers onto the district level as possible.”
Wyoming Area was winless in the 2018-19 season and still winless going into the 2019-20 finale when it broke a 38-match losing streak to finish 1-10.
After sitting out the 2020-21 COVID season, the Lady Warriors re-emerged in 2021-22 and went 4-7. They have gone up from there to 5-6, 6-5, and then 8-3 a year ago.
“We are hoping to improve on that record,” Pikas said.
The coach praised the underclassmen, who have stepped up to help cover for the graduation losses of Ava Menditto, Ella McKernan, and Ainsley Flynn.
Senior captain Ameriana Walker leads those returnees after being part of three sixth-place relay teams in last season’s District 2 Class 2A Championships, where the Lady Warriors finished seventh out of 13 teams. She will compete in the 200 individual medley, along with freestyle and backstroke events.
Junior Bree Harry was on two of those district relay teams and finished 10th in the 100 backstroke. She will also contribute in freestyle events, where Pikas said she has improved her speed.
Emma Kratz (sprints), Sofia Menta (stroke/distance), Lucia Campenni (stroke/sprints), and Taylor Gashi (sprints) are the team’s other experienced seniors who contribute the versatility to be used in multiple events. Kratz scored in the district meet in the 200 freestyle. Campenni will contribute to diving.
Junior Francene Graham also scored on the district level in diving.
Bri Dragwa, Leah Haddock, and Ella Keefer swim strokes while Madison Evans and Adriana Fanti are freestylers among the veterans in the junior class.
Sophomores Molly Kratz and Ella Campenni join their older sisters on the team. Molly Kratz was 10th in the district in the individual medley. Ella Campenni will do the backstroke and freestyle.
Junior diver Giana Gallagher and freshman distance swimmer Amber Mehmood could be the top additions to the large lineup. Mehmood brings with her success in age group swimming.
Boys
Senior captain Jonathan Cortez and junior Zhiwen Tang are back to lead the Warriors, who were 1-10 in the Wyoming Valley Conference and placed 11th of 13 teams in District 2 Class 2A.
Cortez finished ninth in the district in the 100 freestyle. Tang was 10th in the 200 freestyle and will handle mid-distance and distance events.
Junior Trevor Winslow and sophomore Cooper Broda were part of Wyoming Area’s district medley relay lineup. They will compete in breaststroke and freestyle events.
Senior Loc Bui Pham and freshman Charlie Allegrucci could be the top newcomers.
