Metro
Ella McKernan showed her versatility while posting three first-place finishes and Wyoming Area used its depth to get past host Hazleton Area for a season-opening, 100-82 victory in Wyoming Valley Conference girls swimming.
McKernan led a 1-2-3 sweep of the diving, gave the Lady Warriors their only individual swimming victory and was part of their relay victory. She won the 100-yard breaststroke by more than 14 seconds in 1:23.20, was part of a victory in the 200 freestyle relay and was second in the 200 medley relay.
Hazleton Area won nine of the 12 events, but Wyoming Area took second and third in the first seven events. The Lady Warriors earned the second-place points in nine events and third place in 11 of the 12.
McKernan edged Fanny Graham 157.40-157.05 in diving where Talia Pizano was third.
Ava Menditto, Sofia Menta and Emma Kratz were the other members of the 200 freestyle relay team that finished in 2:00.85.
Menditto and Menta second in three events, including two individually. Kratz was second in a relay and one individual event.
Bri Dragwa and Ella Keefer were each part of a second and a third in relays and had two third-place finishes in individual events.
Ainsley Flynn was second twice, including in an individual event, and third once.
Lucia Campenni had a second and two thirds while Madison Evans and Leah Haddock had three thirds.
Sydney Baynes was third in two relays while Molly Kratz and Lucy Menta were third in one each.
Hazleton Area boys 127, Wyoming Area 19
Sonny Sabatini led the Warriors, taking second in the 50-yard freestyle and second in two relays.
Jonathan Cortez was third in the 50 free and on both second-place relays.
Zhiwen Tang was on the two second-place relays while Cooper Broda and Trevor Winslow were on one each.
SEASON OUTLOOK
Ameriana Walker leads the list of returnees for the Wyoming Area girls.
Walker finished seventh in District 2 Class 2A in the 100-yard backstroke along with being part of the seventh-place 400 freestyle relay and eighth-place 200 freestyle relay.
Ava Menditto and Emma Kratz were on both top-eight relay teams. Bree Harry is back after being part of the seventh-place relay.
The Lady Warriors were 6-5 in the Wyoming Valley Conference and ninth of 14 teams in the district meet.
The Warriors went 1-10 and finished 12th of 14 in District 2 Class 2A.
Sonny Sabatini and Jonathan Cortez were both part of an eighth-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay, the best by the Wyoming Area boys.
