Wrestlers, swimmers and divers from area schools are pushing through WPIAL tournaments to see what individuals go on to States, held in the middle of March. It's likely that several athletes from Burrell and Kiski Area swimming and wrestling teams will fight their way into the PIAAs, as the swimming and wrestling programs of both schools are quite strong. Kiski Area in particular had 20 athletes from its swim team qualify for the WPIALs.

Coach Ron Ruggeri said, "The program is starting to perpetuate itself," noting he's seeing sisters, brothers and cousins on his teams, as well as a lot of gymnasts. "GYMNASTS?" I said, asking him to please excuse my ignorance of swim coaching, and explain, which of course, Ron, being the kind man that he is, did.

"It's very valuable to find former gymnasts," Ruggeri said. "I can teach them advanced dives. Being a gymnast is a great ingredient for diving. They come to me with an ability to tumble, and have a sense of where they are in space, where to keep their body as they dive." (Oh, NOW I get it….) Ruggeri's point is evident on his squad; the Cavalier Swim team had four gymnasts who qualified for the WPIAL Girls' Diving Championships: Jena Gardone - senior four-year WPIAL qualifier, last year's Westmoreland County Diving Champion, going to dive for Clarion; Brittany Brasiola - sophomore in her first year of diving; Brittany Lange - sophomore in her first year to qualify for WPIALs; Dessie Mitcheson - freshman in her first year of diving. Also, sophomore Joshua Ruane qualified for the Boys Diving Championships as well.

Kiski Area swimmers who qualified for the WPIAL Swimming Championships include Sabrina Hyde - 200IM; two girls' relay teams who both qualified for the 200 and 400 freestyle relays - Hyde, Tracey Hilty, Shawna Miller, Breanna Derry, Stacey Klingensmith, Kristen Estocsin, Kelsey Kovalcik, and Rachel Zaydak; and two boys' relay teams who also both qualified in the 200 and 400 freestyles - Brett Meeder, Paul Crooks, Matt Hartford, Blair Woolheater, Christian Hartford, Jeff Wesolosky, and Michael Klaric.