Knoch boys swimming looks inside for motivation against Armstrong. Girls lose dual meet
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Knoch swimmers cheer on Liam Smith in the boys 400-yard freestyle relay race in a swimming dual meet Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Allison Smith goes to shake Armstrong’s Piper Olinger hand after the girls 200-yard medley relay race in a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Ryleigh Kabala took first place in the girls 100-yard freestyle race against Armstrong with a time of 1:00.43 in a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Aedan Smith took first place in the boys 100-yard freestyle with a time of 57.20 in a swimming dual meet Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Adrian Lavorini took first place in the boys 200-yard individual medley with a time of 2:07.07 in a swimming dual meet Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch Swimmer Lindsay Mack swims the backstroke during the girls 200-yard medley relay in a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch Swimmer Giona Lavorini swims the breastroke during the girls 200-yard medley relay in a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch Swimmer Sophia Greene swims the butterfly during the girls 200-yard medley relay in a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch Swimmer Allison Smith swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch Swimmer Josephine Graper swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch Swimmer Josephine Graper swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch Swimmer Josephine Graper swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch Swimmer Liam Smith swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Allison Smith swims the butterfly during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Allison Smith swims the backstroke during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Ryleigh Kabala swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Adrian Lavorini swims the backstroke during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Adrian Lavorini swims the breaststroke during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Giona Lavorini swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Brady Bleicher swims the butterfly during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Talon Smith swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Brady Belcher swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Josephine Graper swims the backstroke during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Adrian Lavorini swims the backstroke during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Aeden Smith swims the backstroke during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Ian Carraher swims the breaststroke during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Ian Carraher swims the breaststroke during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Lindsay Mack swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Ryleigh Kabala swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Aedan Smith swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Ian Carraher swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Talon Smith swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
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Knoch swimmer Liam Smith swims the freestyle during a swimming dual meet on Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024, at Butler High School. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle
BUTLER TWP — Resurfacing for air Tuesday night, Knoch boys swimmers either saw someone wearing the same blue swim cap as them or worse — nobody.
Aedan Smith, a junior, swam by his lonesome in winning the 100-yard freestyle. He also competed — against the clock, not any Armstrong challenger — on the Knights’ 200 and 400 free relay teams. Both won by default in Knoch’s 72-12 win at Butler High School’s pool.
“(It was) definitely a lot harder than usual because I like to have competition. It tends to push me a lot better,” Smith said. “It’s kind of a little bit harder for me to gauge what my speed is and how I should keep up with everyone else around me.”
The River Hawks had just one swimmer on the boys’ side, Asher Kimmel. He won the 50 free and 100 backstroke events.
“I would say this is the only one where we encounter just one,” Knights coach Allison Springer said. “Usually, there’s a couple. Whether or not they have enough to do a relay is kind of hit-or-miss, but it’s usually more than one. ... It’s a little different of a night for them.”
Shady Side Academy, Hampton and Northgate tend to be the most competitive opponents for the Knoch boys (2-0).
The Knights were missing two boys swimmers themselves. Sophomore Jacob Ruediger was at a chorus concert. The other, freshman Ryan Karwoski, is dealing with an injury suffered while playing the piano, “which doesn’t sound real, but it is,” Springer said.
Springer had Liam Smith and Ian Carraher swim against one another in the 200 free. Talon Smith and Adrian Lavorini went at it in the 200 individual medley. Brady Bleicher had to take on the 100 butterfly on his own, and Talon Smith and Liam Smith had a competitive 500 freestyle, the latter winning by three-tenths of a second.
“It’s always a worry that they aren’t going to have the push they need,” Springer said. “It really has to come from within, which is tough. Having a large cheering section helps. It was kind of a quiet meet. ... That makes it tough, and sometimes we don’t get the times that we want or we don’t make the WPIAL cuts we’re trying to make because of that lack of the push.”
Aedan Smith, who finished behind Lavorini in the 100 back, is aiming to reach the WPIAL meet in the 100 fly and better his times from last year. Smith would also like to see Knoch’s relays get over the hump to states.
“I’m glad I was able to swim on my own to just kind of push myself mentally, to know that’s what it’s like and that’s what I should be expecting,” he said. “It’s definitely a big jump, though.”
The Knights’ girls dropped to 0-2 in bowing to the visitors 107-60. Ryleigh Kabala won the 100 freestyle as Knoch’s only top-placer.
Boys
Knoch 72, Armstrong 12
200 freestyle: Liam Smith (K) 2:17.34
200 individual medley: Adrian Lavorini (K) 2:07.07
50 freestyle: Asher Kimmel (A) 25.28
100 butterfly: Brady Bleicher (K) 1:02.48
100 freestyle: Aedan Smith (K) 57.20
500 freestyle: Talon Smith (K) 6:48.52
200 freestyle relay: Knoch (Brady Bleicher, Liam Smith, Aedan Smith, Adrian Lavorini)
100 backstroke: Adrian Lavorini (K) 1:00.68
100 breaststroke: Asher Kimmel (A) 1:13.38
400 freestyle relay: Knoch (Aedan Smith, Ian Carraher, Talon Smith, Liam Smith)
Girls
Armstrong 107, Knoch 60
200 medley relay: Armstrong 1:54.45
200 freestyle: Bryony Shipe (A) 2:04.60
200 individual medley: Mya DiMaio (A) 2:12.86
50 freestyle: Aynsley Shipe (A) 26.11
100 butterfly: Amelia Bissell (A) 1:00.17
100 freestyle: Ryleigh Kabala (K) 1:00.43
500 freestyle: Mya DiMaio (A) 5:20.04
200 freestyle relay: Armstrong 1:51.13
100 backstroke: Dylayn Shipe (A) 1:03.31
100 breaststroke: Amelia Bissell (A) 1:12.86
400 freestyle relay: Armstrong 3:49.57
