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WPIAL swimming championships: Mars’ Luke Lamb wins 4th gold in 2 years in 2 classes after 100 back title

PITTSBURGH — After an early bedtime the night before, Luke Lamb ate two bananas before hopping in the University of Pittsburgh's Joseph C. Trees Pool on Friday morning.

The Mars senior swimmer climbed out of the water as a WPIAL Class 3A champion, much like he had the previous day with his 50-yard freestyle title and this time in the boys 100 backstroke. He finished that race in 47.86 seconds, ahead of North Allegheny senior Gus Miller (49.35) and Upper St. Clair junior Ben Whiteford (49.65).

Lamb pulled off a rare feat of repeating as champion in the same two events but in a different classification — as a member of North Catholic’s team last year, he competed in 2A.

Lamb, who qualified for the PIAA Class 3A Swimming Championships at Bucknell University on March 14-15, lacked down time as he approached the meet.

“I really didn’t get any breaks this season, any taper, any rest or anything,” Lamb said. “And then leading up to this week, really, all I got was two days of a little easier practices. ... No matter how I was feeling, I knew I could perform. I can’t let how I’m feeling take over what I can actually do.”

Related Article: WPIAL Class 3A swimming championships: Mars’ Luke Lamb earns gold in 50 free Related Article: Mars swimmer Luke Lamb, PIAA champ, wants to leave name on as many record boards as possible
Mars’ Luke Lamb smiles after winning the boys 100 backstroke in the WPIAL Class 3A Swimming Championships at the University of Pittsburgh's Joseph C. Trees Pool on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

“Obviously, he’s got a lot more championships going so, as far as this one, it’s a little bit different,” Planets coach Karen Guise said Thursday. “You don’t do a full taper for somebody like him, especially knowing that he had a very good chance of making it to states, which meant he was gonna have two more weeks of practicing.

“You know, you can’t taper. Where someone else, this is most likely going to be their last meet of the season, they kind of get a full rest. You start bringing them down throughout the whole week. With Luke, we kept him up as long as we could.”

Bananas are Lamb’s usual pre-meet snack. He went to sleep around 9:30 p.m. Thursday night, something he didn’t want to do but knew was necessary. When he’s been able, Lamb has taken care of his body in other ways.

“My teammates make fun of me every day (because) after every practice, I’ll go sit in the hot tub,” Lamb said. “Sometimes even before practice, I’ll take a dip in the hot tub. My friends go lift at the Y, so I’ll go to the sauna.”

Lamb’s 100 back time was four-hundredths of a second shy of breaking the WPIAL Class 3A record. That mark belongs to former Seneca Valley swimmer Owen Blazer and was set in 2020.

Lamb set the Class 2A record (48.68) in the 100 backstroke as he won that event last year.

Mars Luke Lamb medals in first place for the boys 100 backstroke in the WPIAL Class 3A Swimming Championships at the University of Pittsburgh's Joseph C. Trees Pool on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Related Article: PIAA girls swimming: Meet the Top 9 swimmers to watch in Butler County

“Honestly, I really wanted that record,” Lamb said. “I wanted to take that down. I knew I could have. But, I mean — considering I didn’t really rest this meet, I’m not feeling the best, I still have meets after this and I still won with a 47 — I can’t be mad at it at all. It just would’ve been the cherry on top to get the record.”

Lamb said he plans on swimming Saturday before taking it easy Sunday. He has the YMCA West District Championship meet with RESY Swim Club next weekend at SPIRE Academy. Lamb will be competing in a handful of events there.

“I’m really not going to be able to rest that much,” Lamb said. “Last year, there was a lot more celebrating because it was my first time winning. This year, I know that I’ve got bigger goals ahead of me, so I’ve got to put the head down and keep working.”

Seneca Valley's Kat Bookwalter swims the girls 100 breaststroke in the WPIAL Class 3A Swimming Championships at the University of Pittsburgh's Joseph C. Trees Pool on Friday, Feb. 28, 2025. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle
Cause for celebration

Seneca Valley’s Katie Bookwalter turns 16 years old Sunday. She was already going home to cake, but medaling in the girls 100 breaststroke will make her treat even sweeter.

“I’m getting a cheesecake from Cheesecake Factory, so I’m very excited,” said Bookwalter, who prefers the Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup variety.

Bookwalter, a sophomore, placed third in that event with a time of 1:04.24, behind Pine-Richland senior Sarah Shaffer (1:02.11) and Fox Chapel senior Sarah Pasquella (1:02.15).

Bookwalter said it was her best time in the event. She didn’t have much time to soak it in before competing again.

“It was a hard turnaround to go into the 400 (freestyle relay), but it felt good,” Bookwalter said before making a joke. “Definitely full speed for everything. I mean, if I die, I die at the end, so can’t do anything about it.”

That quartet placed eighth with a time of 3:38.93 and also included Raiders sophomores Ava Walker and Mya King and junior Sasha Myers.

WPIAL Class 3A Swimming Championships Results

Local Medalists

Boys

100 backstroke: 1-Luke Lamb (M) 47.86

Girls

100 breaststroke: 3-Katie Bookwalter (SV) 1:04.24

400 freestyle relay: 8-Seneca Valley (Katie Bookwalter, Ava Walker, Mya King, Sasha Myers)

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