Seneca Valley's Alissa Wilson swims in the girls 200-yard individual medley during the WPIAL AAA Championships at Trees Pool on Thursday. Wilson placed fifth in the event. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

PITTSBURGH — First place would be a thrill.

Second would be exciting, too.

Third? Just fine, still.

With three of its individuals and a pair of relays having medaled at the University of Pittsburgh’s Trees Pool, the Seneca Valley girls’ swimming team is where it wants to be through the first half of the WPIAL Class 3A championships. The Raiders finished Thursday afternoon with 127 team points, a steady third behind North Allegheny (301.5) and Fox Chapel (173).

“We’re looking more towards just being in the top three,” Seneca Valley coach Brian Blackwell said. “We finished fourth last year. Coming out, the medley relay was good getting third. With that, we make that one out to states automatically.”

That aforementioned quartet — made up of junior Lena Rothrock, freshman Katie Bookwalter, senior Bella Kling, and sophomore Audrey Wolfe — finished in 1:48.34. Kling later medaled with a sixth-place effort in the 100-yard butterfly (58.79), while Alissa Wilson earned fifth in the 200 IM (2:10.76) and Sasha Myers eighth in the 50 freestyle (24.78). Morgan Baker joined Myers, Rothrock, and Wolfe to take seventh in the 200 freestyle relay (1:39.51).

Myers, a sophomore, took home a pair medals and has a chance at a third Friday.

“I think it’s really cool because I didn’t get any last year personally,” she said. “I just did a lot better this year than I did last year. ... They’ll go on a shelf.”

Along with Baker, Myers will compete in the fourth heat of the 100 freestyle, the first event of the latter half of the meet, on Friday morning. Being in the water so early won’t faze them.

The Raiders have practiced at 5:40 a.m. on Mondays and Wednesdays throughout the season. Saturday sessions have been earlier in the morning, as well.

“You just get confidence going in tomorrow,” Blackwell said of the girls’ effort through the first half of the meet. “We have a lot of big swims that we’re looking to cash in on. Hopefully we’ll show up and do well.”

There won’t be any delay in preparing for the second leg.

“I’m going to make sure I eat a good dinner and go to bed early,” Myers said. “I want to make sure I’m racing hard enough from the very start of the race.”

Along with the structure, there’s another key for Seneca Valley to meet its goal.

“Just putting in our best effort,” Myers said. “And then not holding (back) until our last 25 (yards) or last 15.”

Knotted Up

Butler's Keaton Matteson dives into the pool for the boys 50-yard freestyle during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday. Matteson placed sixth in the event. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle

Butler and Seneca Valley closed Thursday tied for 12th place in the team competition with 48 points apiece. The medalists on that side were Butler’s Keaton Matteson (sixth place in the 50 freestyle with a time of 21.82 seconds) and the Golden Tornado’s 200 medley relay.

That group — which consisted of Jackson Morgus, Ben Grossman, Noah Collins, and Matteson — had an eighth-place showing with a time of 1:39.52.

Girls

Butler, Mars, Seneca Valley

200 medley relay: 3-Seneca Valley (Lena Rothrock, Katie Bookwalter, Bella Kling, Audrey Wofe) 1:48.34

200 IM: 5-Alissa Wilson (SV) 2:10.76

50 freestyle: 8-Sasha Myers (SV) 24.78

100 butterfly: 6-Bella Kling (SV) 58.79

200 freestyle relay: 7-Seneca Valley (Sasha Myers, Lena Rothrock, Audrey Wolfe, Morgan Baker) 1:39.51

Boys

Butler, Seneca Valley

200 medley relay: 8-Butler (Jackson Morgus, Ben Grossman, Keaton Matteson, Noah Collins) 1:39.52

50 freestyle: 6-Keaton Matteson (B) 21.82

Butler's Keaton Matteson rests after swimming in the boys 50 yard freestyle event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Mars' Bryn Wilson swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Butler's Addison Vance swims in the girls 200 yard IM event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Madisen Newton swims in the girls 200 yard IM during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Madisen Newton swims in the girls 200 yard IM during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Madisen Newton swims in the girls 200 yard IM during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Freeport High School's relay team competes in the girls 200 yard medley event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Mars High School's relay team competes in the boys 200 yard medley event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Freeport High School's relay team competes in the girls 200 yard medley event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Knoch High School's relay team competes in the girls 200 yard medley event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Sonya Dietz swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Freeport High School's relay team competes in the girls 200 yard medley event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Knoch High School's relay team competes in the girls 200 yard medley event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Mya King swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Mars' Bryn Wilson swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Freeport High School's relay team competes in the girls 200 yard medley event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Knoch High School's relay team competes in the boys 200 yard medley event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Butler's Addison Vance swims in the girls 200 yard IM event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Alissa Wilson swims in the girls 200 yard IM event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Alissa Wilson swims in the girls 200 yard IM event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Elle Alexander swim in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Elle Alexander swim in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Madisen Newton swims in the girls 200 yard IM during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Madisen Newton swims in the girls 200 yard IM during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Mya King swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Sonya Dietz swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Sonya Dietz swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Sonya Dietz swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Sonya Dietz swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Mars' Bryn Wilson swims in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

North Catholic High School's relay team competes in the boys 200 yard medley event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Seneca Valley's Elle Alexander swim in the girls 100 yard butterfly event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)

Butler's Addison Vance gets ready to swim in the girls 200 yard IM event during the WPIAL swim meet at Trees Pool on Thursday, Feb. 29. Morgan Phillips/Butler Eagle (2/29/2024)