By: Michael Love Sunday, January 7, 2024 | 2:34 PM
Patton Graziano, Penn-Trafford
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Patton Graziano gained a second home in November as he signed a national letter of intent to swim at Division I West Virginia.
His first home, Penn-Trafford, is where he hopes to continue to make his mark in a senior season filled with high expectations.
The defending WPIAL Class 3A champion in the boys 100-yard freestyle said he is happy with his performances so far but knows there can be no taking the foot off the gas pedal.
“I am definitely happy with where I am right now,” Graziano said. “I am in a better place now than where I have been the past three years. I have taken advantage of some good training. I know there is still room for improvement and change before the championship season comes.”
Penn-Trafford coach Dave Babik said Graziano is performing probably a little bit better than how he thought he would to this point.
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“He’s qualified for every (individual) WPIAL event I’ve put him in,” Babik said. “He still has to do the breaststroke. His times are pretty good. We’re happy with where he is at this point.”
Earning All-American honors this year is a goal for Graziano as is returning to the top of the medals podium.
Westmoreland County swimmers went 1-2 in the WPIAL 3A boys 100 free in 2023 as Graziano came from the third seed to claim the title, edging Hempfield’s Dom Falcon by 12 one-hundredths of a second.
Graziano was right back in the pool for the 100 backstroke, where he earned silver in a time of 50.39 seconds.
“Last year at WPIALs, it wasn’t easy,” Graziano said. “It was so competitive. You are constantly pushing yourself as you are being pushed by others. It’s a very fun meet, and I am sure it will be again this year.”
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Graziano also helped the Penn-Trafford boys 200 medley relay place fifth and the 200 free relay finish seventh.
“There’s definitely that chance of repeating my events from last year, but there is room for change, depending on what the rankings look like as it gets closer to WPIALs,” Graziano said. “I will have a lot of good options, which is nice.”
Graziano said he is pleased with his decision to head to WVU and appreciates all who have had a hand in making it possible, including his mother, Kim, a coach at the Greensburg YMCA who also is one of Penn-Trafford’s assistant coaches.
Conversations, he said, with current Mountaineers freshman and Kiski Area graduate Parker Sterlitz and others helped him see that WVU was the best fit for him.
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“I went down and got to meet the team, and it is such a great environment with swimming and everything else,” Graziano said. “The coaches really create a winning atmosphere. It all made the decision really easy. The recruiting process can be a little overwhelming, so when I signed, it was such a great feeling to know I was set to go to such a great place.”
Babik said Graziano is a model athlete and student and has a bright future.
“He is dedicated to becoming the best swimmer that he can be,” Babik said. “He works hard in the pool and weight room but is always refining his technique. He knows what times he wants to achieve and what it would take to achieve them. Patton is a good student and teammate. He is humble and quick to give credit to his teammates and coaches.”
Michael Love is a Tribune-Review Staff Writer. You can contact Michael by email at mlove@triblive.com or via Twitter .
CHARLESTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) – Kanawha County Prosecutor, The Honorable Charles T. Miller, hand-delivered a letter to the Kanawha County Commission on Friday afternoon notifying the Commission of his retirement effective June 13, 2024, at 5:00 p.m.
The Kanawha County Commission made the following statement:
“We would like to thank Prosecutor Miller for his dedicated service to the citizens of Kanawha County since his appointment in 2014. His leadership of the Prosecutors Office has been inspiring to all the Assistant Prosecuting Attorneys and staff. He will be greatly missed. He leaves the County with a legacy of unwavering dedication, integrity, and honor.”
Per W. Va. Code §3-10-8, the County Commission must appoint a replacement successor Prosecutor.
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The Commission will accept resumes and cover letters for the position until June 7 at 5:00 p.m.
The cover letters and resumes should be emailed to the County Manager, Jennifer Herrald, at jennifer@kanawha.us or hand-delivered to the County Manager at the Commission Office at 407 Virginia Street, East, 3rd Floor Commission Office.
Interested applicants must possess a J.D., be licensed to practice as an attorney under the laws of West Virginia and be an active member of the West Virginia Bar.
Keep checking the WSAZ app for the latest information.
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Hollywood (Fla.) American Heritage 2026 wide receiver Jamar Denson made the trek to West Virginia to compete in the first one-day camp of the summer and left with a scholarship offer from the program.
Denson, 5-foot-10, 182-pounds, received the offer after an impressive performance where he was able to put on a show as a pass catcher throughout the course of the day.
“The camp was great. It was a great experience for me,” he said.
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BECKLEY, W.Va. (WSAZ) – If you have traveled on the West Virginia Turnpike recently, you may notice there’s not as many places to stop.
On Tuesday, May 28, Gov. Jim Justice signed Senate Bill 1002 outside the Tamarack Marketplace, and other state officials gave an update on the rest area construction.
The bill allocates $150 million toward statewide highway projects.
Jeff Miller, director of West Virginia Parkways, said the improvements to the rest areas will bring back the travel experience people had in the 1950s and 60s.
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“We took a hard look at what people want,” Miller said, adding they wanted to make a beautiful design and make the travel stops more modern.
Miller said 80 percent of the 36.5 million transactions on the turnpike come from out-of-state travelers, and Justice praised Miller for his work on the improvements.
“They’re all stopping now at the travel plazas and they’re all getting a real look at West Virginia,” he said.
After the update on the rest area construction, Jimmy Wriston, the Secretary of West Virginia Transportation said, “None of the general revenue funds will be going to that project. The project that we’ll be working on will be paving the secondary roads.”
Justice signed the bill and said the funds will go exactly where West Virginians need it the most, “150 million dollars to continue this momentum, continue this wave we’re sitting on the top of and riding, and boy is it fun,” he said.
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State officials are hopeful the rest area construction on the turnpike will be completed by the end of the year.
