It’s a common denominator when it comes to the successes of Katie Beyer and Hugh Harrison of the Warren Area High School swim team.

Another similarity between the teammates is breaking records. And not just any records — 20-plus-year-old records.

Only a freshman, Harrison broke the school record in the 100-meter butterfly, posting a time of 1:02.33, breaking the old mark of Aaron Atkins (1:03.27) set in 1997. The freshman also broke Atkins’ 100-yard butterfly record of 56.27, also set in 1997, with a 56.04.

Beyer, a junior, just broke another one on Monday in a virtual meet at the Warren County YMCA.

Submitted Photos Warren Area High School’s Katie Beyer and Hugh Harrison pose for photos after breaking school records earlier this season.

Earlier this season, on the same night Harrison set his meter record, Beyer broke her own school mark in the 100-meter freestyle with a time of 59.80 seconds. Her previous record, set in 2019, was 1:00.54. Beyer topped Kristen Handkammer’s mark of 1:00.95, set in 1996, by 0.4 seconds.

Also, when she was a sophomore, Beyer passed Ann Jablonowski’s 1993 mark in the 100-meter backstroke. Beyer topped Jablonowski’s time of 1:08.22 by nearly a full second with a 1:07.57.

Swimming in the 200-yard freestyle at the District 10 Class 3A meet at the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio, Beyer blistered to a 1:57.57 finish. The time gave her district gold, a trip to states, and broke a school record set by Katie Hunter in 1996. Not only did she win a District 10 title with a record-setting performance, she was more than 5 seconds in front of second place.

This past Saturday, Beyer even broke a McDowell High School pool record — at their own facility.

“It’s a combination of hard work, focus, mastering their craft, luck, and talent,” said Warren coach Russ Beyer, also Katie’s dad. “If any athlete puts in the time along with their ability, then that should equal success. I know Katie does a lot of extra work outside of the pool. She runs, she lifts, she does tons of core work, eats super healthy and gets the most rest that she can. Hugh has gotten a lot longer and stronger over the last year or two. So, with him having more specialized workouts, it just seems that he gets his best times every race. Lastly, I think all of the team feeds off each other; kind of like a rally in baseball. A bunch of times we had fantastic swims three or four races in a row. All the team get motivated for sure.”

They certainly aren’t the only talented swimmers on the WAHS swim team; Hugh’s own brother, Max, is chasing a record, and Katie is following in the record-setting footsteps of her older brother, Andrew, who now swims for Gannon University.

“My hard work is paying off,” said Katie. “Warren swimming has always had a strong tradition and for me to have my name among that group is an accomplishment.

“My older siblings were on the ‘Y’ team, and I wanted to be like them,” Katie added. Ten years later, “I am truly blessed to be a part of the WAHS swim team.”

And get her name on that wall of record-breakers.

“I wasn’t always successful,” said Beyer. “You have to fail before you succeed. Your failure is what drives you to be better.”

Harrison has a lot in common with Beyer; he’s long and strong, has a lot more to prove, and is cognizant of the WAHS swim team’s history.

“Breaking two 24-year-old records as a freshman sure is exciting, but there is more work to be done and I am never satisfied,” said Harrison, who is 6-foot-2 at age 15. “I am even more motivated since breaking Aaron Atkins’ 100-yard and 100-meter butterfly records from 1997 earlier this season. He is a huge name in WAHS swimming history.

“Swimming is one of the most mentally- and physically-challenging sports there is,” Harrison added. “I love the feeling of pushing myself and becoming the best athlete possible. I have been blessed with talent, but I know that hard work and dedication are what is needed to become great. I’ve also been a runner on the cross country and track and field teams under Kevin and Elizabeth Dustin’s coaching. I have no doubt that my running has helped my swimming and vice versa.

“My primary goals for the rest of the season are to bring home a PIAA District 10 title and possibly take down another record in the 200 individual medley,” he said. “My favorite events are the 200 IM and the 100 butterfly.”

It hasn’t been easy. Hugh has put in the time on the YMCA team just two less years than Katie, or eight years. This season has been unlike any other.

“Swimming virtual meets has been hard and quite different, but my great teammates and coaches have made them feel just as important,” said Hugh. “Saturday’s meet at McDowell and Monday’s meet against Cathedral Prep are great opportunities as we are able to swim in yard pools (our Y pool is in meters), and against top competition. My teammates have helped push me so much this season (shout out, specifically, to brother Max and Derek Hahn as well as Katie Beyer). Max (age 17, a junior) and my sister Lucy (12, seventh grade) have been really great swimmers, too. We are all naturally competitive with each other, for sure. My mom and dad, Nikki and Derek Harrison, have been really supportive, although my dad was a hockey player and my mom is always asked why we don’t play basketball. Coaches Russ and Deanna Beyer believe in me and have provided me with the opportunity to take my training to a higher level. Without their help, it would have been much harder to accomplish what I have so far. For that I am grateful.

“My long-term goals in swimming are to work as hard as possible and become the best swimmer I can be. Swimming in college is definitely something I’d like to consider,” he added. “There are definitely sacrifices made as a swimmer, especially since many practices are in the early morning. Breaking a team record makes getting to bed early worth it.”

Hugh and Katie also share motivation and inspiration.

“Andrew Beyer, a former WAHS and current Gannon University swimmer, has been a huge inspiration to me as he was always watching my races, cheering me on (actually encouraging me to break his own records), and helping perfect my stroke,” said Hugh. “Getting advice from a great swimmer like Andrew is nothing but motivating.”

Katie’s fall cross country season didn’t end the way she wanted it to. That is also motivating her.

After winning a District 10 swimming championship last season, Katie was invited to a school board meeting to be recognized.

“She wanted to say something to the school board, but she froze up and didn’t read her note card,” said her mom, Deanna. “But she did save her note card.”

Katie has a half-dozen records. “My goals are to win a District 10 title in the 100 free, 200 free, or 100 back, and to go to states and medal,” she said.

“Swimming has taught me many life lessons, lifelong friendships, time management,” she said. “(I’ve) learned how to take good care of my body with proper fuel and nutrition, learned what it’s like to be tired and sore, learned disappointment and how to use it for motivation, learned that success takes many hours of hard work, practice, and preparation. I’ve learned how to work as a team, and support each other no matter what. I’ve learned how to respect my coaches, teammates and fellow athletes.”

That was all on the note card. She wants another chance to read it in person.