Depth once again the difference as Weston repeats as Division 2 girls' swim champion
'Winning for the first time last year was incredible, and being able to do that again this year, our senior year – is something we'll never really forget,' said Weston senior Nola Dickie. 'This team has been a huge part of our life the last four years . . . and we wanted to put it all out there for our last swim.'
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'We have a really great team,' added fellow senior Amy Robson. 'There are so many lovely girls on it.'
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Weston's points came from nearly every event. Junior Kate Krueger placed second in the 200-yard individual medley (2:11.28) and third in the 500freestyle (5:14.34). Sadie Nelson grabbed fifth in the 50 freestyle (25.10), and teammate Margaret Liu took home fifth in the 100 free (54.99).
Though third-place Longmeadow owned the relays throughout the afternoon — winning the 200 free relay (1:39.16) and the 400 free relay (3:40.72) — Weston kept pace, scoring second (1:41.16) and third (3:47.05) in those events, respectively.
Weston was ready for the moment. Chalk it up to coach Jim McLaughlin's pre-meet message.
'It was, 'Go have fun.' Enjoy it. We're doing this because it's fun. It's a big meet, but we've been here before. For some of them, this is going to be the last time they're together, so let's go out and enjoy it,' said McLaughlin, dripping wet from a celebratory plunge into the pool.
'It's a real team effort. We didn't have one person who totally dominated, but I think every one of our swimmers scored in one event or another,' he continued. 'Every single kid contributed.'
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Northampton's Amalia Guerra, Longmeadow's Lilah Doherty, and Seekonk's Lydia Craft were each double-winners. Guerra won the 200IM (2:09.96) and 100 backstroke (56.95), Doherty owned the 200 freestyle (1:53.89) and 100 butterfly (55.98), and Craft grabbed the 100 freestyle (52.26) and 100 breaststroke (1:05.77).
'I'm really happy with how I did,' said Doherty. 'I took it one race at a time. Every day in practice, I'm splitting my time between the two strokes, so I'm definitely prepared for both of them. I'm confident in the way I can do both, and as soon as the other race is done, it's time for the next one.
The Weston girls' swim team, including coach Jim McLaughlin (front left) had a celebratory trophy hoist in the pool.
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Monson's Isabella Zeppa (cq) was jubilant after her win in the 50 freestyle.
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Lilah Doherty was a double winner for Longmeadow in the 100 butterfly and 200 freestyle.
Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff
The support, and cheering, at the Division 2 girls' swimming and diving championships at BU, was loud.
Jonathan Wiggs/Globe Staff
MIAA Division 2 championship
at Boston University
200 medley relay — 1. Mystic Valley, 1:53.52; 2. Seekonk, 1:55.32; 3. Amherst-Pelham, 1:55.61.
200 freestyle — 1. Lilah Doherty, Longmeadow, 1:53.89; 2. Finnley Chambers, Amherst-Pelham, 1:57.99; 3. Ally Jacques, Norton, 1:59.74.
200 IM — 1. Amalia Guerra, Northampton, 2:09.96; 2. Kate Krueger, Weston, 2:11.28; 3. Ava Robitaille, Triton, 2:14.48.
50 freestyle — 1. Isabella Zeppa, Monson, 0:24.49; 2. Anna Szafran, Duxbury, 0:24.62; 3. Rowan Albertson, Amherst-Pelham, 0:24.7.
Diving — 1. Maddie Reif, Norwell, 455.100 points; 2. Sadie Him, Norton, 416; 3. Avery Rogers, Advanced Math and Science, 396.050.
100 butterfly — 1. Lilah Doherty, Longmeadow, 0:55.98; 2. Annie McLean, Canton, 0:57.89; 3. Raina Wu, Dover-Sherborn, 1:00.25.
100 freestyle — 1. Lydia Craft, Seekonk, 0:52.26; 2. Eliana Laham, Bromfield, 0:53.19; 3. Isabella Zeppa, Monson, 0:54.07.
500 freestyle — 1. Grace Perron, Belchertown, 5:05.64; 2. Eliana Laham, Bromfield, 5:11.45; 3. Kate Krueger, Weston, 5:14.34.
200 freestyle relay — 1. Longmeadow, 1:39.16; 2. Weston, 1:41.16; 3. Mystic Valley, 1:41.73.
100 backstroke — 1. Amalia Guerra, Northampton, 0:56.95; 2. Rowan Albertson, Amherst-Pelham, 0:58.4; 3. Cara Hill, Wayland, 0:59.22.
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100 breaststroke — 1. Lydia Craft, Seekonk, 1:05.77; 2. Molly Connors, Ashland, 1:07.34; 3. Ella Reeves, Gardner, 1:07.59.
400 freestyle relay — 1. Longmeadow, 3:40.72; 2. Dover-Sherborn, 3:45.99; 3. Weston, 3:47.05.
Team results — 1. Weston, 230; 2. Mystic Valley, 194; 3. Longmeadow, 180; 4. Dover-Sherborn, 152; 5. Triton, 146; 6. Wayland, 138; 6. Amherst-Pelham, 138; 8. Seekonk, 121; 9. Norton, 110; 10. Hamilton-Wenham, 101.
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