Weston still rules roost; wins third straight title
CAMBRIDGE >> After consecutive great classes, Weston boys swimming and diving head coach Jim McLaughlin wasn’t sure of what was coming in this year in the program’s typical hunt for a state title.
Senior Evan Hoaglund expected to come out on top, though, and the Wildcats showed why Sunday night at MIT.
For the third year in a row and 27th time overall, Weston surged above the rest of the field to secure the Div. 2 state championship. A clean sweep in the meet’s three relays complemented two events the Wildcats had four different swimmers score in, and every swimmer they brought contributed points for 293 overall.
Wayland took home the runner-up trophy for a third straight year with 214 points, while Medfield finished third (141), Belchertown took fourth (127) and Westwood was fifth (125).
With COVID cancelling any state championship in their freshman season, Weston seniors go out having won the title every year they could.
“It’s great to end the season and my career on a good note,” Hoaglund said. “It’s definitely a good work ethic (in the program), good team spirit. … We still come up on top, even though we’re one of the smaller schools, which is very surprising. We keep the culture up.”
Relays were a massive, 120-point boost for Weston, taking the crown in the 200yard medley (1:37.38), 200-yard freestyle (1:27.13) and 400-yard freestyle (3:17.37). What put it over the top, though, was the vast success every swimmer also showed individually.
Hoaglund led the way, securing the 100-yard freestyle title (46.33 seconds) after just missing out in the 50-yard freestyle with a second-place mark (21.62). Senior Nico Frangioni took third in the 100-yard butterfly (52.55) and fifth in the 100-yard backstroke (54.82), while senior Austin Chiocca did the same in the 50-yard freestyle (21.68) and 100-yard freestyle (48.60).
The 50-yard freestyle also saw junior Alex Jylkka take sixth (22.03) and Nico Carillo finish 16th (23.24). The 100yard freestyle had four swimmers score, too, with Jylkka (49.14) and Nate Whitworth (49.33) each placing.
Eldar Blazh also scored in his two individual events.
“(This group is) just awesome,” McLaughlin said. “We just have a phenomenal group of seniors and they raced their butts off today. … It’s fun to have both of those things, we have depth and we have some guys that can really step up and perform, and do some special things in the pool.”
Much of Wayland’s second-place finish was fueled by relay success, taking second in the 200-yard freestyle (1:29.47), fourth in the 400yard freestyle (3:23.96) and fifth in the 200-yard medley relay (1:40.23). David Ryu added a third-place mark in the 100yard breaststroke, and Aidan Huang placed fourth in the 200-yard individual medley (2:00.89).
The meet only had two double-winners in individual meets. Seekonk’s Nicholas Cavic did it first in the 200yard freestyle (1:40.86) and 500-yard freestyle (4:38.19). Medfield senior Quinn Borchers — set to swim at St. Bonaventure next year — soon joined him as one of the top standouts on the day.
Alongside only three other Warriors swimmers, Borchers led by winning the 100yard backstroke (51.71) and 200-yard individual medley (1:52.74) while contributing toward second-place marks in the 200-yard medley relay (1:38.13) and 400-yard freestyle relay (3:20.27).
His time in the individual medley snapped an 11-yearold meet record.
“As of right now, (performing so well) really means everything to me,” Borchers said. “Last year, we didn’t even have a team that came to states, so this year we really turned it around. … It’s really exciting to me as a senior to be able to leave behind a good legacy and leave behind a group of people that are going to continue the success.”