Cumberland sweeps Thunderbolts
CUMBERLAND – Head coach Rod McGarry didn’t know his top sprint freestyler, Aidan Ocampo, would be unable to represent the Cumberland High boys team until the last minute, so he had to improvise his lineup prior to a Division I dual meet against Cranston East on Thursday afternoon.
He asked freshman Jack Doherty to replace Ocampo in the 50-yard freestyle and 100-yard backstroke, and Doherty passed both tests with flying colors. He captured the 50 with a PR of 26.04, then took second in the backstroke in 1:13.50 to lift the Clippers to a 52-40 win.
The girls squad had an easier time, snaring first in eight of the 11 events on the program to roll to a 62-32 verdict.
“Jack stepped up huge (Thursday),” McGarry stated. “We jumped into the 50 and peeled off a best time, was able to get second in the back. We actually promoted him to the A team in the 400 free relay, and that won, too. You ask a freshman to step into a role like that is a big thing, but he held the line for us. “The freshmen really answered the call.” Sophomore Ian Horstkamp-Vinekar swept the 200 freestyle (2:06.35) and 100 butterfly (57.86), while senior captain Ian Zito pulled off a stellar double with wins in the 100 and 500 freestyles; and frosh Tom Brennan chipped in a pair of runner-ups in the 200 individual medley and 100 butterfly.
That same foursome took the 400 freestyle relay in 3:46.10 to seal it. CHS improved to 2-2. On the girls side, sophomore Caroline Shen earned firsts in the 50 and 100 freestyles (with respective times of 26.02 and 57.55, while junior Cameron Cronin took the 200 IM (2:33.50) and 100 butterfly (1:07.47); freshman Ashlyn Tineo the 200 freestyle (2:14.12) and 100 backstroke (1:16.50); and junior Abby Dion the 500 freestyle (6:17.76). The Clipper aquawomen are also 2-2.