Mount girls notch big victory

MSC secures first D-III win in 2 years

EAST PROVIDENCE – After Mount St. Charles finished practice at Woonsocket YMCA on Monday afternoon, coach Bill Evans conducted a meeting with his girls, something he always does prior to the season-opening dual meet.

The reason: He wants to inform the kids as to what events they will swim and what to expect, in this case, against East Providence.

“I have a lot of younger swimmers on my team, so when I read the lineup to them, some of the girls would say to me, ‘Why am I swimming that? I’ve never done it before; I don’t think I can do it,’” Evans stated. “I just said to them, very simply, to do the best they can, don’t worry about any outcome and relax.

“I also told them I wouldn’t have put them in those events if I didn’t think they could do them.”

What ensued both shocked and pleasantly surprised Evans. Sophomore Alli Melnychuk captured two individual events and seniors Olivia Charbonneau and Margaret Bogner each earned one as the Mount capsized the Townies, 51-36, at the Boys & Girls Club of East Providence natatorium on Tuesday afternoon.

Melnychuk commanded the 100-yard freestyle (1:10.96) and the 100-yard breaststroke (1:23.28), but also teamed with freshman Olivia Antonelli, Bogner and junior Katie O’Brien on the triumphant 200 freestyle relay (2:17.52).

Charbonneau tacked on a win in the 100 backstroke (1:23.56) and runner-up in the 100 butterfly (1:30.12), while Bogner reigned in the 200 individual medley (3:22.55).

“This is the girls’ first win in two years, dating back to the 201516 season, and some of the freshmen don’t even realize it,” Evans grinned. “I didn’t say anything to them before he meet because I wanted them this year to just enjoy the process, the swimming; I wanted them to have fun because I knew, if they did that, the wins would come.

“I’ve got three freshmen who have never raced a day in their lives until (Tuesday), and they only had 12 days of practice, but they were able to get in and compete,” he added. “I had several girls swim PRs, but what I liked most was that the ones who were the most experienced, they were worried or nervous, but they tried it.

“I’ve got to tell you, every one of these girls exceeded my expectations; I didn’t think we were going to win this meet, but they all stepped up and swam their hearts out. I’m very proud right now.”

The boys’ contingent, which numbers a scant two, naturally didn’t fare as well. East Providence utilized the talents of junior Yanis Benadouda and sophomore David Capobianco, to name a pair, to roll to a 36-12 verdict.

As for the girls, the Townies controlled the first five events, winning four. The 200 medley relay quartet of junior Christina Capobianco, senior Ellen Phillips, Luu and senior Isabelle Wetmore took the initial race in 2:22.62, while talented frosh Shelby Enos stroked to the 200 freestyle victory (2:45.45).

Bogner interrupted that run with the IM triumph, but Luu crushed the field in both the 50 freestyle (26.95) and 100 butterfly (1:07.64).

The Mounties, however, still held a 19-18 advantage after Luu’s final individual race, due to their depth; they took second and third in the individual medley, 50 and 100 fly, meaning they notched four points (the same amount as EP) in each of those events.

When Melnychuk and Trenouth swept the 100 freestyle, MSC cushioned that lead to 26-19, then extended it more when the foursome of Antonelli, Bogner, O’Brien and Melnychuk hustled to first (2:17.52) and the “B” squadron of sophomore Isabelle Tanner and freshmen Chau Le, Marykate Maguire and Kacey Singhavong placed third.

The only hiccup for Evans’ crew came in the 500 freestyle, when Christina Capobianco claimed the top spot in 7:49.75. (The Mount’s O’Brien placed second).

Despite the defeat, EP assistant Kris Rose seemed satisfied afterward.

“We haven’t scored this many points on the girls’ side, 36, in four years, and we could’ve had more,” she noted. “We had a relay and an individual disqualified, so we left some points out there. The fact that we scored as may as we did with the amount of new swimmers we have is saying something. We have at least 12 new girls.

“Raissa is a very good swimmer; she’s someone who will do whatever we ask of her. When she first came to us, she was so shy,” she added. “And Christina Capobianco is a tremendously hard worker and a great kid to have as a leader. We also have Shelby, who’s only a freshman, but she’ll be an up-and-comer for us.”

On the boys’ side, MSC senior captain Zac Robinson mentioned he’s been trying to recruit more boys out for that team, but hasn’t had much luck.

“A lot of the guys I talked to are already playing for a (winter sports) team, some with hockey, some with basketball or indoor track,” he offered. “With such a focus on hockey at Mount, it’s hard to get guys to commit. Then there’s the fact swimming is a very demanding sport.

“It was hard to know we were coming here with just two of us (also junior Ryan Breitenbach) is hard, but this is something I still enjoy,” he continued. “I would never not swim just because we don’t have a chance of winning as a team. Ryan and I still have the girls as teammates, so we’re all one big team; all the girls, they’re such great people, I want to support them, too.

“It’s my duty as a captain.” For EP, Benadouda reigned in the 200 freestyle (1:54.38) and 100 butterfly (1:00.58), while David Capobianco took the 200 IM (2:31.56) and 500 freestyle (PR of 6:02.58). Senior Josh Hanley did the same in the 100 breaststroke and junior Owen Charron the 50 freestyle (26.13, just .58 ahead of runner-up Breitenbach).

Robinson nailed down the lone Mount triumph in the 100 freestyle (1:03.77) before grabbing runner-up laurels in the 100 backstroke with another lifetime best (1:13.93).

“We graduated four seniors from last year and only had nine on the team, and – this season – we had a couple of guys who chose not to come back, and others aren’t with us for whatever reason,” Evans said. “That’s unfortunate. We’re just hoping to build for the future.” 200y medley relay – 1. EP (Christina Capobianco, Ellen Phillips, Raissa Luu, Isabelle Wetmore) 2:22.62; 2. MSC (Alli Melnychuk, Margaret Bogner, Olivia Charbonneau, Sophia Trenouth).

200y freestyle – 1. Shelby Enos (EP) 2:45.45; 2. Olivia Antonelli (MSC) 2:53.80; 3. Isabelle Tanner (MSC) 3:08.21.

200y individual medley – 1. Margaret Bogner (MSC) 3:22.55.

50y freestyle – 1. Luu (EP) 26.95; 2. Katie O’Brien (MSC) 31.81; 3. Trenouth (MSC) 33.95.

100y butterfly – 1. Luu (EP) 1:07.64; 2. Charbonneau (MSC) 1:30.12; 3. Antonelli (MSC) 1:35.59. 100y freestyle – 1. Melnychuk (MSC) 1:10.96; 2. Trenouth (MSC) 1:18.97.

500y freestyle – 1. Capobianco (EP) 7:49.75; 2. O’Brien (MSC) 8:19.95.

200y freestyle relay – 1. MSC (Antonelli, Bogner, O’Brien, Melnychuk) 2:17.52; 2. EP (Bree Riel, Phillips, Wetmore, Britney Carlson); 3. MSC (Tanner, Chau Le, Marykate Maguire, Kacey Singhavong). 100y backstroke – 1. Charbonneau (MSC) 1:23.56; 2. Capobianco (EP) 1:26.06; 3. Tanner (MSC). 100y breaststroke – 1. Melnychuk (MSC) 1:25.38; 2. Enos (EP) 1:30.52; 3. Phillips (EP) 1:33.02. 400y freestyle relay – 1. MSC (Charbonneau, O’Brien, Tanner, Trenouth) 5:31.17; 2. Riel, Jones, Phillips, Capobianco) 5:56.48.

** 200y medley relay – 1. EP (Yanis Benadouda, Owen Charron, Josh Hanley, David Capobianco) 2:07.84; 2. EP (Sam Budnick, Andy Langille, Ryan Heatherton, Aidan Schwab).

200y freestyle – 1. Benadouda (EP) 1:54.38; 2. Charron (EP) 2:21.03; 3. Ryan Breitenbach (MSC) 2:25.66.

200y individual medley –

2:31.56.

50y freestyle – 1. Charron (EP) 26.13; 2. Breitenbach (MSC) 26.71; 3. Eric Long (EP) 27.51.

100y butterfly – 1. Benadouda (EP) 1:00.58. 100y freestyle – 1. Zac Robinson (MSC) 1:03.77; 2. Schwab (EP) 1:05.45; 3. Long (EP) 1:08.28. 500y freestyle – 1. Capobianco (RP) 6:02.58. 100y backstroke – 1. Hanley (EP) 1:13.76; 2. Robinson (MSC) 1:13.93. 1. Capobianco (EP)