Clippers’ Shen collects gold, 3rd at D-I meet

BRISTOL — Call it a “Twilight Zone” moment.

Just before the start of the final heat of the 50-yard freestyle at the R.I. Girls Division I Swimming Championships on Sunday afternoon, the scoreboard on the west wall of the Roger Williams University natatorium displayed times – get this – from the race about to occur.

In fact, it showed that top-seed Caroline Shen, a Cumberland High senior co-captain, had finished sixth with a time of 27.66.

The problem: She hadn’t swum it yet. She was still on the blocks. Once she did, Shen and East Greenwich junior Grace Sheridan provided a photo finish, yet the same names and times remained on the electronic device as before the race occurred.

Due to such emergencies, each lane has two timers using hand-held watches, so to collect those back-up clockings, an official walked from Lane 1-7 to write them down and submit them to the scorers’ table.

Timers from Sheridan’s lane had her at 25.19, and those from Shen’s at 25.22, meaning the Avenger had upset the Clipper. Moments later, however, the announcer indicated Shen had claimed the consummate sprint event in 25.19, and that Sheridan took second just .01 behind.

That meant Shen had earned her first-ever state divisional gold medal, though she was confused at how it came about.

“When I saw that I had finished sixth in 27-something, I thought I was dreaming, or should I say having a nightmare,” Shen sighed later.

“I knew I was faster than that, but I had no idea if I won or not. At the finish, it looked like I was behind a little, so I just thought, ‘Put your head down and surge!’

“Then I found out I had lost, but then the announcer said I had won, so I went from the lowest of lows to the highest of highs,” she added. “You know, I was seeded first last year in the 50 at the Division II state meet, and I lost then, so I was thinking, ‘No, not again!’ The good news is I won the 50, and

I’m thrilled with that.”

Shen followed up that dramatic triumph with a third in the 100 freestyle (55.53), not to mention a pair of sterling finishes in a pair of relays. In the 200 freestyle relay, she combined with sophomore Chelsie Friedland, fellow senior captain Kheara Zito and sophomore/sister Caroline Shen to snag fourth in a season-best 1:45.14.

She actually teamed with the same trio to register the same spot in the 400 freestyle relay (winter-best 3:51.88). The elder Shen split 24.69 in the former event and 55.15 in the latter.

“Honestly, for not being shaved or tapered, I thought both the 50 and 100 were pretty good (times),” she noted. “I will say I’m excited to see how I’ll do when I am shaved and tapered next week (at Saturday’s state championships at Brown University). It’ll be my last state meet, and I want to finish it the best I possibly can with my second family.”

Shen racked up (or helped gain) 96 of the Clippers’ 174 points, so helped her club take eighth overall in the field of 10. Still, Cumberland finished four points behind East Greenwich’s sixth (178) and only 13 off fifth-place Moses Brown (187). Barrington took fourth with 189.

“We had an outstanding meet with a fantastic overall effort,” veteran mentor Rod McGarry noted after the final event. “That pretty much goes for every swim our girls had (Sunday). We had numerous PRs and season-bests, and I’m absolutely thrilled for Caroline.

“She came in first in the 50, an event in which she’s really worked tirelessly on honing her skills over the past four years, and because of it won a state divisional championship, her first. It couldn’t happened to a better young woman.

“As for the timing issue (in the 50), that was kind of confusing,” he added. “I don’t confess to be the most impartial spectator in this place, but I thought – looking at it as fairly as possible – that she did out-touch her. When it comes to the start, the turn and the finish, she had two of the three – the start and finish.

“Those two made all the difference.” McGarry seemed just as excited about the outings assembled by Friedland, who notched fourth in the 200 freestyle (PR of 2:02.11) and fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:02.43).

Then again, so was the girl herself. “The 200 free was my best ever by two seconds, and the 100 back was my season-best, so I’m really psyched,” she stated. “This is the fastest meet I’ve had since my shoulder surgery, which was on March 19 (last year). I had arthroscopic surgery, and I was out of the water for six months, which drove me crazy. But I feel really good about this, and going into next week.”

Neither Shen nor Friedland were alone in achieving superb outings, as Zito flew to 10th and a season-best clocking of 5:49.86 in the 500 freestyle, while sophomore Lexi Hyland took 12th in 5:59.32.

Others came from Catherine Shen in the 100 backstroke (13th, 1:06.66); Hyland in the 200 freestyle (12th, 2:12.17); and classmate Olivia Boulris in the 200 individual medley (14th, 2:33.34) and 100 butterfly (14th, PR of 1:10.85).

Actually, Boulris teamed with Zito, Catherine Shen and Allie Stanfa to nail down eighth in the meet-opening 200 medley relay (season-top time of 2:05.48).

“It was just a phenomenal overall meet for us,” McGarry said. “I’m really looking forward to the states next week at Brown.”

R.I. DIVISION I SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS

At Roger Williams University

GIRLS

Team standings

1. La Salle 364; 2. North Kingstown 280; 3. Prout 235.5; 4. Bay View 228.5; 5. Barrington 189.5; 6. Moses Brown 187; 7. East Greenwich 178; 8. Cumberland 174; 9. Rogers 156.5; 10. Wheeler 51.

Cumberland placements

200y medley relay - 8. Kheara Zito, Catherine Shen, Olivia Boulris, Allie Stanfa 2:05.48.

200y freestyle – 4. Chelsie Friedland 2:02.11; 12. Lexi Hyland 2:12.17.

200y individual medley – 14. Boulris 2:33.34.

50y freestyle – 1. Caroline Shen 25.19.

100y butterfly – 14. Boulris 1:10.85.

100y freestyle – 3. Car. Shen 55.53.

200y freestyle relay – 4. Friedland, Zito, Cat. Shen, Car. Shen 1:45.15.

100y backstroke – 5. Friedland 1:02.43; 13. Cat. Shen 1:06.66. 400y freestyle relay – 4. Friedland, Zito, Cat. Shen, Car. Shen 3:51.88.