Greenwich claims Class LL crown
WEST HARTFORD — Another year, another dominating Class LL championship performance for the Greenwich boys swimming team.
Greenwich claimed its ninth straight state title by a wide margin, totaling 924 points, well in front of secondplace Ridgefield, which finished with 496 points. Just behind Ridgefield edged thirdplace Glastonbury (495) on the final event of the meet. Rounding out the top five teams were Southington (431) and Hamden (397.5).
Greenwich earned gold medals in all three relays, clocking in at 1:34.02 in the 200-yard medley, 1:26.43 in the 200-yard free relay, and 3:06.61 in the 400-yard free relay. The team also earned individual gold medals in the 200 IM, 100 backstroke, and 100 breaststroke.
“We have a dominating team this year, it is very balanced and very deep,” Greenwich coach Terry Lowe said. “Every event we sent somebody to the podium, and sometimes we had three guys up there in the top six. You are just kind of unbeatable when you have that kind of depth.”
Greenwich’s catalyst was senior Aiden Bucaria, who took gold individually in the 200 yard IM (1:50.73) and the 100 yard breast (56.65) while also racing as a member of the winning 200 yard medley and 400 yard free relays.
“The mindset was just lock in, this was our chance,” Bucaria said. “We all came ready, treated it like our last meet, and I think it really showed in the pool. I am pretty proud of my performance. The four years have gone by quick, but this is looking like a good way to end it. We still have one more (meet, the State Open) and we are hoping for the best, but I am happy with what I have done so far.”
Greenwich junior Liam Flaherty earned gold in the 100 backstroke (51.61) and silver in the 200 IM, while also joining Bucaria on the two championship relay teams.
The 400 yard relay was a source of pride for Greenwich and Lowe, as the Cardinals beat out rival Ridgefield by 0:00.24 seconds to sweep all three relays.
“That is a really good measure of a dominating team,” Lowe said. “When they win relays. We had lost the 400 free relay to Ridgefield in the (FCIAC) conference championships, so there was a sense of who is going to get the last laugh.”
The race was a key one for Ridgefield as well, as the Tigers entered that final event trailing Glasonbury by one point at 443-442.
Ridgefield would finish the relay in 3:06.85 and Glastonbury would finish third at 3:12.26 for Ridgefield to complete the last moment comeback for a runner up position.
“Down by one going into that, the pressure gets put on the kids,” Ridgefield coach Ronnie Vaughan said. “But I went over there and said ‘Hey, you are not doing this for anybody else but the kids in that relay.’ Somehow we went faster than we did in our FCIAC meet. We knew Glastonbury was going to be close. They were right there the entire way pushing us. That was a great meet.”
Greenwich will now look to win its ninth-straight State Open on Saturday at Yale.
“Expectations are pretty high,” Bucaria said. “Hoping to repeat what I did here, but who knows what can happen. I am hoping to get some faster times, but still hoping for the same placements and same outcome for the team as well.”