Cheshire repeats as Class L champs

NEW HAVEN — When Cheshire won the 200yard medley relay title at Tuesday night’s Class L Swimming Championships, it was a sign of a wealth of good things to come for the Rams.

Winning five events, Cheshire swam to a sweet repeat, adding another Class L team time to their collection by amassing 829.50 points at crowded Southern Connecticut State University.

Darien had an excellent meet, placing second with a team score of 681.50 points followed by Wilton (556) and New Canaan (447).

The meet began in championship fashion for Cheshire, which won the 200-yard medley relay title. The foursome of twins Julia and Jillian Stevens, Alexandra Nawrocki and Esther Han combined to register a time of 1:47.87. Wethersfield, which led at one point during the race, was the runner-up (1:48.37) followed by New Canaan (1:49.66), which had the early edge.

Junior Julia Stevens of Cheshire captured the first-place medal in the 200-yard freestyle, touching the wall in 1:52.05. Darien freshman Kelly Dolce placed second in 1:52.63 and Cheshire sophomore Nora Bergstrom finished fourth with a time of 1:55.41.

Stevens opened a lead during the second lap, with Dolce coming close late in the race. Newington’s Amber Rocheleau

was third (1:55.38) and New Canaan’s Maddie Haley placed sixth 1:55.63.

The 200 individual medley saw Abigail Francis of Wethersfield take top honors in 2:04.66. Samantha Grenon, a Cheshire senior, was second with a time of 2:06.63 and Darien freshman Kaitlyn Holmes placed third (2:07.95).

The 50 freestyle, a lightning-fast event, had Cheshire sophomore Sophia Murphy touching the wall first in a blistering time of 24.14. Right behind her was Darien sophomore Cassandra

Maroney (24.48) and Wilton senior Taylor Loud (24.58) and her Warriors’ teammate Katherine Stevenson (24.90).

After the 50 freestyle, Cheshire had 332 team points, while Darien totaled 316.50 and Wilton scored 206.

Hall enjoyed a 1-2 finish in the 100 butterfly. Junior Maggie Mantz garnered the first-place medal in the 100 butterfly, touching the wall in 56.41. Her Hall teammate, Aislinn Mitchell, a junior, placed second (57.23), followed by Junior Amber Rocheleau of Newington (58.51).

Mary Barton of Cheshire was fourth, while Alexandra Mehos from New Canaan and Hope Murray

of Darien were sixth and seventh, respectively.

Murphy claimed her second individual title of the night, posting a winning time of 51.44. Senior Katherine Stevenson of Wilton was the runnerup, (52.30), followed by Warriors’ teammate Taylor Loud (52.73).

New Canaan received a championship finish from Maddie Haley in the 100 backstroke (57.08). Haley took it out strong and held on to edge Rams teammate Alex Pastushan (58.12). Cheshire’s Jillian Stevens finished third and Olivia Golden of Darien placed fourth in the backstroke.

The point total remained close between Cheshire and Darien after the 100 freestyle, as the Rams totaled 460 and Darien had 444.50.

In the 500 freestyle, Julia Stevens won the endurance test for the Rams, clocking in at 5:02.43. Her Rams teammate Samantha Grenon took second in 5:04.57, followed by Wilton junior Emma Babashak (5:06.55).

Wethersfield finished first in the 200 freestyle final, with Cheshire taking second and Darien placing third.

Francis grabbed her second first-place medal of the evening, touching the wall first in the 100 breaststroke in 1:05.04. Holmes of Darien was the runner-up in 1:05.73.