Raiders fall to Indians

TORRINGTON — Torrington’s girls swim team (4-6) stayed close to Watertown (6-2) for the first two events in an NVL meet at the Torrington YMCA Friday night.

Then back-to-back 1-3 sweeps by the Indians propelled them toward a 96-68 final

A second place in the opening 200-yard medley relay by Alex Kolaj, Alexis Smith, Jasmine Robles and Riley Smith followed by a decisive win by Julia McCarthy in the 200-yard freestyle left Watertown with a narrow 18-12 lead.

Then the Red Raiders ran out of year-round swimmers.

The problem for Torrington swim teams has always been a lack of pool time — three days a week at the Torrington YMCA this year versus teams like Watertown with its own pool at the high school.

Lately, the problem is compounded by a lack of Torrington swimmers on the area Laser team based at the Winsted YMCA.

McCarthy, a freshman just two seconds off the pool record in her 200 freestyle win (2:02.79) is currently the only Raider swimming with the Lasers. Last year’s top swimmer, sophomore Sydney Offerdahl, is out for the season with a serious illness, leaving McCarthy to lead the team.

“Julia sets the tone,”

Torrington coach Christine Harding said. “She’s the hardest worker and helps the other girls in understanding what it takes.”

Still, almost all of the other Raiders started from scratch as high school seniors versus a Watertown team full of kids from their own Watertown Rec Department feeder program, based at the high school.

“Some of my friends don’t want to make the commitment,” said McCarthy. “Plus, it’s hard for some of them to get to practice (in Winsted).”

McCarthy, the younger sister of former top Raider swimmers Caitlin and Cara, got her stimulus from them.

“I’m trying to be like them — I’m trying to be better than them,” she said with a smile.

McCarthy won twice Friday — in the 200 freestyle, which isn’t even her best event, and the 100-yard breaststroke — but Watertown came in with a pair of double winners.

Stephanie Shneydman won the 200 individual medley and 100-yard butterfly. Grace Lindstrom won the 50 and 100-yard freestyles.

“A lot of us had our best times tonight,” said Lindstrom, turning in her season bests in both events. Shneydman had her personal best in the butterfly.

“We’d really like to think of (McCarthy) as the wave of the future, but, realistically, we need more yearround swimmers for that to happen,” Harding said.

Without them, Torrington follows Seymour, Woodland, Watertown and Oxford in this year’s NVL standings, with lots of hard work in trying to answer Harding’s question for the team: “Who’s going to take (Offerdahl’s) place?”

A first place in the 200yard freestyle relay by Julia Keller, Riley Silva, Holly Hanscom and McCarthy just before Watertown stopped counting their scoring (going exhibition) offers them hope it can be done.