Rockets rule South
Needham edges Natick thanks to final relay win
When a blizzard canceled last year’s swimming sectional meets, Needham believed its shot at greatness had been blown right out the window.
One year later, the Rockets got a win they believe they deserved.
Junior Henry Keegan edged out Natick sophomore Ian Arnold by an arm’s length in the 400-yard freestyle relay to give the Rockets their first South boys swimming title yesterday at MIT’s Zesiger Center.
“I don’t know if the meter goes up that high, I was so nervous,” Rockets coach Adam Cole said. “My heart was beating so quickly. Our fourth relay beat (Natick) at states (last year) by a second and a half, but I knew it was going to take more than that. It was going to take a lot faster time.”
Seconds before the final event was set to begin, it was announced that the two Bay State Conference foes were separated by a single point with Needham leading 207-206 headed into the final race.
“Knowing that we had to win the relay, I tried to stay as calm as I could,” Keegan said. “Just pretend it was the 100 that I’ve swam a million times. I think the key was just staying really calm, and making sure I hit that back half harder than I hit the front half.”
With Keegan touching to win the race in 3:15.30, Needham finished with 247 points to capture the crown, with Natick (240) in second and Ashland (175) in third. The Rockets won two out of the three relays, which are scored double points and were pivotal to their victory. They also won the 200 medley relay in 1:40.16.
“I think in my time here, our top finish is fifth. I think we would have been real strong last year. We were sixth at states last year, so I think we would have been able to pull (sectionals) off last year. Real proud of these guys.”
Old Rochester’s Marc Bourgeois set a meet record in the 100 breaststroke (:57.56) and also won the 200 freestyle (1:43.35). BC High senior Jared Daigle set a meet record in the 100 backstroke (:50.32) and took first in the 200 individual medley (1:52.03).
“It’s definitely awesome,” Keegan said. “Last year, we were expected to win. It’s honestly very humbling, just amazing to think that I’m on the team that’s done this once. It’s just amazing.”
North boys
For the first time in the last 10 North boys championship meets, a team was able to dethrone St.John’s Prep.
It was Wayland that swam past the competition with a high score of 350.5, beating out the reigning champs’ total of 307 points and claiming the sectional crown.
“Obviously it feels good just to win this meet because the competition here is so good,” said Wayland coach Mike Foley “The timing was right for us to be able to do it after St.John’s has won so much. They set the bar in the north sectional and just to be mentioned with them is amazing.”
Through nine events, nothing could be decided, as St. John’s held a tenuous half-point lead over the Warriors with just three events remaining. It came down to the 100-yard breaststroke, where St. John’s boasted four swimmers to Wayland’s three, but it was Warriors senior Asa Greenaway (:57.74) and freshman Jiming Xu (:59.84) who took the top two spots to help Wayland pull ahead for good.
“That was huge,” Foley said. “Asa is awesome but you know the seniors really put it on themselves to help get the freshmen ready, and they were a huge part in helping to get Jiming ready for today.”
Said Greenaway: “It was really exciting just to finish the race and see my teammate coming in second right next to me.”
Trailing early on, the tide turned for Wayland during the 50 freestyle, where Sean Devlin (:21.02), Greenaway (:21.62) and Nick Smith (:21.98) finished in first, second and fourth, respectively, earning 51 points combined and leaping to within 0.5 points of the Eagles. Devlin also finished second in the 100 free with a time of 47.19 seconds to help the Warriors’ cause.
Wayland set a meet record in the 200 medley relay as Daniel Nee, Xu, Devlin and Greenaway combined for a time of 1:35.39.
“Everyone just swam fast on that one,” Greenaway said. “That’s something that we always want to do in the medley, just to get the meet off to a good start.”