Tolman/Shea sinks Broncos
LINCOLN – Burrillville High head coach Sharon D’Antuono spends nearly every day watching her inexperienced aquamen and women toiling up and down the pool at practice, so knows how much they’ve progressed in only their second year as a varsity program.
She also knew full well neither of her teams had much of a chance to defeat the Tolman/ Shea Co-op squad in their inaugural Division III dual meet of the season on Tuesday afternoon at the Community College of Rhode Island natatorium, but did admit to seeing some astounding performances in the girls’ 49-33 loss – and the boys’ 44-17 drubbing.
“I thought it was awesome. What a difference a year makes,” D’Antuono gushed after both teams fell to 0-1 on the campaign. “Let’s put it this year: Last year, I could only put my swimmers in the 50-yard freestyle, 200 medley relay, 100 freestyle, 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke and 200 freestyle relay.
“We were limited in the events we could compete in because the kids were unable to do the others, like the 200 free, the 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly and 500 (free),” she added. “In this meet, I was able to (place racers) into the 200 free, the 200 IM and the 500. The kids surprised me; I’m impressed.”
One official even told D’Antuono that her girls’ contingent had sliced the deficit against the Tigers/Raiders to 40-33 after Jessica Rogers took second in the 100 breaststroke. She indicated that the Broncos could actually win the competition if they placed first and second in the meet-ending 400 freestyle relay.
“That couldn’t happen because I used all of my swimmers,” she noted of a particular rule, stating no swimmer may compete in more than two individual events and two relays, or one individual and three relays.
“Nobody else was eligible to swim because it would’ve been their fifth event. It’s too bad, but I’m really proud of the way we swam.”
On the girls’ side, junior Andrea Gruttadauria led the way, earned first in the 200 freestyle with a PR of 3:08.07, then taking second in the 500 freestyle with another lifetime best.
“My best-ever 200 was 3:17 something, so I’m tired, yes, but happy,” she grinned. “I did the sprints last year, but we had a senior who used to do the 200, so I decided I wanted to move to the distances (200, 500 freestyle) this year. I just wanted to prove to myself I could swim a longer event.
“I will say I’m surprised I swam as fast as I did.”
Junior co-captain Amara D’Antuono, the coach’s daughter, added a triumph in the 200 individual medley (3:12.41), while she, Megan Szymzcuk, Rogers and Gruttadauria chipped in a first in the 200 freestyle relay (2:26.73).
“Andrea showed her endurance in the 200 and 500,” the elder D’Antuono stated. “As for Amara, she kept telling me she couldn’t do the 200 IM. She said she was afraid she’d get too tired, but she went out and won it – and did a best time. “I kept telling her she could do it.” Highlights for Tolman/Shea’s girls were many, but senior captain Nicola Riccio earned the top spot on the list with four wins in all. She not only captured the meet’s shortest event, the 50 freestyle (PR of 32.30), and the longest, the 500 (8:08.08), but also combined with senior Taina Rodriguez and juniors Julia Plante and Sarah Colson on the triumphant 200 medley relay (2:44.36).
To tie a bow on the victory, she combined with Ashley Bayona, Rodriguez and Colson on the first-place 400 freestyle relay (5:39.94).
As for the boys, senior Quran Aiken reigned in the 200 freestyle (2:39.76) and 100 freestyle (1:06.66) before joining senior captain Eddy Tavares, Matt Silva and Anthony Acevedo on the winning 200 freestyle relay (2:05.82).
The Tigers/Raiders got off to a great start when the 200 medley relay foursome of Alejandro Santos, Tavares, Gio Soria and Nico Bonella won it in 2:14.35, and the “B” contingent of Andrik Puentes, Silva, Alex Mercedes and Acevedo finished runner-up.
Soria contributed a first in the 200 IM (2:40.54), while Santos took the 50 freestyle (28.11); and Bonella the 500 freestyle (7:29.23).
Jordan Stansfield and Chris Charron of Burrillville snagged the 100 backstroke and 100 breaststroke, respectively.
“I decided to use a different lineup than I usually do for this meet,” head coach Rachel Soria stated. “I wanted to give them a chance to swim other events, ones they’re not used to, just to broaden their horizons and get them out of their comfort zone.
“That’s why Nicola swim the 50, and she had a PR,” she added. “Nicole Bonella tried the 500 for the first time, as did Taina in the 100 back. I think a lot of our kids swam really well, but we still need to do a lot of work on our strokes and turns.
“We had too many DQs (disqualifications). Alejandro Santos really impressed me. This is only his second year of swimming, and he won the 50 and would’ve won the 100 back if we hadn’t swum that exhibition (not for points). He had a PR by three seconds in the backstroke and by .58 in the 50, and Quran swam well, too.”
Tolman/Shea’s boys improved to 1-1, while the girls moved to 0-2.