Shen, Clippers finish second
BRISTOL — Cumberland High junior Caroline Shen came ever-so-close to stamping her claim on victory in both the 50-yard and 100-yard freestyles at Saturday’s Division II Championships at the Roger Williams University natatorium.
Unfortunately, a combined seven-tenths of a second got in the way.
The congenial Shen finished second to Toll Gate sophomore Abigail Ignagni in the shorter distance; Shen recorded a time of 25.30, just .29 behind the Titan. And, in the 100 freestyle, Bay View frosh Sonia Mlakar (55.01) out-touched the Clipper by .41 (55.42).
Shen, however, had gained a bit of revenge before those earlier disappointments, anchoring the victorious 200-yard freestyle relay (also consisting of senior tri-captain Cammy Cronin, freshman Chelsea Friedland and junior Kheara Zito) with a final 50 split of 25.00 (the squad notched a season-best 1:44.89 clocking).
That same quartet mustered third in the 400 freestyle relay (3:48.70), just .40 behind runner-up Moses Brown.
As a result, Cumberland finished second in the team standings with 299.5 points, 69.5 behind team champion Bay View, which gobbled up 108 points of the Bengals’ 369 in the three relays alone. The East Providence contingent also racked up six individual top-three placements.
Still, head coach Rod McGarry’s crew accumulated critical points with assorted upper- and underclassmen’s ability to excel. Friedland landed fourth in the 200 freestyle (2:04.41) and fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:03.80), while Cronin earned fifth in the 100 butterfly (1:05.36) with her three relay placements.
In that butterfly event, senior Abby Dion (1:06.68) and classmate/tri-captain Olivia Barboza (1:16.10) and freshman Olivia Boulris took seventh, 14th and 16th to add to Cumberland’s aggregate.
Shen’s kid sister, ninth-grader Catherine, aided CHS as well, snaring fourth in the 200 individual medley (2:28.21) and eighth in the 100 backstroke (1:05.71).
Zitio contributed a pair of sixths in 50 (26.40) and 500 freestyles (5:49.18); Alexis Hyland 10th in the 200 freestyle (2:12.16) and eighth in the 500 freestyle (5:55.13); Boulris seventh and Lily Neves seventh and 12th in the 200 IM; senior tri-captain Caitlyn Longest 11th and Barboza 12th in the 50 freestyle; and frosh Allie Stanga 14th in the 100 freestyle.
Sophomore Kat DeStefano tied for 11th in the 100 breaststroke while junior Allison Picchioni nabbed 15th in the 100 backstroke.
At Roger Williams University
Team standings – 1. Bay View 369; 2. Cumberland 299.5. Cumberland placements
200y medley relay – 5. Cammy Cronin, Catherine Shen, Abby Dion, Caitlyn Longest 2:02.37.
200y freestyle – 4. Chelsea Friedland 2:04.41; 10. Alexis Hyland 2:12.16.
200y individual medley – 4. Cat. Chen 2:28.21; 7. Olivia Boulris 2:42.83; 12. Lily Neves 2:54.88.
50y freestyle – 2. Caroline Shen 25.30; 6. Kheara Zito 26.40; 11. Longest 28.57; 12. Olivia Barboza 28.73.
100y butterfly – 5. Cronin 1:05.36; 7. Dion 1:06.68; 14. Barboza 1:16.10; 16. Boulris 1:18.60.
100y freestyle – 2. Car. Shen 55.42; 14. Allie Stanfa 1:07.97. 500y freestykle – 6. Zito 5:49.18; 8. Hyland 5:55.13.
200y freestyle relay – 1. Cronin, Friedland, Zito, Car. Shen 1:44.89. 100y backstroke – 5. Friedland 1:03.80; 8. Cat. Shen 1:05.71; 15. Allison Picchioni 1:13.25.
100y breaststroke – 13. (tie) Kat DeStefano 1:22.20; 17. Emma Lanzi 1:29.47.
400y freestyle relay – 3. Car. Shen, Cronin, Zito, Friedland 3:48.70.