Lions, Clippers impress at Bay View Invitational
PROVIDENCE – If you’re a local interscholastic swim fan wondering whatever happened to the printed results of the Bay View Invitational Swimming Championships (I know there’s more than few of you out there), here’s the story:
Apparently, early on in Saturday’s meet, officials had issues getting the touch pads in the pool at the Katherine Moran Coleman Aquatic Center at Brown University to work properly. For the first two or three events, coaches said, those officials couldn’t rely on the electronic scoring/timing system and instead had to use hand-held watches, which naturally aren’t as accurate.
Once those touch pads were working again, the meet went on like – forgive the pun – clockwork, but meet officials seemed to want during the ensuing days to double-check all times and placements to ensure accuracy.
“The delay wasn’t that long, but we did have to go with timers instead of the pads the first few events,” stated Lincoln High head coach Tom DiIorio. “We didn’t get the results until now, and I wasn’t happy, but what are you going to do?”
DiIorio nevertheless seemed thrilled with the times and placements of some of his girls, none more so than sophomore Sadie Brown, who not only snagged fourth in the 500-yard freestyle (5:33.07) and fifth in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:10.37), but also swam on a pair of top-12 relays.
She joined senior captains Amanda Allen and Anna Vygoder, not to mention freshman Olivia Nault, to claim 11th in the 200 medley relay (2:01.25), but also combined with freshman Sophia Alonzo, Annen and senior Melissa Pierce on the No. 12 400 freestyle relay (4:10.33).
“Sadie swam well for this time of year,” DiIorio noted Wednesday night. “I’m sure she’s not happy with (her swims) because she’s always striving to better herself, but she’s got another month and a half to train, and taper, so we’ll see. I don’t think she’ll touch the top swimmers in the 500 at states, the girls who went 5:02 and 5:07, but I do think she can get down to the ‘5-teens.’”
He also has an abundance of talented freshmen, and one took the Bay View meet by storm individually; Nault took ninth in the 50 freestyle (25.88), then tied with South Kingstown’s Paige Melier) for the same in the 100 freestyle (57.70).
She also anchored the sixth-place 200 freestyle relay squad, also consisting of classmates (and twins) Sophia and Andrea Alonzo and Vygoder (1:47.17).
In the end, Lincoln finished 10th overall in the team standings with 90 points, though archrival Cumberland did it one better with ninth (103). In fact, the Clippers were only four out of seventh (Rogers) and 12 away from sixth.
Senior captain Caroline Shen highlighted that outing, as she sprinted to fifth in both the 50 and 100 freestyles (respective clockings of 25.45 and 55.82). Shen also teamed with sophomore Chelsie Friedland, fellow senior captain Kheara Zito and sister Catherine to snag fifth in the 200 freestyle relay (season-best 1:47.06, just .11 faster than the Lions).
The same foursome settled for sixth in the 400 freestyle relay (3:58.51).
“Caroline had a very good day for us in the 50 and 100,” said CHS mentor Rod McGarry. “Overall, her times are faster than they were last year at this time, which is a very good sign for our senior captain in her final Bay View meet.
“And the 400 free relay, that 3:58.51 was a five-second drop from the meet we had against Lincoln last week.”
Shen’s kid sister Catherine also excelled individually, as she collected 12th in the 200 individual medley (2:27.63 and the lone area placement in that race) and 14th in the 100 backstroke (1:05.79).
Sophomore Chelsie Friedland tacked on a superb seventh in the 200 freestyle (2:05.58, a two-second plummet in PR), while she finished 16th in the 100 backstroke (1:07.09).
Sophomore Lexi Hyland almost scored for the Clippers, but had to settle for 17th in the 500 freestyle with a season-best 6:00.23.
“Our girls did very well for an early-season meet that had a ‘championship flavor’ to it,” McGarry offered. “This meet gave us a chance to swim at a great venue unshaved and untapered; we’re still working hard (at practice) during the heat of the dual-meet season.
“It also gave the ability to take a peek at what talent there is across the state and division and prepare accordingly,” he added. “Simply put, this meet was a dress rehearsal for the upcoming division and state meets.”
BAY VIEW INVITATIONAL SWIMMING CHAMPIONSHIPS
At Brown University
Team standings – 1. Barrington 299; 2. North Kingstown 242; 3. Wayland 237; 4. La Salle 205; 5. East Greenwich 170; 6. Lincoln School 115; 7. Rogers 107; 8. Classical 105; 9. Cumberland 103;
10. Lincoln 90; 11. (tie) Moses Brown, Prout 80; 13. Westerly 60;
14. Bay View 58; 15. Toll Gate 46; 16. North Providence 41; 17. Chariho 37; 18. South Kingstown 30; 19. Portsmouth 23; 20. Middletown 19.
Area placements
200y medley relay – 11. Lincoln (Amanda Allen, Sadie Brown, Anna Vygoder, Olivia Nault) 2:01.25.
200y freestyle –7. Chelsie Friedland (CUMB) 2:05.36.
200y individual medley – 12. Catherine Shen (CUMB) 2:27.63. 50y freestyle – 5. Caroline Shen (CUMB) 25.45; 9. Nault (L) 25.88. 100y butterfly – 17. Sophia Alonzo (L) 1:08.69.
100y freestyle – 5. Car. Shen (CUMB) 55.82; 9. (tie) Nault (L), Paige Melier (SK) 57.70.
500y freestyle – 4. Brown (L) 5:33.07; 17. Lexi Hyland (CUMB)
6:00.83.
200y freestyle relay – 5. Cumberland (Friedland, Car. Shen, Kheara Zito, Cat. Shen) 1:47.06; 6. Lincoln (S. Alonzo, Andrea Alonzo, Vygoder, Nault) 1:47.17.