Ridgefield taps in at fourth place
NEW HAVEN — It was decided in the manner all important titles should be. As a fight to the finish. The Greenwich High School girls swim team captured Saturday’s final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, to vanquish an incredibly resilient Cheshire High School squad and take home the 2018 State Open Championship team title at Yale’s historic Kipputh pool.
The afternoon, with 12-event, 24-place scoring, saw Greenwich lead Cheshire by 65 points after six events.
However, Cheshire — who amassed 829 points in its Class L championship win compared to 745 for Greenwich at its Class LL final — made a determined surge.
The Rams closed to 24 points after eight events and drew even at 362-362 after 10 events. Cheshire was fighting for its first State Open team crown since 2004.
But Greenwich refused to be denied from grabbing the 2018 State Open Championship plaque and the traditional winning team leap into the pool to celebrate.
It was the Cardinals’ 400-yard freestyle relay quartet of sophomore Meghan Lynch, junior Jenna Handall, senior Emily Warner and sophomore Hannah Seward who combined to win in 3:28.24 to earn the last 60 points of Greenwich’s final total of 454.
Cheshire took third place in the 400-free relay in 3:29.93 ( just .26 behind runner-up Ridgefield) to conclude the day with 439 points.
Class S champion Weston High (417 points) was third in the team race. The FCIAC roared in thanks to Ridgefield (4th, 385), Staples (5th, 301), Darien (6th, 287), Wilton (7th, 277) and Trumbull (212). New Canaan and Wethersfield (201 each) tied for ninth place.
For Greenwich, it was the Cardinals’ fourth consecutive State Open team championship, 11th State Open crown since 2005 and 21st Open title overall in its illustrious Girls Swimming program history.
“The girls gave me everything they had. The contribution we received from our divers (83 points from Annabelle Pollack, Maddie Muldoon, Reggie Frias, Kathryn Kirsch) was a huge help,” said Greenwich coach Lorrie Hokayem. “We knew it would be a tight race. Cheshire is so well-coached. They are a strong young group. It was
a great team victory.”
It was a battle as opposed to a three-hour coronation for Greenwich, which graduated 14 seniors from 2017.
“Defending our program’s legacy is harder than anything. It’s a big test,” said GHS captain Allison Brea. “It’s a proud moment for our entire team.”
Leading the way for Greenwich was the talented sophomore Lynch.
Lynch won the 200-yard IM (1:59.57, lowering her own Open record time) along with the 100-yard breaststroke (1:02.75). She swam second leg on GHS’ runnerup 200-yard medley relay.
Most importantly, Lynch opened up a two-body length lead on the field in her opening leg of the 400 free relay.
“Before my races I like to zone out. But I knew we had to win the 400-free relay to win the title,” Lynch said. “For me, it was all adrenaline since the 400-free relay was right after my 100-yard breaststroke victory.”
“Meghan’s great start in the relay gave us clear water (out front),” GHS coach Hokayem said. “The other three girls maintained the lead. All four splits were their best of the year. Meghan is a leader in and out of the pool.”
Cheshire proved a very worthy opponent Saturday.
“I couldn’t have asked for anything more from our team. Going down to the last event. That’s what a State Open championship should be,” said Cheshire coach Dave Modzelewski. “Meghan Lynch won twice for them. Sophomore Sophie Murphy won twice (50 Free, 23.51; 100 Free, 51.36) for us. We overcame their edge in diving points. But GHS swam a little bit better at the end.”
RHAM senior Tylor Mathieu wrapped a perfect ribbon around her high school career. Mathieu won the 200 yard free (1:50.80) and the 500 free (4:55.12).
Weston captured the 200 medley relay (1:44.28). Weston’s Alexa Pappas won the 100-yard backstroke (55.48). Staples’ Marissa Healy took the 100yard Butterfly (55.47) and Staples won the 200-yard