The BHS Swim team celebrated the New Year with a 112-71 win over Bunnell/Stratford at the Wildcat's WCSU home pool last Thursday and dropped 106-77 to a veteran Oxford team yesterday in Oxford. The split in early 2013 brings the Wildcats to a 2-2 record with two upcoming difficult meets coming soon against Newtown (Friday 1/11 at Newtown High at 7:00pm) and Pomperaug (Tuesday 1/15 at Pomperaug at 5:00pm).
Highlights from the Bunnell meet were freshman Gavin Lee's big win in the 500 yard Free defeating last year's #8 in the SWC Cameron Soares; Tucker Bjornson's continuing dominance in the 100 Backstroke and the 200 Medley Relay team breaking their 5 year record time with Bjornson, freshmen Ian Folan and Noah Curtis and senior Kenny Darrah.
The meet was won because of the depth of BHS with the Wildcats collecting points with two sweeps of 1-2-3 finishes and four events placing 2-3-4. Sweeps were in the Diving with Julia Morton, Alex Nackid and Sydney Johnson and the 100 Back with Bjornson, senior captain Aiden Ford and freshman Matt Harkins. Others swimming well were Juliana Bell (two 5th places), David Hayes (two 4th places), senior captain Molly Nichols (two 3rd places) and strong upcoming stars in Patrick McCourt in the 100 Fly and Svetlana Sjoblom in the 100 Free.
The Oxford meet saw the hard trying Wildcats overcome missing several swimmers, but collected 37 personal best times over 24 swimmers. Junior captain Tucker Bjornson took two first places in the 200 IM and the 100 Back over tough competition while Gavin Lee (500 Free) and sophomore diver Julia Morton added first places too. Morton collected her career best of 144.90 in 6 dives.
With a half-time score of 38-37 after diving, Oxford dominated in the 100 Fly and 100 Free to put the meet away, but senior first time swimmer Patrick McCourt posted a 1:13 in the 100 Fly to qualify for the SWC championships in March. Freshman Patrick Daly finished 4th in the 200 Free and senior captain Kenny Darrah cracked the sub-minute mark in the 100 Free to finish second.
Come out and support the BHS mer-men and ladies at Newtown this Friday at 7:00pm at the NHS pool.
