THE LONG REACH SWIM CLUB of the Bath Area Family YMCA is poised to win its 30th state championship this weekend at the University of Maine.
The vaunted Long Reach Swim Club of the Bath Area Family YMCA is back at it again, with sites squarely on yet another Maine state title.
Last winter, Long Reach continued its state-wide dominance over the weekend as the Snaildarters picked up their 21st consecutive Maine State YMCA Swim Championship and 29th overall, with action held at the University of Maine.
Long Reach had a combined girls/ boys overall score of 3,068, followed by Mount Desert Island ( 2,083) and Waterville (1,809) with Casco Bay of Freeport coming in 10th overall with 1,205 points.
Highlights included Madison Saunders taking three first-place finishes in 8-andunder girls, while the 8-andunder girls 100 freestyle relay of Rachel Burns, Logan Truluck, Ella Tycz and Saunders placed first in 1:15.69.
Also, Nicholas Holland in 8- and-under boys had three second place finishes. LRSC had only six 8-and-under boys and still finished in second place.
The 11-12 girls 200 medley relay team of Lynsie Russell, Sonia Lin, Caitlin Tycz and Emma Blair broke the team/meet and state record with their time of 1:59.59.
Lin then broke the meet/state record in the 50 backstroke and tied the meet/state record in the 50 breaststroke.
The Senior girls 200 medley relay team of Emily Buczkowski, Celia Ouellette, Jessica Russell and Tessa Lindsley broke the meet and state record for 15-18-year-olds with a time of 1:52.64.
The division breakdowns last winter were:
8- and- under girls — 1. Penobscot Bay (263), 2. LRSC (237), 10. Casco Bay (108).
8- and- under boys — 1. Penobscot Bay (285), 2. LRSC (200), 10. CBRY (112).
9-10 girls — 1. MDI (245), 2. LRSC (216), 10. CBRY (101).
9-10 boys —1. LRSC (289), 2. MDI (280), 10. CBRY (91).
11-12 girls — 1. LRSC (324), 2. MDI (267), 5. CBRY (183).
11-12 boys — 1. LRSC (291), 2. MDI (262), 10. CBRY (135.5).
13-14 girls — 1. LRSC (313), 2. Penobscot Bay ( 225.5), 8. CBRY (143.5).
13-14 boys — 1. LRSC (357), 2. Bangor (225), 8. CBRY (100).
Senior girls — 1. LRSC (500), 2. Waterville (326), 12. CBRY (102).
Senior boys — 1. LRSC ( 341), 2. Waterville 294, 10. CBRY (129).
Girls combined — 1. LRSC ( 1,590), 2. MDI ( 1,082), 3. Waterville (1,040 and coached by former LRSC coach Beth Prelgovisk), 9. CBRY (637.5).
Boys combined — 1. LRSC ( 1,478), 2. MDI ( 1,001), 3. Penobscot Bay (950), 10. CBRY (567.5).
Combined overall — 1. LRSC (3,068), 2. MDI (2,083), 3. Waterville (1,809), 10. CBRY (1,205).
A good winter
This past season again went well for Long Reach. “We were once again undefeated, we haven’t lost a dual meet since November of 1990,” said head coach Jay Morissette.
Several state records were also turned in.
Caitlin Tycz, in the 11-12 girl division, set three U.S. state records, and in the YMCA League state records fell in the 50, 100, 200 and 500 freestyle, and 100 fly and 50 backstroke.
Nate Samson, in the 13-14 boys, set state records in the 100 and 200 backstroke and both swimmers have qualified for YMCA nationals in April in Greensboro, N.C.
Also, the 13- 14 boy relay teams of Samson, Drew Ceglinski, Bradford Tibbitts, and Tucker Banger in the 400 medley and 400 free relays qualified for nationals.
A big goal this year for Morissette and his staff center around the nationals.
“I wanted to increase the size of our nationals team,” said Morissette. “Last season was the first since 1994 we didn’t have a boy qualify for YMCA nationals! This season we are up to two individuals and have a couple of relays qualified.
“We also graduated quite a few swimmers and lost a good-sized number to other reasons so there were a very large number of new swimmers and I am very happy with the progress of those newer swimmers.”
Like all the YMCA teams, Long Reach has had its share of ups and downs.
“We have the same issues as all 15 of the other YMCA teams,” offered Morissette. “We just have a larger number of them because of our team size (190 swimmers). We have battled with illness, injury, broken bones and burst appendixes. Also, school and other commitments kids have during the swim season that can divert their energy and efforts. Then there are the multitude of normal family and friend relationship stuff. It can be very daunting to keep the team motivated and moving in a positive direction.
“I think we do a pretty good job of it though we can’t succeed at 100 percent. The older kids on the team have a great rapport with each other and get along very well which is a huge help when someone needs some support for whatever reason.”
Morissette knows what his strengths will be going into the weekend.
“ We have a strong 8- andunder girls division and will be a division favorite along with Augusta and Freeport.”
Grace Bingham, Fiona G. Brown, Fiona M. Brown, Lauren Buczkowski, Fiona Cashman, Cialy Charbonneau, Margaret Chingos, Emma Collins, Margaret Dwinal, Olivia Cunningham, Erika Lyden, Suzanna Price, Cora Spelke and Wren Tetreault will compete.
“The 8-under-boys division will again be a tough one for LRSC. Last year we managed a second-place finish with six boys. We have seven this year, but will have to have some pretty amazing results to match last year’s finish. Ellsworth, Bar Harbor and Camden are favored here.”
Swimming for LRSC will be Tanner Hennin, Nicholas Holland, Jordan Jones, Devin Lamb, Aiden Saunders, Evan Willertz and Cieran Wright.
“The 9-10 girls division has Augusta, Freeport and Ellsworth favored. I think our girls with a good meet can really have an impact and make a run at the top.”
Kylie O’Brien, Rachel Burns, Molly Cashman, Alida Davis, Emily Galen, Katherine Hartnett, Avery Jackson, Ella Martin, Emily Martin, Amanda O’Neill, Hannah Perreault, Madigan Saunders, Atti Shepherd, Logan Truluck, Ella Tycz, Rosalie Varien, Mae Winglass and Delaney Young are 9-10 swimmers.
“For 9-10 boys, Ellsworth, LRSC and Waterville are likely favored,” added Morissette, who will have Nicco Bartone, Ethan Boll, Jackson Capoldo, Joey Dauphin, Alex Gurney, Brandon Johnson, Dominic Marco, Joseph Schneider, George Vevers-Carter, Brey Miller, Oliver Bird, Angus Brown, Daniel Chizmar, Joseph Guinther, Robby Hyde, Zachary Lay, Eddie Newell, Sam Sinibaldi and Matthew Yost on his 9-10 roster.
11-12 girls tough
“ With 11- 12 girls. LRSC, Kennebec Valley and Sanford are favored … this is always a fun division due to our strong numbers and that kids always swim way beyond expectations and we end up with a pretty nice surprise at the end of the meet,” lauded Morissette.
Look for Tessa Alexander, Abbey Anderson, Sophie Blair, Olivia Carosi, Zelda Clegg, Ruth Connolly, Madison Gebosky, Lauren Grochell, Emily Johnson, Ana Knight, Arielle Leeman, Zenaide McCarthy, Anna Rider, Laura Secone, Megan Copland-Thomas, Leah Totman, Caitlin Tycz, Calla Barton, Alexander Burns, Gabrielle Cholish, Emily Coffin, Hannah Escoe, Halley Gellatly, Teagan Guenther, Brittany Kaler, Sophia Kruse, Erin Marc-Aurele, Emily Platteter, Charity Schultz, Ann Tolan, Merrill Truluck and Elina Woolever.
“With 11-12 boys, Portland, Old Town and LRSC are favored — we have great numbers in this group and that could really propel us to the top,” said Morissette.
In 11-12, LRSC has Ethan Brown, Eddie Capoldo, Camden Fitzgerald, Ryan Glass, Max Gurney, Nicholas Hennin, Brian Hess, Devon Hoskins, Aaron Hyde, Paddy Keith-Hardy, Nathaniel Lay, Cameron Marco, Alex Martin, Patrick McKenna, Henry Raker, Andrew Samson, Riley Saunders, Samuel Schneider, Ryan Schroeder, Nathaniel Sinibaldi, Sam Washington, Nicholas White, Calvin Wise and Ben Willertz.
“In 13-14 girls, LRSC, Waterville and Camden are favored and this is historically a strong division for us,” said Morissette, who will call on Quinn Alexander, Emma Blair, Emillie Burrill, Amanda Hawley, Molly Huey, Sonia Lin, Taylor Paulison, Allison Plummer, Lynsie Russell, Hannah Austin, Joanna Brown, Rosalita Capoldo, Kaylin Huey, Marlee Kosokowski, Bronwyn Morissette, Ellie Peabody, Isabella Ross, Emma Schneider and Megan Stover.
Morissette feels Long Reach and Portland will be favored in 13- 14 boys. LRSC swimmers include Gus Anderson, Tucker Banger, Drew Ceglinski, Ben Farrell, Garrett Howard, Spencer Lindsley, Wesley McKenna, Nate Samson, Steven Scheibner, Matthew Schott, Tyler Wallace, Rene Yost and Bradford Tibbitts.
“In Senior girls, LRSC and Waterville are favored. Should be a good battle of these two teams, allowed Morissette, who has Greta Anderson, Cassandra Bonnett, Anna Cowan, Madeline Cowan, Crystal Flocher, Taylor Godbout, Hannah Kincaid, Hannah Kressbach, Tessa Lindsley, Hope Logan, Catherine Luedee, Guerin Morissette, Celia Ouellette, Libby Ouellette, Babs Parker, Jessica Russell, Baleigh Scheibner, Paige Tetu, Audrey Thames and Heidi Ziegra.
“Senior boys, again LRSC and Waterville are favored along with Sanford,” said Morissette.
Senior boys include Ryan Banger, Kyle Bauer, Joey Blair, Jacob Cost, Henry Ditzel, Michael Floccher, Willy Hadden, Noah Lapointe, Nate Leonard, Howard Lin, Cameron Lindsley, Patrick Lynch, Jake Olsen, Trevor Patterson, Lucas Temple, Josh Valentine, Albin Werweiss and Eric Weise.
The Championship gets under way Saturday at 8:30 a.m. with 8-and-under girls, followed by 8-and-under boys at 11: 30 a. m, 10- and- under girls at 2 p. m. and 14- andunder and Senior boys at 6:10 p.m.
Sunday’s docket has 12-andunder girls at 8:40 a.m., 10- and-under and 11/12 boys at 12:25 p.m. and 14-and-under and Senior girls at 4:40 p.m.
National qualifiers include Caitlin Tycz (50 free, 100 fly), Sonia Lin (100, 200 breaststroke), Jessica Russell (200, 500 free; 100, 200 back; 100, 200 butterfly) and Celia Ouellette (50, 100 free).
“We also have 200 and 400 medley relays and 200 and 400 free relays with Tessa Lindsley as part of those,” allowed Morissette. “There are threefour more girls who have legitimate shots at qualifying.”
For LRSC boys there are Nate Samson (100 back), Joey Blair (100 fly), and the 200 free and 200 medley relays with Will Hadden, Jake Olsen and Nate Leonard filling in. “There are a couple of other boys who have legitimate shots at qualifying,” said Morissette,
The YMCA New Englands are again at Harvard University March 24 and 31. “ We have a lot of kids with cut-off times, but to be truthful, I haven’t given it a serious look yet,” said the head coach.
“While LRSC will be hard pressed to win the number of divisions we often do, the overall result should be an impressive one as our balance and quality in depth will make us competitive in all 10 divisional races,” said Morissette. While other teams will show a division or two of brilliance, they do not have the balance needed to make a run at us. These kids take a lot of pride in our record and want to keep it going on their watch. Most of our swimmers will be trying to peak for the Maine U. S. Swim League Championship on March 15- 18, so this meet for many of them is a final tune- up for that!”
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