Here are the four graduating LRSC boys swimmers. From left to right are Robby Hyde, Nicco Bartone, Alex Gurney and Daniel Whitman, (Submitted photo)
ORONO — The 56th annual Maine YMCA State Championship meet was held this past weekend at the University of Maine, with Long Reach Swim Club once again commanding the pool.
LRSC captured its 30th consecutive state YMCA title and 38th all-time, racking up 2,967.50 points to out-distance runner-up Kennebec Valley YMCA of Augusta, which finished with 2,322 points. Bangor was third (2,203).
“I can’t say enough about how impressed I am with this team and how they swam,” said LRSC coach Jay Morissette. “There were so many best times and so many swimmers improved on their original rankings. Our coaches — Sponge Savage and Mallory Plummer — were amazing getting the 152 swimmers where they needed to be and motivated. No team had an answer for our teams balance and quality in depth and that made all of the difference.”
LRSC was consistent across the board as the three-day event unfolded. The 8-and-under girls claimed fourth place, finishing just 14 points out of the top spot, while the 8-and-under boys took second. The younger ages combined to win the 8-and-under team title.
The 9-10 LRSC boys won their division, and combined with the 9-10 girls’ fourth-place finish, the 9-10s took second.
LRSC won the combined totals of the boys and girls in both the 11-12 and 13-14 divisions, while the Senior boys and girls captured division wins.
The LRSC boys racked up 1,588 combined points, more than 500 points in front of the Bangor YMCA. The Kennebec YMCA won the girls competition, holding off LRSC by 87 points.
He are the graduating Senior girls from LRSC. They swam in their final YMCA State Championship at the University of Maine in Orono this past weekend. Pictured from left to right are Margie Mcleod, Haily Harper, Laura Chavoustie, Madigan Saunders, Cara Viele, Olivia Harper and Ella Tycz. (Submitted photo)
There were four triple-winners for LRSC. Senior girls Olivia Harper led the girls, while Gaffney McDonough (11-12 boys), Evan Willertz (Senior) and Brandon Johnson (Senior) were solid. Sawyer Wright (11-12) and Nicco Bartone (Senior) were double winners.
Up next for LRSC is an attempt to retain the Maine Swimming Incorporated U.S. swimming title. That meet will also be held at the University of Maine in Orono from March 19-22.
“There are 16 Y teams in Maine and most belong to the U.S. league which has 22 teams,” Morissette said. “It is a totally different state meet than Y states in that swimmers can race up to nine times and all relays score and swimmers must swim faster than a qualifying time to be able to compete in that race.”
The LRSC end of the season banquet is slated for April 7 at 6 p.m. at the Bath YMCA.
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