WATERVILLE — Last year, the Class B girls’ swimming state meet came down to the final event, the 400-yard freestyle relay. Tuesday at Colby College, this year’s meet had none of that drama, but the same result.
Another championship for Cape Elizabeth.
The Capers pulled away from the rest of the field early, winning their second straight state title with 356 points. Ellsworth took second with 273 points, edging Greely (269). Mt. Desert Island (240) and Morse (185) rounded out the top five.
“Big day for Cape,” said Cape Elizabeth junior Cookie Mahoney, who won the 200-yard individual medley (2:06.74) and 100 freestyle (53.17 seconds). “Our coach (Ben Raymond) pushes us all a lot, and we have practice with the boys, so we all try to race each other. We really motivate each other. We do a lot of sprints off the blocks to work on racing. We love racing each other. We have a really good group of girls that pushes each other.”
The Capers won four individual championships, along with victories in the 200- and 400 freestyle relays. The team’s depth helped pile up points early. The Capers went 1-2 in the first two individual races – the 200 freestyle and 200 individual medley. In the 200 freestyle, Lucy Shaw took first in 1:56.16, followed by Hadley Mahoney (2:02.97). Cape’s Sally Bakke finished sixth.
“I felt really good. We had three really good swimmers in that race. It went really well and I’m happy with my time. You never know if someone is going to come out of nowhere, so just keep pushing and drive to the wall,” Shaw said.
Hope Taylor placed second behind Cookie Mahoney in the 200 IM, then won the 500 freestyle in 5:17.94. In the 100 freestyle, the Capers took the top three spots, with Shaw second behind Cookie Mahoney, and Hadley Mahoney finishing third.
In the 200 IM, Cookie Mahoney led throughout, pulling away at the end with her strongest leg – freestyle.
“I have to really power through my breaststroke. That’s probably my hardest leg for me. Once I get to freestyle, I love freestyle, so that’s the easiest part for me,” she said.
Greely junior Audrey Cohen earned performer of the meet with her victories in the breaststroke and butterfly. The 2022 Varsity Maine Girls’ Swimmer of the Year, Cohen won the 100 breaststroke in 1:03.53, just off the state-record time (1:03.27) she swam last year. In winning the 100 butterfly, Cohen, who was seeded third in the event, shaved approximately two and half seconds off her seed time.
“My seed time was my dual meet with Cape, so I knew I could drop some time. I was focusing on my own race and not anybody else’s, but I knew if I went out strong and my turns were good, I’d have a good shot,” said Cohen, who has committed to swim at the University of Alabama.
Brynn Lavigueur, a Brewer freshman, earned a pair of victories in her first and last state meet. Lavigueur won the 50 freestyle (23.78 seconds) and 100 backstroke (56.67). On Wednesday, she moves to Sarasota, Florida, where she’ll train with the Sarasota Sharks, one of the top club swimming teams in the country.
Lavigueur said the 50 freestyle is her favorite event, and felt like she could have been better in the 100 backstroke.
“There’s definitely some things I could work on. My first 50 was a little slower than I would’ve liked, but it’s fine for now,” Lavigueur said.
This was the first high school state championship meet held at Colby’s Harold Alfond Athletics and Recreation Center, which opened in 2020. The pool is the state’s only 50-meter pool, although for Tuesday’s meet it was configured to accommodate the 25-yard lanes high school swimmers are used to. Colby will host the Class B boys’ state meet Wednesday.
“This pool is so amazing,” Shaw said. “We’re really fortunate to be able to use it.”
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