One recent result that may have jumped out at the eyes of Maine high school swim fans was the victory the Messalonskee/Lawrence boys swim team had over Brunswick on Dec. 30.
The victory was tremendous in multiple ways. One, it snapped a 30-meet win streak for the Dragons, dating all the way back to 2013. It was also a shot of confidence for a team that already has 12 swimmers who have qualified for states.
For the boys, the qualifiers are Edmund Couture (all individual events), Martin Gaurnieri (all individual events), Nate Perkins (all but the 100 breaststroke) Nate Ruel (200 free, 100 free, 500 free), Taylor Croft (all but two individual events) and Zoli Nagy (50 free, 100 free).
For the girls, qualifiers are Sophia Libby (all individual events), Olivia Roy (all individual events), Emily Larson (200 free, 200 individual medley, 100 backstroke), Leah Smith (all but the 100 backstroke), Sarah Cole (100 backstoke) and Gabby Pierce (200 free, 200 IM, 100 backstroke).
Messalonskee/Lawrence isn’t finished with qualifiers just yet, as coach Beth Prelgovisk believes more swimmers will advance within the last two meets of the regular season. That possibility also gives the swimmers focus for those last two meets, insteading of using tunnel vision directly for the Kennebec Valley Atheltic Conference and state meets.
“I’ve had (the swimmers) do a variety of events, to see where they are right now and where I think they are going to be in the next month,” Prelgovisk said. “Then I can start lining up where I feel like we can get the most points at KVACs and get as many swimmers as I can to qualify for states.”
The team’s final two regular season meets are no cakewalks. Messalonskee/Winslow will have a meet against Cony on Jan. 20 before wrapping up against Waterville/Winslow on Jan. 27.
“Those are going be great meets,” Prelgovisk said. “Especially our Waterville meet, that’s going to be our senior meet and their senior meet. The swimmers (of both teams) have grown up together, practiced together on club teams. They’re just great friends and it’s going to be an exciting meet, because there’s going to be some close races. We’re going to try to match them up and there’s going to be some challenges ahead of them and some exciting races to watch.”
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A loss to Brunswick on Friday notwithstanding, the Waterville/Winslow boys and girls swim teams are on a roll this season.
Before Friday, the boys team enjoyed an undefeated season, while the only other loss for the girls team was against Cony, perhaps the strongest girls swim team in the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conferece, possibly the state.
“I think we’ve had a really strong run so far,” Waterville/Winslow coach Justin Giroux said. “The loss to Brunswick actually doesn’t bother me at all, because they’re a really good team. A lot of the kids had their best swims of the entire year.”
For example, John Reisert — one of the strongest swimmers on the boys side — dropped his 500-meter freestyle time by 10 seconds.
“He was super motivated, he’s been training like crazy,” Giroux said. “I knew he had it in him, and he shined.”
The team also had a strong night from Winslow swimmer Jake Witham, who qualified for the state meet in the backstroke and set a school record in the process.
If anything, Giroux said, the recent meets against Cony and Brunswick provide a measuring stick for Waterville going forward toward the KVAC and state meets.
“We’re going to be going up against those teams at KVACs,” Giroux said. “It’s great to compete with those great teams before we get to that big meet. It does show us where we’re at, how much better we can become.”
On the girls side, Giroux said he has been very impressed with the progression of junior Sophie Weston, as she hit state qualifying times at the Brunswick meet.
“She’s really starting to shine, she’s been working hard,” Giroux said.
With the way the teams have been competing, it’s safe to say Waterville/Winslow will be a team to watch nearing the end of the regular season.
Dave Dyer — 621-5640
ddyer@centralmaine.com
Twitter: @Dave_Dyer
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