Division I swimming meet
Minnechaug girls finish fourth at state Division I swimming meet
Fran Sypek, February 19, 2012 8:34 p.m.
CAMBRIDGE - It may not have taken away the sting of not winning a Western Massachusetts Division I swimming team title, but for Minnechaug Regional, that was all in the past and Sunday was a new day with an even bigger challenge.
Minnechaug, thanks in part to a strong showing in two Western Massachusetts record-setting relay events, finished fourth in the girls’ state Division I swimming and diving championships at Harvard’s Blodgett Pool.
“This was so much fun,” said senior Kristen Webber, who was one of the four swimmers and one diver who made up the squad. “We know Westfield is a very good team and all we wanted to do was swim our best.”
Sectional champ Westfield was was sixth. Last week, Westfield won the sectional title and Minnechaug was second at Springfield College.
“The key today was we had two relays (500-yard medley) and 200-yard medley relay) which were both awesome,” coach Erik Mandell said. “Fourth place is a fantastic result and I’m very proud of the girls.
Among the standouts for the Falcons was Elizabeth Avery, who was second in the 50-yard freestyle (24.80) in a close race with state champion Megan Griffin of Lincoln-Sudbury. The Falcons’ Christina Greco tied for third ( in 24.89).
“There were only four of us (swimmers) today and we had to put up a fight,” Avery said. “We all did really well.
But the Falcons’ best event was the 500-yard relay, which they won in 1:39.10. Greco, Hannah Tapey, Avery and Kristen Webber composed the team.
“This was one of the few times in my life where I saw the time and couldn’t believe it,” Mandell said. “It happened so fast, I didn’t believe it initially.”
Minnechaug was second in the 200-yard medley relay. The team was composed of Tapey, Webber, Greco and Avery. They finished in 1:50.81, just behind Westford’s winning All-America time of 1:47.97.
“That was another awesome swim,” Mandell said. ”
The Falcons were 3-4 in the 100-yard freestyle. Avery took third (54.93) and Webber finished fourth (54.74) in the event won by Westford’s Jen Marrkand.in 52.52.
Chicopee Comp captain Kara Lacoste won the state championship in the 100-yard backstroke in 59.31. Chicopee’s Colleen Humel finished fourth in 59.95. Lacoste took third in the 100-yard breaststroke (1:08.11) won by Westford’s Kelly Huber in 1:07.18.
“I never expected to win and I’m so happy and excited,” Lacoste said. “It’s hard to swim fast two weekends in a row, so I was hopeful, but not sure where I’d finish.”
It was a good day for Easthampton, especially in the 100-yard butterfly, where Amanda C. Lucia won the state championship with a time of 56.69.It was a 1-2 finish for Western Mass. as Christina Greco of Minnechaug was second in 57.09. Tapey of Minnechaug secured seventh in 1:02.76. In the 200-yard IM., Lucia was runner-up (2:05.81) to Westford’s Marrkand (2:02.78), while Eagles’ teammate Jessica Harper took third place (2:09.84). asthampton’s 200 IM medley relay team of Emily Boysen, Alexandrea Zuliewicz, Lucia and Riley LeBlanc placed 11th in 1:58.80. Harper was second in the 500-yard freestyle (5:07.92) to King Phillip’s Stephanie Nasson.
Agawam’s Megan Dustin secured second in the 200-yard freestyle (1:55.65) behind King Phillip’s Stephanie Nasson. Chicopee’s Colleen Humel finished fourth (1:56.90). Webber placed 11th (1:58.97), while Westfield’s Jordan Jacobson was 12th (1:59.60).
Minnechaug’s Emily Murphy placed ninth in diving.
Top finishers and locals’
Team: 1.Westford. 305 2. Lincoln-Sudbury 202. 3. King Phillip 201. 4. Minnechaug 183.5. 5.Concord-Carlisle. 152.5. 6. Barnstable 135. 9. Westfield 89. 11. Easthampton 86. 17. Chicopee Comp 36. 17. Agawam 36. 19. Tantasqua 35. 20. Chicopee. 32. Amherst 8.
200 Medley Relay: 1. Westford Academy 1:47.97. 2. Minnechaug 1:50.81. 11. Easthampton 158.82. 13. Westfield 2:00.05. 17. Amherst 2:01.72. 22. Agawam 2:02.80.
200 Freestyle 1. Stephanie Nasson, King Phillip 1:52.05. 2. Megan Dustin, Agawam 1:55.65. 4. Colleen Humel, Chicopee 1:56.07. 9. Hope Walsh, Westfield 1:58.64. 11. Kristen Webber, Minnechaug 1:58.97. 21. Lauren Longley, Westfield 2:04.89. 25. Emma Thibault, Amherst 2:07.06.
200 IM: 1, Jen Markand, Westford 2:02.78. 2, Amanda C. Lucia, Easthampton 2:05.81. 3. Jessica Harper, Easthampton 2:09.84. 13. Hannah Plourde, Westfield.
50 Freestyle: 1. Megan Griffin, Lincoln-Sudbury 24.62. 2. Elizabeth Avery, Minnechaug 24.80.. 3. Christina Greco, Minnechaug 24.89. 14. Erin Lewis, Westfield 26.64..
100 Butterfly: 1. amanda Lucia, Easthampton 56.69.2. Christiana Greco, Minnechaug 57.09. . 14 Genna Senecal, Westfield 1:04.34.
100 Freestyle: 1. Jen Marrkand, Westfod, 51.52. 2. Hayley Weik, Barnstable 54.11. 3. Elizabeth Avery, Minnechaug, 54.68. 4. Kristen Webber, Minnechaug 54.74.
500 Freestyle: 1.Stephanie Nasson, King Phillip 4:57.87. 2. Jessica Harper, Easthampton. 5:07.92. 6. Megan Dustin, Agawam. 5:11.54. 8. Hope Walsh, Westfield 5:17.26.
200 Freestyle Relay: 1. Minnechaug 1:39.10. 2. Westford 1:42.25. 14. Westfield 1:47.76. 20. Amherst 1:50.29, 23. Agawam 1:50.97, 26. Easthampton 1:56.08.
100 Backstroke: 1. Kara Lacoste, Chicopee Comp 59.31. 4. Colleen Humel, Chicopee 59.95. 15. Hannah Tapey, Minnechaug 1:03.65. 26. Bridget Lewis, Westfield 1:07.64..
100 Breaststroke: 1. Kelly Huber, Westford 1:07.18. 3. . Kara Lacoste, Chicopee Comp. 1:08.11. 14. Erin Lewis, Westfield 1:11.64. 15. Hannah Plourde, Westfield 1:12.37. 17. Aali Johnstone, Westfield 1:12.92. 19. Nicole Charette, Westfield 1:13.85. 21. Sophia Dillon-Davidson, Amherst 1:14.29.
400 Freestyle Relay: 1. Westford 3;36.45. 2. King Phillip 3:36.47. 6. Westfield 3:50.26. 13. Amherst 3:57.35. 14. Agawam 3:57.84.
