Hawks finish 16th in Class S

0
60

The Woodland boys swim team capped the season last week with a 16th-place finish in the 32-team field at the Class S state meet.

“The season was fun,” Woodland head coach Tom Currier said. “The team worked hard and was a close-knit, fun group of kids.”

The Hawks tallied 117 points at the March 15 Class S meet at Wesleyan University in Middletown. Brookfield won the meet with 649 points.

The meet followed two days off from school due to Winter Storm Stella, which dropped 10 to 15 inches of snow on the region on March 13.

“The team performed well. It’s hard with two days off right before finals,” Currier said. “Individually the swimmers performed at their expected times. So our 16th place was where we ended up with good swims.”

Woodland’s three relay squads secured top-15 finishes.

The 200 medley relay squad of Jake Stow, Greg Aldrich, Jeff Varesio and Colin Kennelly had the team’s best finish of the meet, taking 10th in 1:53.66.

The 400 freestyle relay squad of Julie Hinckley, Stow, Varesio and Kennelly swam to 13th in 3:48.40. The 200 freestyle relay team of Zack Arisian, Chase Chura, Aldrich and Varesio finished 14th in 1:44.18.

Aldrich had the best individual finish for the Hawks. The sophomore swam to 13th (1:08.15) in the 100 breaststroke.

Kennelly scored points for Woodland in two individual events. The senior finished 20th (24.50) in the 50 freestyle and 23rd (54.42) in the 100 freestyle.

Hinckley, a senior, swam to 22nd in the 500 freestyle in 5:38.46.

“Julie and Colin swam at their personal best,” Currier said. “Sad it’s their last swims for me as coach.”

Arisian finished 22nd (1:03.42) in the 100 butterfly, and Stow took 23rd (1:04.49) in the 100 backstroke.

The meet marked the last for Hinckley, Kennelly and fellow seniors Thomas LandryMickett and Alyssa Varesio.

“My seniors have been the foundation of the team,” Currier said. “I’m proud to see them grow in the last four years. I’ll notice it more next year when the season starts and they are not there.”

Currier said he will look to juniors Chura, Stow and Victoria Iannone to take on larger roles as leaders and in the pool.

“All [three] have improved this past year, and I’m sure will continue to do so,” Currier said.