Naugy swims to ninth in Class L

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The Naugatuck boys swim team finished the season in the top ten of Class L.

The Greyhounds swam to ninth with 215 points at the Class L state meet on Monday at Wesleyan University in Middletown, matching their same position at last year’s Class L meet.

“We finished pretty much where we were seeded,” Naugatuck head coach Jim McKee said. “The Class L and LL are two of the toughest divisions. There are a lot of very good teams that are deep with talent.”

New Canaan finished first with 840 points followed by Pomperaug (806 points) and Darien (529 points.)

Naugatuck did have four top-ten finishes.

Senior Evan Bombery hit the mark twice and two relay teams also broke into the top ten.

Bombery posted a personal best time of 1:47.38 in the 200 freestyle to finish seventh and then swam to tenth in the 500 freestyle in 4:57.54.

“I feel overall we did well as a team,” Bombery said. “I think we did great in building the program back from where it was a couple of years ago. Coach McKee knows how to train kids to get the most out of their abilities.

“As of now I’m in line to make it to the state open for the second year in a row in the 200 freestyle. Obviously I want to swim my best this being my last swim in high school. There will be a lot of competition, but I will give it my best and you get what you get.”

The Greyhounds best showing of the meet came with a fifth-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay with the foursome of seniors Eric Cruz, P.J. Morrissey, Bombery along with junior Brian Goggin coming in at 1:31.74.

The 400 freestyle relay team of senior Omari Solomon, Bombery, Morrissey and Goggin placed eighth with an effort of 3:25.09, and the squad of junior Zach Alves, senior Robert Spino along with Solomon and Morrissey finished 11th in the 200 medley relay at 1:46.69.

“The competition was a lot better than last year because the CIAC added a few teams to the Class L, most notably Pomperaug,” Goggin said. “To finish where we did is pretty impressive. It was the second year in a row we made the top ten.

“It was a stressful day as Omari Solomon and Joe Dempsey and I competed at the state DECA championship in the morning and won first place in our creative marketing event.”

Naugatuck also had four top-20 finishes with Brian Goggin finishing 13th in the 50 freestyle at 22.82 and 16th in the 100 freestyle at 50.66. Cruz dove to a 13th place finish with a score of 304.15 in the one meter diving event, and Solomon finished 16th in the 100 backstroke at 1:00.67.

Solomon also finished 22nd in the 50 freestyle with an effort of 23.84 and Morrissey placed 24th in the 200 IM with a time of 2:13.60.

“We had three relays qualify, and we will have to wait and see if the 200 free will make the state open,” McKee said. “Bombery did a best ever time in the 200 and will make the state open.

“Cruz did a great job for us in diving, something we didn’t have last year. Goggin swam well along with Morrissey, Spino and Solomon.

The Greyhounds will lose ten seniors to graduation but will return a strong junior class next year led by Goggin and Alves. Sophomore Dale Wakeley and freshman Spencer Maher have been consistent scorers for Naugy, as well.

“We certainly have our work cut out for next year as we lose a lot of seniors and we need to make up those swims,” Goggin said. “There is a lot of talent, especially with our underclassman. The freshmen and sophomore classes are strong, and we should be able to carry on the success we’ve had the past few years.”