Greyhounds cap season at state meet

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MIDDLETOWN — The Naugatuck girls swim team wrapped up the season by finishing 16th out of 18 teams at the Class L state championship meet at Wesleyan University Nov. 16.

Cheshire scored 854 points to run away with the title. The young Greyhounds scored 80 points.

Naugy’s relay teams led the way.

The 200 medley relay team of Molly Kennelly, Maria Guimares, Francesca Spino and Katelyn Fortney finished 15th (2:06.56).

The 200 freestyle relay team of Emily Sarmiento, Abrianna Hasipi, Meghan Messier and Spino finished 16th (1:56.99).

The 400 freestyle relay squad of Abbey Shugdinis, Messier, Fortney and Kennelly swam to 17th (4:15.16).

Individually, Kennelly placed 24th in the 100 backstroke (1:07.05). Divers Katie Brown and Brin Battisti placed 16th (314.05) and 21st (290.90), respectively.

Naugatuck, which finished the regular season 6-4-1 and placed sixth at the Naugatuck Valley League meet, will graduate seniors Stephanie Almeida, Katie Meyer, Jaimee Trumbley and Messier.

The Greyhounds have a solid nucleus of young swimmers to lead them in the future.

Brown and Battisti both finished in the top five in diving at the NVL championships. They look to be among the frontrunners next year and will give the Greyhounds solid scoring on the board.

Kennelly and Fortney consistently won multiple events during the regular season and finished in the top five at the NVLs in the backstroke and butterfly, respectively.

Guimares, Spino and Hasipi were solid members of the relay squads and helped the Greyhounds to a top-five finish in the 200 medley relay at the league championships.

Sarmiento and Shugdinis were also productive members of the relay teams and saw their times improve considerably in their individual events throughout the season.

With a solid nucleus coming back, Naugatuck should be poised to move up the ladder in the NVL next season.

A message left with head coach Jim McKee seeking comment wasn’t returned.