Hard work paying off for Naugy

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William Wright, pictured above competing in the Class L Swim Championships in Middletown last year, helped Naugatuck open Tuesday night’s meet against Seymour with a win in the 200-yard medley relay along with teammates Adam Branco, Matt Hall, and Eric Hanley. RA ARCHIVE

NAUGATUCK — The Naugatuck boys swim team’s latest sign of progress took place on Tuesday night in a 93-82 victory over Seymour.

The Greyhounds (1-1) won their Naugatuck Valley League opener with six different individual event winners. Through two official dual meets, the young Greyhounds are being rewarded for recent hard work in tough practices.

“We practiced hard before the meet,” Naugatuck head coach Jim McKee said after the victory. “We had a good week of double workouts. We probably had 40-plus best times tonight, which is good.”

Naugy took the opening event, the 200-yard medley relay behind a solid effort from William Wright, Adam Branco, Matt Hall and Eric Hanley. The team took the event in 2:04.50.

Scott Sill kept things going with a victory in the 200 freestyle with a time of 2:04.50. In the next event, the 200 IM, Chris Branco took the top spot with a time of 2:22.55.

Hanley followed with his second win of the night, a 25-second-flat finish in the 50 free.

In the diving event, Isabelle Moody took first place with a total of 157.80 points. By then, Naugatuck had the meet in hand.

Naugy’s George Vygoder won the 500 free in 5:51.63, while Namgyal Rakagme placed third and Mike Lauer took fifth. But the Greyhounds weren’t yet done racking up top finishes.

In the 200 free relay, Hall, Sill, Josh Deptula and Chris Branco took first in 1:45.18. Next, Wright won the 100 back in 1:00.55.

Despite a loss to Glastonbury last month, the Greyhounds continue to show strong effort to McKee, Naugy’s longtime coach. It was apparent on Tuesday in the way Naugatuck finished races.

“I saw that energy and effort at the end,” McKee said. “We’re making good progress.”

McKee noted upcoming meets against teams with talent like Woodland and Holy Cross. Both will be tests. Naugy travels to Woodland on Jan. 10 and hosts Holy Cross on Jan. 13 in meets that will help show the Greyhounds’ standing in the league.

“We’re so young and inexperienced,” McKee said. “It’s going to be tough to be ready this early in the season.”