Woodland swims past Naugatuck

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Woodland and Naugatuck swimmers plunge into the pool at the start of the 200-yard freestyle Friday. The Hawks' Katie-Jean Hinckley won the event in 2:09.34.
Woodland and Naugatuck swimmers plunge into the pool at the start of the 200-yard freestyle Friday. The Hawks' Katie-Jean Hinckley won the event in 2:09.34.

BEACON FALLS — The Woodland girls’ swim team edged out Naugatuck Friday at the Hawks’ pool by a 94-87 margin, improving to 5-2 on the season, while the Greyhounds fell to 1-3.

Katie-Jean Hinckley and Jill Pagoni were double winners for the Hawks, who also took two of the three relays to pull away from the Greyhounds. Hinckley won the 200-yard freestyle in a time of two minutes, 9.34 seconds, putting Woodland on top, 19-11, then took first in the 500 freestyle with an effort of 5:36.39.

Pagoni raced to a first-place finish in the 50 freestyle with a time of 26.58 and pulled of her second victory of the meet by taking first in the 100 freestyle with a time of 1:00.23.

“This meet was a big turning point for our program,” said Mike Magas, who is in his second tenure as the Hawks’ head coach.

Assistant coach Carlos Correira, an ex-Naugatuck swimmer, and diving coach Katelyn Cox, a former Cheshire state open champion who went onto dive at Boston College, have been positive influences on the young Hawks.

“We have five seniors out of 27 swimmers, so we are basically a young team,” Magas said. “But we are gaining confidence and getting better with each meet.”

The Hawks are led by senior captains Sam Angeloszek, Alyssa Maggiore and Katie Patrick, along with seniors Pagoni and Libby Patrick.

Woodland gained the early advantage, taking the opening event in the 200 medley relay with Maggiore, Angeloszek, Chrissy Leeper and Pagoni posting a winning time of 2:07.13.

After Hinckley and Pagoni raced to victory in their events, Leeper swam to a first-place finish in the 200 individual medley in 2:32.33, as the Hawks lead grew to 38-24.

The Woodland diving team of Dayna Chucta, Libby Patrick, Kim Thrasher and Katerina Smith added to the advantage, with Chucta posting a winning score of 179.25.

Naugatuck began to make a comeback when Leah Grabowski turned in an outstanding, first-place effort in the 100 butterfly in a time of 1:11.62. The Hawks kept the pressure on, as Pagoni and Hinckley won the 100 and 500 freestyles.

Woodland captured its second relay with Pagoni, Sydney Corneau, Leeper and Hinckley turning in a winning time of 1:53.61 in the 200 freestyle relay. The meet was mathematically over after Maggiore raced to victory in the 100 backstroke in a time of 1:11.62, ensuring the Black and Gold’s fifth victory of the season.

“We ran the last two events unofficial,” Magas said. “We are starting to develop as a program. This is the second year in a row we have beaten Naugatuck, and we don’t take that lightly.”

The Greyhounds closed the gap as Sarah Konops won the 100 breaststroke, with an effort of 1:16.24. Naugatuck finished the meet by taking first in the 400 freestyle relay with Grabowski, Konops, Samantha Fredericks and Nicole Javins putting up a time of 4:15.23.

The Hawks will have their hands full this week when they visit Seymour on Wednesday and Sacred Heart Friday. The Greyhounds will be back in the pool Tuesday at Sacred Heart and will host St. Paul on Friday.