Nantucket swim coach Jim Pignato dubbed this one as a total team effort for the boys swim & dive team, who won their meet 86-85 today over Martha’s Vineyard. Jake Johnson was the star of the afternoon, earning a state qualifying time in the 50 yard freestyle (23:62) while placing first over Vineyard swimmer Christian Flanders, who finished with a state qualifying time of his own (23:68).
“Huge props to Jake for his performance today,” Pignato said. “Not only did he get that state cut in the 50, he goes and out-touches their best swimmer in the 100 free with a sectional cut (52:65; the Vineyard swimmer on his tail, Ruairi Mullin, finished with a time of 52:86).”
Up and down the lineup, it took every swimmer having their best performance in order for Nantucket’s boys team to squash the grapes.
Another close race that proved to be invaluable to Nantucket’s win was the second place finish in the 200 yard freestyle relay for Hunter Gross, Cameron Washington, Wyatt Penrose, and Eli MacIver. They placed second with a time of 1:55.04 compared to the Vineyard’s third place team, which finished with a time of 1:55.05, one hundredth of a second slower.
“Instead of going down five points we were only down one point after Eli was able to out-touch the Vineyard swimmer,” Pignato said. “I honestly wasn’t sure if we would be able to pull this out because they had us outnumbered and I thought that may be too much for us to overcome. But our guys just swam so well and competed. They don’t quit.”
Pignato said Gross, who also dove at Tuesday’s meet, once again came up big for the Whalers.
“I can’t say enough good things about our diving program and Drew Arent,” Pignato said. “Drew does such a good job with them and Hunter was in a position to go out and just do his job diving. He didn’t have to do anything flashy, he just had to go out and secure six points. Without that, this meet is over and we would have lost.”
The girls cruised to a 99-14 victory, with senior Anabelle Betar earning her first career high school win in the 100 yard freestyle with a time of 1:01.14.
“For her to come in here and do that in a senior meet, it was just great to see her do that,” Pignato said. “First win, last swim in the home pool. It was a nice way for her to cap her career in this pool.”
Pignato said he was trying to position different swimmers to qualify for sectional and states, which will take place later this month. He continues to be ecstatic about the depth that the girl’s team continues to show.
The boys and girls teams will travel tomorrow for a meet at Bishop Connolly.
“Bishop Connolly will be tough and a big challenge for us,” Pignato said. “We have a long day ahead of us (today) and then we come into championships. If these kids want to go to the postseason, the best way to do it is to get an individual cut time. I am happy with the way the girls program is shaping up but I am hoping we can push it over the edge at the championships. As for the boys, they continue to surprise and grind out wins. They rose to the challenge and fought it out in tight races to win the meet.”
