Mystic Valley Swimmers Perform Well in Sectionals

Mystic Valley Swimmers Compete In Sectionals, Ready Themselves For States

Seventeen Mystic Valley swimmers competed in the MIAA State North Sectional meets, held at the ten-lane MIT pool, on Saturday and Sunday, February 11 and 12. The meets, which featured swimmers from schools ranging in size from very large to extremely small, provided the Eagles with an opportunity to excel on a grand stage.

The swimmers responded by registering many best times, both in individual events and in relays. When the dust settled on Sunday night, the boys’ team had finished tenth and the girls’ team twelfth.

Boys’ Relays Finish Top 10

For the first time in school history, all three Mystic Valley boys’ relays finished within the top ten teams at Sectionals. The 200 medley relay team of Shane Kinnon (captain), Christian Kinnon, Robby DeSantis, and Zack Kelso (captain) placed sixth, dropping almost three seconds and finishing with a time of 1:42.81. The Eagles finished behind Division I powerhouses such as St. John’s Prep, Reading, Lincoln-Sudbury, and Andover, and swam the second fastest Division II time in the meet.

The Mystic Valley 200 freestyle relay team, featuring a freshman and an eighth grader, dropped two seconds in the meet and finished in tenth place.  The team’s time of 1:33.71 established a new team record, eclipsing the record set during last year’s State meet by alumni Patrick and Colin Kinnon and then-juniors Kelso and Tran. Of the teams that finished ahead of the Eagles, only four had a freshman swimmer. Christian Kinnon was the only eighth grade swimmer to compete in the meet.

The more experienced Mystic Valley 400 free relay team of Kelso, DeSantis, Wilson Tran, and Shane Kinnon (the same team that competed last year and placed eighth in States) placed ninth, finishing with a  time of 3:24.89.

The Eagles also swam well in their individual events. Shane Kinnon finished tenth and eighteenth, respectively, in the 200 IM and the 100 freestyle events. Co-captain Zack Kelso finished sixteenth in the 50 freestyle and nineteenth, just behind Shane, in the 100 freestyle.

DeSantis competed in the 200 freestyle and 100 butterfly, finishing the freestyle in 1:54.62 and the butterfly in 57.85, a new personal best time.

Junior Giuseppe Iacovone dropped almost a second from his best time to place tenth in the 100 breaststroke. In the same event, Nick Antonucci dropped almost three seconds from his previous best, finishing in 1:04.96 and placing fifteenth. Christian Kinnon also swam a personal best time, recording a 1:05.35.

Girls Place Twelfth, Qualify for States

The Mystic Valley girls also swam extraordinarily well in Sectionals, capitalizing on almost every opportunity to qualify for States in both individual and relay events.

The medley relay team of Allie Krasco, Marisa Cagno, Maaya Alagappan, and Karina Hanson dropped almost three seconds, with a time of 2:05.08. This year marks the first time the Eagles will swim this relay at States.

Members of the 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams—Caroline Williams, Emily Williams, Karina Hanson, and Fallon Bushee (captain)—took full advantage of the excitement in the building, placing eighth in the 200 freestyle relay (dropping almost three seconds) and tenth in the 400 (dropping almost six seconds).

Fallon Bushee dropped time in her two individual events, the 200 IM and the 100 freestyle. She placed tenth in the IM and fifteenth in the 100 freestyle, and will swim both events at States.

In two truly clutch performances, eighth grader Caroline Williams was able to swim fast enough to qualify for States in the 50 freestyle and the 100 freestyle. She placed fourteenth in the 50.

Perhaps inspired by her teammate, freshman Ava Asai-Sarris qualified for States in her individual event, the 100 breaststroke, placing thirteenth with a time of 1:14.96. Marisa Cagno also competed in the breaststroke, clocking in at 1:16.53, a personal best.