WESTBROOK — Behind three individual winners and a relay victory, the Massabesic boys swim team took home the South Southwesterns swimming championship on Friday night at Westbrook’s Davan Pool.
The Mustangs beat out 11 other teams with a final tally of 253 points, a full 60 ahead of second placed Kennebunk. Thornton Academy was fourth with 170 points, while Sanford was ninth with 54.5 and Biddeford 10th with 48.5.
Caleb Fuschillo won the 50-yard freestyle for the Mustangs in a blistering 23.78 seconds ”“ a full half-second ahead of teammate Mason Farling ”“ while Collin Chamberlain took the 100 free in 50.88. Massabesic’s Josh Bixby also took the diving competition with a combined score of 243, while team of Fuschillo, Chamberlain, Cameron Mayhew and John Bailey Schneider took the 400-free relay in 3:36.71.
In addition to his 100-free win, Chamberlain was second in the 200 free, while Darlin was also second in the 200 individual medley and 100 breaststroke and Fuschillo third in the 100 free.
Kennebunk didn’t have an individual or relay win but was boosted by depth as the Rams’ 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams both took second. Angus McLean was third in the 500 free and fourth in the 200 free, while Tyler Dumas was third in the 100 breast and Alex Sullivan third in the 100 butterfly.
Double winner Chris Steward led Thornton’s charge, taking the 100 fly in 57.93 and the 200 IM in 2:14.85. Steward was also part of the Golden Trojans’ victorious 200 medley relay team, along with Bartu Erim, Chi Long Tse and Alex Pickering. Erim was also second in the 100 back and third on the 50 free, while Pickeirng came in fourth in the 200 IM and fifth in the 100 breast.
Sanford’s best two finishes in the meet came from Quinn Severs, who was seventh in both the 100 breast and 200 IM, while Alex Spiliopoulos was ninth in both the 100 fly and 100 back.
Biddeford’s best finish came from Owen Williams, who finished second behind Bixby in the diving.
In the girls event on Saturday, a record-smashing time in the 400-yard freestyle relay highlighted Kennebunk’s third-place finish.
The Rams foursome of Olivia Hammer-Grant, Fiona Harms, Lindsay Nichols, and Marshall Lowery took the 400-free relay in a time of 3:57.95, nearly three seconds faster than second-place Waynflete. The time broke the Kennebunk school record in the event of 3:59.58, which had been on the books since 1997.
Waynflete won the overall competition for the fourth year running with a team score of 190 points, 13 ahead of Yarmouth. Kennebunk was third with 162 points, while Sanford was fifth of the 12 teams competing with 136.
Massabesic was sixth with 130 points, with T.A. seventh with 105 and Biddeford ninth with 72.
In addition to being part of the record-setting relay team, Kennebunk’s Lowery set another all-time school best in taking second in the 100 backstroke with a time of 1:00.04, breaking her own record of 1:02.05 set back in January.
Lowery was also third in the 100 butterfly, while Hammer-Grant was second in both the 100 and 200 free. Harms was third in the 200 individual medley for the Rams, while Renee Nichols was fourth in the 100 breastroke and fifth the in the 500 free and Nichols fifth in the 100 fly.
Courtney Dumont was Sanford’s top-scoring swimmer on the day, finishing third in the 50 free and fourth in the 100 free. Pearl Frohloff was fifth in both the 200 IM and 100 free for the Spartans, which also got a fourth-place finish from Grave Hansen in the 100 back.
Massabesic was led by Elaine Dudley, who won the 200 free in a sparkling time of 2:03.20, more than seven seconds ahead of second-placed Hammer-Grant. Dudley was also third in the 500 free, while teammate Ashley Cryer was second in the 200 IM and third in the 100 back.
Thornton Academy’s top swim on the night came from Katie Lord, who finished second in the 100 breaststroke as well as sixth in the 100 fly. The Golden Trojan’s Julie Rowlett took seventh in the 100 back and 10th in the 500 free, while Grace Pickering was sixth in the 100 breast. Pickering, Lord, Rowlett and Abby Stevens-Roberts were also part of T.A.’s third-placed 200-medley relay team.
Mariah Brady was Biddeford’s star of the meet, showing an impressive versatility by taking second in both the shortest (50 free) and longest (500 free) events of the meet. Brooklyn Friel was also fourth for the Tigers in the 100 fly.
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