BRUNSWICK — For a school without a state championship, the Cony High girls sure knew how to take control of the state meet Tuesday.
Cony won or took second in 11 swimming events to more than overcome a lack of divers at the Class A championships at Bowdoin College.
The Rams led from start to finish and clinched the meet when freshman Cecilia Guadalupi, the fourth seed, led a 1-5-12 showing in the 100-yard breast stroke, rendering the concluding 400 freestyle relay into little more than a series of victory laps.
Talia Jorgensen, Gabby Low, Cecilia Guadalupi and her sister, Anne Guadalupi, cruised to an 8-second victory over runner-up Brunswick to cap a balanced 311-point performance.
“There wasn’t an event where we didn’t have a great swim,” Cony Coach Jon Millett said. “Every kid contributed. It was a team effort.”
Two-time defending state champion Brunswick, led by Performer of the Meet Caitlin Tycz, was second at 246. Cheverus edged Bangor for third, 214-213, followed by Falmouth (165), South Portland (130), Brewer (121), Westbrook (113), Massabesic (110) and Gorham (84).
Tycz set a state record in the 200-yard freestyle and lowered her own pool record in the 100 butterfly. Her 200 free time of 1:50.35 was nearly 8 seconds faster than that of runner-up Anne Guadalupi and broke a 2-year-old mark of 1:50.63 set by Leila Johnston of Mt. Desert.
“That was a good way to start the meet,” Tycz said, “because once you get a good race or two under the whole team’s bow, it really flows.”
Exactly what Cony was thinking in the opening 200 medley relay, with both Guadalupis teaming with Low and Molly Silsby for a 3-second victory in 1:51.27 that put the Rams in front for good.
Anne Guadalupi went on to win the 500 free (5:18.62), Jorgensen the 100 free (54.71), and Cecilia Guadalupi the 200 individual medley (2:11.87) and 100 breast (1:08.68).
“It was really exciting for me because I didn’t expect it,” said Cecilia Guadalupi, who was seeded second in the IM. “I guess I’ve improved a lot. We had a lot of supporters who came. It’s really a team process even for the ones who didn’t swim at states.”
Cony won the title with eight swimmers who scored. Jorgensen, Haley Gagne and Leah Allee also contributed individual points. Cony was second to Brunswick in the 200 free relay.
“We knew they had that core of real strong kids, and some kids to back that up, too,” said Brunswick Coach Dave Bright, happy with the runner-up plaque after significant graduation losses. “It was nice to keep it in the (Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference). It speaks well of our conference, that we’re 1 and 2.”
For the second straight year, Tycz won the 100 butterfly in a time (53.67) faster than the Class A 100 free champion. She was 4 seconds faster than runner-up Low of Cony but couldn’t quite match her state record time of 53.32.
Abby Longstaff of Cheverus also won two individual events, defending her titles in the 50 free (24.47) and 100 backstroke (58.02). The backstroke was the meet’s most competitive race, with Low coming within .16 of Longstaff in a race offering contrasting styles.
“I’ve never really been comfortable swimming on the surface,” said Low, who remained submerged for more than half the 25-yard length of the pool. “Underwater, I just feel so much faster.”
“I was pushing so hard,” Longstaff said. “Especially that last 25. I reached back and I was like, ‘Please, please, please! I’m 6 feet tall. Let me use it now.’ ”
Nina Greenwood of Cheverus emerged from a field of six to win diving with 314.30 points.
After the final relay, Anne Guadalupi lingered in the pool to share an embrace with fellow seniors Tycz of Brunswick and Bangor’s Hannah Wood, all three reluctant to leave and end their high school careers.
“We’ve all been swimming since freshman year, even before that, and we’re all going on to swim in college,” Guadalupi said. “It’s exciting to share that happiness with everyone else.”
Glenn Jordan can be contacted at 791-6425 or
Gjordan@pressherald.com
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