BRUNSWICK — The 2019/20 high school swim season is about to get underway and once again, area boys and girls teams look to compete at a high level throughout the winter.

Morse returns several talented swimmers that helped the girls and boys teams earn fourth and fifth place in the State Class B meet last season, respectively.

Both Brunswick and Mt. Ararat have the numbers and depth to challenge at both the conference and state meets this year following successful seasons a year ago.

Both the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference and State Class B Championships will be held locally this year. The Class A and B KVAC’s will be held at the Bath Area Family YMCA (B, Feb. 7; A, Feb. 8), while the girls (Feb 17) and boys (Feb. 18) State Class B championships will be held at Bowdoin College. The State Class A boys (Feb. 15) and girls (Feb. 17) championships will be held at the University of Maine at Orono.

Here’s a look at the area teams.

Morse

While the Shipbuilders graduated some talented swimmers from a year ago, that helped place both the boys and girls team in second place at the KVAC’s before their strong showings at the states, coach Todd Marco likes the enthusiasm and energy with his returning swimmers.

“We have a small boys team, but they have a great attitude a lot of skill and should be able to compete well,” Marco said. “We would like to be in the top three at KVAC’s and always shoot to be in the top five at states.”

Returning swimmers for the ‘Builders boys team are — Evan Willertz (butterfly and backstroke), Daniel Whitman (one meter and breaststroke), Alex Gurney (50 and 100 freestyle), Oscar Hennin (200 and 500 free) and Soren Langords (free).

Newcomers to the team this season are — Andrew Leighton (fly and 1-meter diving) and Tristen Beveridge (free).

On the girls side, Marco’s squad returns a number of solid individual swimmers that placed at the states and have the experience to repeat.

“The girls team is one of our smallest in years, but we have a lot of returning swimmers that placed at the states last year and should be able to compete well again this season,” he said. “We would like to be first or second at KVACs and be in the top five at states.”

Haily and Olivia Harper return for their senior season. The sisters both won state titles last February. Olivia, who will attend the University of Tennessee to swim next fall, captured her third straight title in the back stroke (54.98), while Haily captured the 200 individual medley (2:10.31) and 100 breast stroke (1:07.11).

Fionna and Molly Cashman are also back. Fionna competes in the breaststroke and freestyle, while Molly returns in the freestyle. Other returnees are — Olivia Cunningham (breast), Kaleigh Gingrow (fly), Caroline Skroski (free), Grace Hawkes (free) and Delaney Pascuzzo (free).

New in the pool this season for Morse are — Coleen Cashman (free), Natalei Emmerson (back and 200 free), Sophia Kovacs (free), Liberty Wyman (free) and Natalie Styles (free).

The Shipbuilders open the season with a meet against Mt. Ararat at the Bath Family YMCA on Friday at 7 p.m. and return to the pool with another home meet against Brunswick on Tuesday. They will swim in the Morse Invitational on Dec. 27 with Brunswick, Cony and Greely to close out 2019.

Key meets in January are — Jan. 10 at Camden Hills (6:30 p.m), home against Lewiston on Jan. 17 (7 p.m.) and at Cony on Jan. 24 (7 p.m.) before closing out the regular season with a Jan. 31 meet at Belfast (5 p.m.).

Brunswick

Brunswick comes into the season boasting strong numbers, with 18 swimmers on the boys team, while 28 make up the girls squad.

For the boys, the graduation of Matt Yost, one of the team’s leading scorers over the past four years, will be missed, but swimmers like seniors Nicco Bartone, Everett Gillis (100 free), Michael King (500 free), and sophomores Bradley Vuong (200 IM and 100 back), Kurt Trapp (200 IM) and Nathan Levy (200 and 500 free) will be looked upon to score points.

Bartone was the KVAC Champion in 100 free and 100 breaststroke. At the State Class A meet, he took fourth in the 50 free and was runner-up in the breaststroke..

The depth of the Dragons will be key according to coach Dave Bright.

“Having 18 swimmers on the team will give us an advantage over most of our opponents,” Bright said.

“As newer swimmers develop and improve, our depth could make us competitive for one of the top spots at KVACs this year.”

For the girls, a key loss is Alex Morse, who was the state champion in 500 freestyle and is now a leading member of the Pomona College (Calif.) swim team. Points will need to be picked up by a team of nearly 30 swimmers, Bright is also excited about the season.

“There are 28 girls competing for us this year and hopefully team depth will be a strength,” Bright said. “Returnees and new swimmers with some background on the Y team should produce a strong line up.”

Returning swimmers are — seniors Ella Tycz (200 IM and 100 breast), Laura Chavoustie (50 and 100 free), Mallory Palmer (50 and 100 free), sophomore Margaret Chingos (100 butterfly and 100 back) and junior Guinevere Thom (100 free).

According to Bright, “first year student Sarah Palmer should be able to contribute right away with a strong breaststroke, and newcomer Ellis Noetzil could contribute diving points as well.”

After Tuesday’s opening meet against Morse, the Dragons will travel to Old Town/Orono on Dec. 13 (6 p.m.) and will host Lewiston at Bowdoin College on Dec. 20 (7 p.m.). Other key meets are — Jan. 3 at Bowdoin College against Messalonskee and Mt. Ararat, Jan. 7 at home against Cony (5:30 p.m.), hosting Camden Hills on Jan. 14 and rounding out the regular season with a meet against Mt. Ararat at Bowdoin on Jan. 31, before the KVAC Class A Championships.

Mt. Ararat

The Eagles are poised for another strong season, set to improve on last year’s KVAC fifth-place finish for the boys and an eighth-place spot for the girls.

Another team with strong numbers, coach Tracy Boucher, who co-coaches with Steve Butts, likes the outlook for their teams.

“This year we have once again a strong team with our number of swimmers at 38. We are looking forward to another successful season with a team that is willing to work hard and encourage each other,” Boucher said. “This year our focus is on individual accomplishments and having swimmers focus on their strengths as well as work to improve in areas they feel they need to improve.”

With another large group of new swimmers, from freshman to seniors, Boucher looks forward to incorporating them into their team as “positive and contributing members of (the) team.”

“As always, we focus on hard work in hopes that the swimmers will begin to see the fruits of their labor as the season progresses,” Boucher said. “At the beginning of the season, we have swimmers voice their goals for the season and we have many this year looking to qualify for states again or some for the very first time.

“We will continue to prep all swimmers to be prepared for our regional KVAC Championships and hope they are able to be at their peak performance by that time.”

Following their opening meet with Morse, the Eagles will swim at Edward Little on Dec. 13 (3:30 p.m) and against Hyde at the Wiscasset Community Center on Dec. 17 (5:30) before hosting a meet with Brunswick and Lewiston at Bowdoin College on Dec. 20. Other key meets are — Jan. 7 at Bowdoin against Cony and Brunswick (diving), Camden Hills and Brunswick (diving) on Jan. 14 and Brunswick on Jan. 31 to end the regular season.

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