MVRHS swimmers clip Cougars in season opener

Vineyarders and Bishop Connolly compete in virtual meet.

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The Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School (MVRHS) swim team dove back into action on Thursday afternoon at the YMCA, with a season-opening win over Bishop Connolly of Fall River.

The small but mighty Vineyard contingent of four girls and six boys competed in the first-ever virtual meet, with the girls edging the Cougars 58-57, and the boys winning 68-42.

In the new virtual format, the teams competed separately in their respective pools, with an official present to verify the results, which were then exchanged after the meet.

The girls got off to a strong start with Lily Jones (senior), Olympia Hall (freshman), Gabby Carr (senior) and Delilah Hammarlund (junior) swimming to first place in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 2:14.45. Carr (2:11.56) and Hall (2:26.20) then took first and second in the 200 freestyle, with Jones (30.61) and Hammarlund (32.58) placing one-two in the 50 free. 

Gabby Carr (1:09.84) added a first place in the 100 butterfly, Lily Jones (1:05.90) was tops in the 100 free, and Delilah Hammarlund swam a personal best 1:28.95 to beat both Connolly girls in the 100 breaststroke. Olympia Hall (1:18.59) earned a personal best with a second place in the 100 butterfly. The girls closed out the meet by winning the 4 x 100 freestyle relay in 4:29.52.

For the boys, freshmen Simon Hammarlund, Andy Carr, and Emmett Silva and sophomore Christian Flanders won the 200 medley relay in 2:28.15. Sophomore Nathan Cuthbert (2:28.15) followed up with a first place in the 200 freestyle. Junior Ruairi Mullin won the 200 individual medley with a personal best 2:25.02, with Carr finishing second in 2:56.65, also a PB, and Hammarlund (3:06.29) taking third despite his goggles falling off during the first lap.

The strong showing continued as Christian Flanders (25.56) and Nathan Cuthbert (25.86) finished one-two in the 50 freestyle. Andy Carr (1:26.03) and Simon Hammarlund (1:43.75) added another first and second, and a pair of personal bests, in the 100 butterfly. Ruairi Mullin (57.49), Christian Flanders (1:03.55), and Emmett Silva (1:05.42, PB) gave the Vineyarders a 1-2-3 in the 100 free, and the quartet of Silva, Mullin, Flanders and Cuthbert won the 4 x 100 relay in 4:16.09 to cap off the successful afternoon.

The next meet is scheduled for Jan. 14 against St. John Paul II. The meet will be livestreamed on the team’s Facebook page (MVRHS Swim Team) starting at 5:45 pm, for those interested in virtually cheering on the team.