The Martha’s Vineyard swim team capped their regular season with the 2022 conference championship crown, harpooning Nantucket’s seven-year win streak.
“As a coach I can’t even express the feeling of pride that I have for you all. Yesterday, as a team, the boys all worked together and made school history,” head coach Jen Passafiume wrote in an email. “We are the champions for the first time.”
In addition to breaking the rival island’s win streak, the boy’s team broke three school records, and qualified for the 200 free A relay for the state championships. Every single Vineyard boy scored points and contributed to the win.
The boys began the meet with the 200 medley relay. The A team of Christian (back), Simon (breast), Andy (fly), and Nathan (free) finished third (2:02.81), and the B team of Grady (back), Yossi (breast), Ronan (fly), and Ashton (free) finished seventh (2:15.40).
The star of the night was point leader, co-captain, and graduating senior, Ruairi Mullin. He won the 200 free by a landslide, finishing with a 1:54.60 time and earning maximum points for the team.
A newcomer to the swim this year, team freshman, Kaua DeAssis, dropped more time for a new personal best of 2:17.04 finishing in sixth, followed by Yossi Monahan 2:34.47 for eighth, Filippo Mucci 2:36.23 for ninth, and Grady Stalgren 2:37.97, all swimming personal best times. Andy Carr finished his 200 in the top six with a personal best 2:35.84 (6th). It was a close finish in the 50 freestyle with Martha’s Vineyard being represented in three out of the six top places. Co-captain Christian Flanders broke a school record, previously held by Evan Sauter since 2018, finishing in 23.46 for second place, Nathan Cuthbert 25.69 for fourth, and Emmett Silva swam a personal best 25.84 in fifth. Ashton Upole swam 28.83 16th and Filippo Mucci 31.28 20th, both personal best times. Ruairi Mullin did it again, and took first place in the 100 freestyle.
In one of the closest races of the day, Ruairi out touched the Nantucket swimmer by 0.3, finishing with a 51.09 time and breaking his own school record. Nathan Cuthbert 56.87 for 5th, and Ashton Upole 1:08.62 in 11th.
In the 500 free, rising star Kaua DeAssis dropped an impressive 25 seconds for a personal best 6:19.33 placing 4th. Kaua placed in the top sixth for both his individual events. Simon Hammarlund swam in 6:34.81 for fifth.
“The boys 200 A relay has been working hard all season to qualify for the state championships,” Passafiume said. “Knowing they all had to swim their best in order to do it.”
Christian Flanders, Emmett Silva, Nathan Cuthbert, and Ruairi Mullin powerhoused their way to a state qualifying time of 1:37.36 for second place. They also broke the school record for that event. The B team of Ashton, Filippo, Yossi, and Kaua finished in 1:58.82 for seventh.
In the 100 backstroke, Christian Flanders (1:08.96 fourth) and Emmett Silva (1:10.20 fifth) kept their top six streak going. Grady Stalgren swam a personal best 1:19.38 for seventh place.
The last individual event was the 100 breaststroke. Simon Hammarlund swam a best time of 1:23.50 just making the top six. Yossi Monahan swam a 1:25.27 for eighth. We finished the day with the 400 relay. The A relay (Andy, Kaua, Emmett, and Ruairi) finished in third (4:01.10) and the B relay (Ronan, Filippo, Grady, and Simon) finished sixth (4:40.81). All MVRHS boy swimmers earned points for the team:
- Ruairi 44.5 points
- Christian 36.5 points
- Nathan 33.5 points
- Emmett 32.5 points
- Simon 29.5 points
- Kaua 29.5 points
- Andy 28 points
- Ronan 18 points
- Yossi 17 points
- Grady 15 points
- Ashton 9 points
- Filippo 8 points.
The girls team was the smallest in the conference, but having all six swimmers back in the water allowed the team to put a relay in each event. The girls placed sixth out of seven teams. The 200 medley relay team of Olympia Hall (back), Delilah Hammarlund (breast), Lily Haynes (fly), and Sylvia Carroll (free) finished in 2:30 for 15th. There were 63 swimmers that competed in the 50 freestyle race.
Each Vineyarder girl swimmer swam a best time. Co-captain Olympia Hall 26.86 (seventh) qualified for the sectional championships next weekend, Sylvia Carrol 28.96 (16th), Delilah Hammarlund dropped under 0.30 for the first time with a 29.60 time (21st), Lily Haynes 30.68 (26th), Nora Motahari 34:04 (42nd) and Bailey Moore 46.87 (59th).
Lily Haynes swam another best time in the 100 fly 1:15.34 (9th). Olympia Hall qualified for another event for sectional championships this coming weekend in the 100 free, swimming sub one minute for the first time. She finished in 59.31 for fourth. Also swimming a personal best time was Sylvia Carroll 1:04.73 (10th). Nora Motahari finished in 1:18.99. The 200 free relay of Sylvia, Nora, Bailey, and Olympia finished in 2:23.16 (18th). Last individual event as a graduating senior, Delilah Hammarlund swam a season best 1:27.12 in the 100 breaststroke for 11th. Bailey Moore finished in 2:05.60 (29th). Nora, Bailey, Lily, and Delilah finished the day with the 400 free relay in 5:25.81 (11th).
“It was amazing to see every girl get personal best times tonight,” Passafiume said.
The championship win capped the team’s regular season. Olympia (50 free, 100 free), Ruairi (100 free, 200 free), and Christian (50 free) are all traveling to the sectional championships at Milford High School next weekend. Relay teammates Emmett and Nathan will join Christian and Ruairi at the state championships Feb. 27 at Boston University.
“A big thank you to everyone who helped contribute to this win,” Passfiume said. “Congrats again Martha’s Vineyard. This was well deserved.”