Swimming team stays impressive

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It was an exciting day for the Martha’s Vineyard swim team on Saturday, Jan. 6, as they traveled to Sandwich High School for the 18th annual Cape Cod Classic. 

Five teams were in attendance aside from the Vineyard: Nauset, Sandwich, Barnstable, Saint John Paul, Nantucket. 

“We knew going in the boys would have to swim hard, as Nauset was going to be our biggest competition,” swimming Coach Jen Passafiume said. “MVRHS boys teams swam smart, and strong” — so smart that the boys team finished with the overall win for the first time in school history. 

The girls team had many personal best times, and is really building strength. Junior foreign exchange student Paula Geschke qualified for state championships in the 100 fly and 500 free. 

The 200-yard medley relay started the afternoon. Girls A team captain Olympia Hall, captain Sylvia Carroll, Geschke, and Nora Motahari placed fourth. B team Leah Thomson, Alexa Sawers, Eleonora Duncheva, and Charlotte Knapp were seventh with 2:54.16. 

The Boys A team of Grady Stalgren, captain Simon Hammarlund, Michael Claheta, and Claus Smith took second place with 2:08.84. 

In the girls 200 free, Motahari was 12th at 2:50.97. Knapp dropped more than 11 seconds for a new personal best, 3:08.50, and was followed by Caylie Whitney at 3:34.74 in 15th place. For the boys, captain Andy Carr swam a personal best 2:06.57 for third place, followed by Ronan Mullin in fourth with 2:18.45. Philip Pruciano dropped almost 10 seconds for a personal best 3:08.49 in eighth. 

In the boys 200 IM, Stalgren placed fifth with a personal best of 2:38.53.

Olympia Hall had the fastest 50 free time for the Vineyard girls, finishing in 28.00 with sixth place. The boys 50 free brought another first to the MV team; they finished both first and second place in the event. DeAssis was No. 1 with a time of 24.08, followed by Emmett Silva in second with 25.19.

Paula Geschke qualified in the 100 fly for the D2 State Championships with a 1:04.07 for second place. Boys Ronan and Carr finished third in 1:03.47, and fourth in 1:04.03, both with personal best times. 

For the 100 free, DeAssis qualified for the South Sectional championships with a personal best 52.68, followed by Emmett Silva in third at 56.51, and Claus Smith at 1:00.59 in eighth, both also swimming new personal best times. 

Geschke also qualified the 500 freestyle for D2 State Championships in 5:37.86, second place. Hammarlund placed third for the boys with 6:49.13. 

Girls 200-yard free relay A team of Hall, Motahari, Geshke, and Carroll placed fifth, dropping two seconds from earlier in the week. Boys A team Mullin, Carr, Emmett Silva, and DeAssis placed second, at 1:41.33. 

In the final event, 400 free relay, girls A team Maybeline Brown, Duncheva, Leah Debettencourt, and Motahari were sixth with 5:17.92. The B team of Knapp, Thomson, Whitney, and Sawers placed 10th at 6:06.92. 

The team is prepping for two more dual meets at the end of next week. Thursday, Jan. 11, will be at home versus Nauset, and Friday, Jan. 12, is away versus Saint John Paul.