New Champion, New Record At State Open Swimming Championships

NEW HAVEN, CT — After capturing the Class L girls swimming championship in 2017 and 2018, Cheshire High School was moved up to Class LL prior to this season. All that meant to the Rams was overcoming a huge obstacle named Greenwich, winner of the past nine Class LL titles and the previous four State Open crowns.

Step one was completed Nov. 19 at Wesleyan University, where the Rams claimed the Class LL title by a 655-586 margin over Greenwich, topping the Cardinals in head-to-head competition for the first time since the 2009 LL meet. Step two came Sunday, as the CIAC State Open championships took place in the Kiphuth Exhibition Pool at Yale University.

Entering the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, Cheshire held a 374-360 advantage over Greenwich, meaning the Rams would clinch the championship with a placement of fifth or better even if the Cardinals won that race. Sure enough, a strong third leg by Meghan Lynch enabled Greenwich to grab the lead for good, but Cheshire placed second, less than a half-second behind, to wind up with 428 points to Greenwich's 420, sewing up the 13th State Open crown in school history, and first since 2004.

Multiple individual event winners were Julia Stevens (200 freestyle, 500 freestyle) and Sophie Murphy (50 freestyle, 100 freestyle), both from Cheshire. Lynch broke her own state record in the 200 individual medley.

Here are the top five teams, out of 51 squads which compiled points, as well as individual event champions and their times. Complete results are available here.

TEAMS

1. Cheshire, 428
2. Greenwich, 420
3. Staples, 326
4. Darien, 323.5
5. Weston, 284

EVENTS

• 200 medley relay - Greenwich (Ennis, Lynch, Li, Handali), 1:45.99
• 200 freestyle - Julia Stevens, Cheshire, 1:51.97
• 200 individual medley - Meghan Lynch, Greenwich, 1:59.50
• 50 freestyle - Sophie Murphy, Cheshire, 23.68
• 1 meter diving - Regina Frias, Greenwich, 504.25
• 100 butterfly - Hannah Seward, Ridgefield, 55.50
• 100 freestyle - Sophie Murphy, Cheshire, 51.08
• 500 freestyle - Julia Stevens, Cheshire, 4:59.55
• 200 freestyle relay - Darien (Punishill, Bradbury, Ferranto, Luecke), 1:36.72
• 100 backstroke - Esme Hunter, Staples, 56.16
• 100 breaststroke - Lauren alsh, Trumbull, 1:01.96
• 400 freestyle relay - Greenwich (Liu, Li, Lynch, Handali), 3:32.14