Darien HS Girls Swim & Dive Team Wins Season's First Meet

The following wrap up of the latest meet involving the Darien High School Girls Swim and Dive team is by Claire Hunter:

On Friday, September 20, the Darien High School Girls Swim and Dive team opened its season with a decisive victory over Wilton High School. The Blue Wave placed first in 10 out of 12 events and swept the diving competition, which was held on Tuesday, September 17. The 111 – 75 win was especially sweet for the team’s fourteen seniors as they haven’t beaten the Warriors in a dual meet competition since they were freshmen.

Darien jumped out with the early lead with first-place finishes in the 200 medley relay, 200 free, and 200 IM. The relay team including Meg Erickson, Emma Mansourian, Hope Murray and Natalia Ferranto placed first at 153.55. In the 200 free, Kendall Luecke captured first at 158.66 and Maggie Sedlak finished third at 203.10. In the 200 IM, Erickson placed first (217.80) and Gracie Spataro placed third (220.28).

The 50 free race ended in a two-way tie for first place as Ferranto touched the wall at 25.54 along with a Wilton swimmer. Lexi Punishill finished third at 25.88.

The Blue Wave swept the diving competition as Julia Servas placed first (259.35), Lana Schmidt second (224.70) and Lilly Wurm third (194.90).

Darien extended its lead (50 – 28) in the second half of the meet beginning with the 100 fly in which Murray (101.78) and Sedlak (102.63) took second and third places, respectively.

The Blue Wave dominated the distance freestyle events including the 100 free, 500 free and 200 free relay. In the 100 free, Punishill took first place (57.08) and Sloane Latimer finished in third (57.54). In the 500 free, Luecke captured first place (519.19) and Erickson finished in third (529.53). In the 200 free relay, the foursome of Punishill, Ferranto, Latimer and Luecke captured first place (144.65) and teammates Mae Uniacke, Kelsey Olvany, Sedlak and Lily Bradbury finished in third (149.92).

Darien built its lead to 91 – 49 prior to the final three events. Olivia Golden (102.24) and Mansourian (113.25) both placed second in the 100 back and 100 breast events, respectively.

The Blue Wave added the exclamation point to its victory by capturing first and third places in the 400 free. Erickson, Murray, Latimer and Luecke finished first at 346.72 and teammates Punishill, Sedlak, Spataro and Golden captured third at 355.28.