Grey Ghost Girls Rule the Pool at State Championships

Westford Academy can claim a state championship for the Winter 2011-2012 season as the girls’ swimming and diving team earned the Division 1 crown at Harvard University in Cambridge on Sunday.

The Ghosts’ 305 team points easily outpaced Lincoln-Sudbury, who finished in second place with 202 points, one point in front of King Phillip Regional.

Jen Marrkand led the way for individual events, winning the 100 yard freestyle and the 200 yard individual medley.  Kelly Huber also took home an individual state championship for Westford, winning the 100 yard breaststroke in .58 seconds over Alyson Carle of Franklin.

Huber and Marrkand’s individual victories were preceded however by their meet opening triumph in the 200 yard medley relay.

There they joined Tori Weinstock and Courteney Martin with a time of 1:47:97, just under .4 seconds behind their meet record from last year, but nearly three seconds better than second place Minnechaug Regional.

The relay team was also able to close the meet with a win as Martin, Weinstock, Marrkand and Jayne Pilachowski won the 400 yard freestyle relay in 3:36:45, just .02 seconds better than King Phillip Regional’s second place time.

On the boys' side, Brian Poon was able to take home an individual state championship in the 100 yard butterfly. As a team, the Ghosts finished in sixth with 160 points, 228 behind meet champion St. John's.