BAYSIDE STINGRAYS SWIM TEAM BESTS CRANSTON

In a November 16 meet against the Cranston YMCA Blue Marlins, the Stingrays won their second dual meet of the year, with a final score of Bayside 412- Cranston 332.  The Cranston meet was the first home meet of the year, the first meet in the new Bayside YMCA pool, and the first victory over the Cranston team in the last 5 years.   

Coaches Ray and Jen Baker and Ryan Gorham were thrilled to see the participation of 105 of the teams’ 139 swimmers, many of them new to the team this year.  There were many great swims at the meet with several new pool records set (anyone who won their event set a new pool record!!)

A number of swimmers qualified for the 2014 New England YMCA Swimming Championships, including Kristen Baker in 25 free and 25 fly; Melanie Baker in 50 breaststroke; Ethan O’Connor in 50, 100, and 200 free, 50 and 100 back, 50 breast, 50 fly and 200 IM; Jeffrey Tran in 50 free, 100 back, and 100 fly; and Bryan Tran in 50 Free. 

Special recognition goes to many swimmers with significant time drops: Stella Alexandre, Annie Nadich and Emily Baker dropped over 10 seconds in their 200 free.  Harry Martin dropped 11 seconds in the 200 IM. Megan Connors and Laura Deal dropped 6 seconds and 5 seconds respectively in 50 free.  Alex Muller dropped 5 seconds in 25 fly, Ellie Wind 7 seconds in 50 fly, and Katie Wind 7 seconds in 100 fly. Ben McDermott dropped 6 seconds in 50 free, Meghan Coyne and Julia DeRiso 8 seconds in 100 free, and Jacob Milman 10 seconds in 100 free.  Andrew Mungovan dropped 10 seconds in 100 back and Brooke Galbraith almost 10 seconds in 100 breast.

Congratulations also go out to Jeff Tran and Ethan O’Connor for breaking a number of long standing team records in the first few meets of this season. Jeff Tran broke the 13-14-year-old record for the 100 back by swimming a 1:01.61 in the USA/Seacoast meet on November 16th. The previous record was set by Chris Giglio in 1984 with a time of 1:01.69.   Ethan O’Connor also broke 5 long standing 11-12 year old age group team records.  The 50 free, set by Chris Giglio in 1984 of 25.90 was broken by Ethan at the USA/Seacoast meet on November 16, with a time of 25.69. The 100 free record of 58.10, set by Chris Giglio in 1984, was broken by Ethan at the USA/Seacoast meet with a time of 56.91.   Ethan broke the 200 free record of 2:04.90 set by Chris Giglio in 1984 at the USA/Seacoast meet with a time of 2:04.44.   The 500 free record, also set by Chris Giglio in 1984 of 5:48.50, was broken by Ethan at the Freestyle Frenzy on November 4 with a time of 5:45.96.  The 50 fly set by John Miniati in 1984 of 29.20 was broken by Ethan at the USA/Seacoast meet with a time of 27.95.   Ethan also broke his own March of 2013 record of 1:06.96 in the 100 back, with a time of 1:01.86.