If Catholic Conference power St. John’s Prep wins many more Division 1 swimming and diving state championships, the MIAA might have to consider starting a Super Eight tournament in something other than hockey.
A week after demolishing the field in the North sectional, the Eagles did the same in the state final last night at Harvard’s Blodgett Pool, scoring 233 points to win their fifth straight title. Lincoln-Sudbury was second with 146 points, followed by Minnechaug (119), Lexington (116) and Andover (114).
Prep used its depth early to protect itself against weaker sixth (100 butterfly) and seventh (100 freestyle) events. Sophomore John Bateman’s impressive anchor leg (21.58 seconds) sealed a victory in the meet-opening 200 medley (1 minute, 37.90 seconds) for the Eagles, who swept the relays. "We've never won three relays at states before,” Prep coach Anthony Padvaiskas said. “We only won one individual event, but we always come together as a team.”
Three scorers in the second event (200 free) earned St. John’s 17 more points. A win by Ryan Fortin (1:56.15) and a sixth-place finish by Ethan Sullivan (2:01.75) in the 200 individual medley followed. A third (Bateman, 22.30) and a fifth (Robert Breen, 22.47) in the 50 free gave the Prep a 96-48 lead. “We always believe that you set the tone in the first three events, survive the middle, and then thrive in the 500s and at the back end,” Padvaiskas said.
The Prep scored three times in the 500 free, led by Aaron Athanas (second, 4:48.79). It won the 200 free relay by just five-tenths of a second against BC High. Athanas added a third in the 100 backstroke (54.00), while Fortin collected a second in the 100 breaststroke (59.30). Andover’s Paul Hunter captured the 200 and 100 free, while teammate John Belanger scored a second (50 free) and fourth (100 back).
Lincoln-Sudbury’s Ryan Shelley earned first (505.15 points) and Charlie Maier took second (373.50) in diving.
Minnechaug was fueled by a pair of second-place finishes from Wiktor Karpinski (200 free, 100 free).
Mike Lin led Lexington with a win in the 100 back (52.61) and a sixth in the 100 butterfly.
A week after demolishing the field in the North sectional, the Eagles did the same in the state final last night at Harvard’s Blodgett Pool, scoring 233 points to win their fifth straight title. Lincoln-Sudbury was second with 146 points, followed by Minnechaug (119), Lexington (116) and Andover (114).
Prep used its depth early to protect itself against weaker sixth (100 butterfly) and seventh (100 freestyle) events. Sophomore John Bateman’s impressive anchor leg (21.58 seconds) sealed a victory in the meet-opening 200 medley (1 minute, 37.90 seconds) for the Eagles, who swept the relays. "We've never won three relays at states before,” Prep coach Anthony Padvaiskas said. “We only won one individual event, but we always come together as a team.”
Three scorers in the second event (200 free) earned St. John’s 17 more points. A win by Ryan Fortin (1:56.15) and a sixth-place finish by Ethan Sullivan (2:01.75) in the 200 individual medley followed. A third (Bateman, 22.30) and a fifth (Robert Breen, 22.47) in the 50 free gave the Prep a 96-48 lead. “We always believe that you set the tone in the first three events, survive the middle, and then thrive in the 500s and at the back end,” Padvaiskas said.
The Prep scored three times in the 500 free, led by Aaron Athanas (second, 4:48.79). It won the 200 free relay by just five-tenths of a second against BC High. Athanas added a third in the 100 backstroke (54.00), while Fortin collected a second in the 100 breaststroke (59.30). Andover’s Paul Hunter captured the 200 and 100 free, while teammate John Belanger scored a second (50 free) and fourth (100 back).
Lincoln-Sudbury’s Ryan Shelley earned first (505.15 points) and Charlie Maier took second (373.50) in diving.
Minnechaug was fueled by a pair of second-place finishes from Wiktor Karpinski (200 free, 100 free).
Mike Lin led Lexington with a win in the 100 back (52.61) and a sixth in the 100 butterfly.
