By Joyce Erekson
Turns out the New England Patriots weren’t the only team engaged in a “drive for five” this weekends.
The Classical High swim team came into Saturday night’s annual Lynn City Swim Meet at Tech looking to win the champions for the fifth year in a row and like the Patriots, who were going for their fifth Super Bowl win, they did their job..
The Rams, under coach Denise Silva, didn’t need any last second heroics or spectacular catches (Julien Edelman) to get the job done, but the win was sweet just the same. Classical won its last five meets to finish with an 8-3 overall record (6-3 Northeastern Conference).
“It (the city meet) is an absolutely special event,” Silva said. “It’s exciting every year.”
The event is laced with tradition. Each senior (on all three teams, Classical, English and Tech) dives through a hoop for his or her ceremonial last swim and each senior is presented with a flowered Lei. Each team also dumps water dyed with its team color into the pool. Then it’s on to the competition.
Although there were a couple of close races, the Rams, who lost 18 swimmers to graduation last year, defeated English and Tech fairly handily. English only won one dual meet this season and Tech didn’t have any wins.
The Rams were led this season by Sarah Sirois and Alex Pedro, who won the female and male diving awards at the Northeastern Conference meet, and a couple of talented freshmen, Rachel Brennan and Jacob Lang. Sirois and Pedro are captains along with Alaina Gridley, Gabriela Marquez, Eli Bakas and Eric Macorri. The latter four also did well in the city meet.
“The place was jam packed with parents, alumni and supporters and administrators from each of the three teams,” Silva said. “There were probably close to 100 student-athletes between the three of us.”
Sirois (270.69 points) and Pedro (221.25) went one-two in one-meter diving with English’s Hannah Trahant taking third ((182.95).
Classical won the relays with Harrison Seitz, Eric Macorri, Rachel Brennan and Alex Pedro) taking the 200-yard medley relay and Carly Mendonca, Rachel Brennan, Noah Corbishley and Jacob Lang taking the 400-free relay. Pedro, Seitz, Macorri and Lang won the 200-free relay for the Rams (1:46.58) and the Rams’ Mendonca, Gabriela Marquez, John Otalvaro and Bakas took second English’s Moorehouse, Emma Trahant, Hanna Trahant and Shanel Turransky took third (1:59.7).
In other events, Lang (2:09.91) and Mendonca went one-two in the 200 free with Trahant taking third.
Macorri won the 200 individual medley (2:12.82) for the Rams. English’ Peter Phelan took second (2:25.20) and Classical’s Brennan, third (2:33.57).
Pedro won the 50 free for the Rams (26.06), Bakas took second (27.29) and English’s Klylie Moorehouse, third (30.29).
Classical’s Carly Mendonca won the 100 butterfly (1:06.32) with Phelan taking second for English (1:11.09). Brennan finished third (1:11.09). Seitz won the 100 free for Classical (59.03) followed by Bakas (1:03.31) t and English’s Emma Trahant finishing third (1:04.25).
English’s Zuffante picked up the Bulldogs’ lone first in the 100 backstroke (1:12.45) with Zeittz, second and Turransky, third (with English, third. Macorri won the breaststroke with Devin Curley of Lynn finishing second and Gredley, third (1:29.17).
Classical’s Lang won the 500 free (5:42.82); Caroline Zuffante of English took second (6:02.07) and Gridley from Classical, third (7:03.78).