Championship season opens for Penobscot Valley Conference swimmers and divers as the boys PVC Championship is set for Friday at Husson University in Bangor. The girls meet will be held Saturday at the University of Maine in Orono.
The Ellsworth Eagles have dominated the Class B boys dual-meet season with performances that rank first in seven individual events excluding relays, according to Class B Maine Principals’ Association rankings.
Led by the talented Talor Hamilton, the Eagles, in addition to their fastest time rankings, consistently have multiple swimmers among the Class B leaders in a variety of events with impressive dual-meet performances from several swimmers, including Cooper Holmes, Camden Holmes and Sam Alvarado.
While based on dual-meet season swimming, the Eagles are the PVC team favorite, but expect exciting racing as Bangor’s Colby Prouty, Old Town’s Nick Gould and Jacob Ketch along with Mount Desert Island’s Liam Sullivan and Pierce DiMauro, will be among those challenging for medals. Kyle Adams of Bangor and MDI’s Bryce DiMauro lead the diving entry.
MDI, winners of the 37th PVC girls meet last year, will defend its title led by Lydia DaCorte and Avalon Kerley. Bangor’s Hannah Wood, Lily Waddell, Rachel Hand and Natalie Fournier provide the Rams, the second-place finisher in 2015, with versatility in multiple events.
Brewer’s McKenna Porter, Ellsworth’s Jessica Cohen and Sidney Hamilton, Foxcroft Academy’s Ellie Clarke, Jenna Clukey and Gabriela Johnson along with Old Town’s Emily Ketch can be expected to lead their teams. In the 1-meter diving, Kassidy Harriman of Old Town, Emma Tomilson of John Bapst, Sarah Danby of Bangor and Chelsea Schroeder of MDI lead a competitive field of divers.
College swim notes
— Josh Williams of Brewer collected a win in the 200-meter backstroke (2 minutes, 10.4 seconds) for Boston College in the Eagles’ recent victory over Providence College.
— On Saturday, the UMaine women dominated the Friars in a convincing 170-111 win in Providence at Providence’s metered pool. The UMaine men, in their loss to the Friars, received wins from Windham’s Nick Sandquist in the 100-meter butterfly (57.0) and in the 200-meter free (1:57) along with a first-place finish from Bangor’s Matt England in the 100-meter back (59.6).
— Racing for Florida State against Auburn University and the University of Wisconsin in the Seminoles’ final dual meet of the season, Mount Desert’s Leila Johnston sped to a 51.7 in the 100-yard free.
— Both the Bates College men’s and women’s teams were recognized by the College Swimming Coaches’ Association as Scholar All-American teams for their academic achievement during the first semester. The Bobcat men recorded a 3.46 GPA and the women a 3.27.