Maine’s interscholastic swimmers and divers will race for state championships beginning Saturday with the Class A girls meet at the University of Maine’s Wallace Pool, followed by the Class A boys meet Monday.
Bowdoin College in Brunswick will host the Class B girls Saturday and the B boys Monday.
For the second consecutive year, the championship meets will be swum as timed finals. A year ago, the Maine Principals’ Association abandoned the traditional trials and finals championship format.
Led by Caitlin Tycz, who leads Class A swimmers in seven events including a time of 1 minute, 52.3 seconds in the 200 freestyle, Brunswick will attempt to retain the championship crown won last year.
The Brunswick boys squad also will challenge for the Class A title behind Nate Samson, an elite A swimmer during the dual-meet season recording the fastest times in numerous events, including a 46.5 100-yard free and a 49.9 100 backstroke.
Coach Kevin Haley’s Cheverus of Portland team will defend its 2015 title. Cony has several talented swimmers to put the Rams among the meet’s top teams.
Bangor’s Colby Prouty, who finished the dual-meet season as Class A’s second fastest racer in the 100 breaststroke (58.7) and the 200 individual medley (2:00.8), is expected to race for a medal. Ram diver Kyle Adams, winner of last week’s Penobscot Valley Conference diving title, also is expected to compete for the gold.
At Bowdoin, coach Jim Goodman’s Ellsworth Eagles, a team that dominated the PVCs earlier this week in winning its first championship, enter the Class B meet with a team capable of scoring points from medal finishers as well as from scoring multiple swimmers in all events.
Ellsworth’s Talor Hamilton enters the meet having led Class B swimmers in six events after the dual-meet season. Among his impressive swims was a 46.4 100 free state record set at the PVC meet. Teammate Cooper Holmes is ranked second in Class B behind Hamilton in the 100 butterfly and 100 back. Given their depth, the Eagles are a team capable of scoring multiple swimmers in all events.
Old Town’s Nick Gould and Jacob Ketch, Mount Desert Island’s Liam Sullivan and Pierce DiMauro and Camden Hills’ Kyle Crans and Julian Abaldo are expected to lead their teams in the championship racing. Bryce DeMauro of MDI and Anthony Wardwell of Bucksport can be expected among the leaders in the 1-meter diving.
Ann Tolan of Morse High in Bath also enters the Class B girls meet with an impressive dual-meet resume highlighted by a 23.9 50 free, 59.4 100 butterfly and a 52 100 free. MDI’s Lydia DaCorte and Avalon Kerley, Ellsworth’s Ellie Clark, Foxcroft Academy’s Gabriela Johnson, John Bapst of Bangor’s Laura Skacel and Old Town diver Kassidy Harriman enter the championship after impressive performances at PVCs.
NOTES: Husson University’s swimmers are competing at the University of Rhode Island in the New England Intercollegiate Swimming and Diving Association Championships through Sunday. Leading the Eagles are Grant Gerber, a Husson record holder in five events, and Laura Sarett, a record holder in three events.