BRUNSWICK, Maine — The quickest event of Monday’s Class B state swimming and diving state championships may also have been the loudest.
Morse’s Ann Tolan captured a 50-yard freestyle state record in front of an electric crowd at Bowdoin College as the Shipbuilders went on to take fifth place overall with 177 points.
Greely of Cumberland took the crown with 321 points, followed by Cape Elizabeth in second with 314 points. Kennebunk came in third place with 222 points, and Mount Desert Island finished just two points ahead of Morse in fourth.
“They did great,” Morse coach Todd Marco said of his team. “We had best times and everybody kind of stepped it up some. Brittany Kaler really moved up in her event, and Ella Martin moved up in her event, so it was an all-around good day.”
Tolan’s 50 free time of 23.39 betters the state record previously held by Leila Johnson (23.56) and marks a meet record.
“It’s a really great feeling,” Tolan said. “I’ve had the goal set all year. Going into today, I wasn’t really thinking about the time, I was just thinking about my swim. Thinking about what I could control. Things I couldn’t control, I tried not to worry about. I’m extremely happy.”
Tolan also dominated the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 51.49, less than a second off of the Johnson state record of 51.02 and almost four seconds faster than Cape Elizabeth’s Alicia Lawrence (55.14).
“Her motivation is just great,” Marco said of Tolan. “Her drive is unbelievable. She just has great drive.”
Greely used its strong depth to capture the state title as the Rangers scored points in 11 of the 12 events, including three places each in the 200 freestyle and 50 free, four in the 100 free and two each in the 100 butterfly, 500 free and 100 breaststroke.
The 200-yard free relay team of Camilla Civiello, Katie Bacall, Courtney Rog and Lily Black gave the Rangers their only first-place finish, and Hwanhee Park finished second in the 100 fly and third in the 100 breaststroke.
Kennebunk was led by Emma Patterson, who placed first in all three 1-meter diving events, with total scores of 343.20, 240.85 and 153.20. Marshall Lowery gave the Rams their lone first-place finish in a swimming event, taking the top spot in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:09.42. Britta Brown (2.26.02) also medaled by finishing eighth in the event.
“We’re definitely well-rounded,” Kennebunk coach Andrew Coulombe said. “The IM in particular is one of our stronger events as a team, which definitely shows our versatility.”
Lydia DaCorte headlined the meet for Mount Desert Island, taking two first-place finishes in the 100 fly (57.55) and 500 free (5:05.68.). Her 500 free time is a meet record.
DaCorte also was a part of two fourth-place finishing relay teams. For the first, the 200 medley relay, she teamed up with Mary Ellen Sharp, Aubrie Boyce and Eliza Schleif and produced a time of 1:56.01. DaCorte and Schleif, along with Maddie Woodworth and Anna Naggert, were also in the 400 free relay to close out the meet, finishing with a time of 3:48.86.
Old Town diver Kassidy Harriman recorded a second-place finish with 304.5 points.
Boyce also swam in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.09) and 100 fly (1:03.69), where she finished fourth and eighth, respectively.
Foxcroft Academy finished seventh overall with 144 points, 16 behind Yarmouth in sixth place.
Leading the way was sophomore Jenna Clukey, who finished third in the 200 free (2:02.57) and sixth in the 100 fly (1:02.36). Senior Avery Carroll finished fourth in the 200 IM (2:18.64).
The pair, along with Gabie Johnson and Alice Russo, also finished third in the 200 medley relay with a time of 1:46.71.
Rounding out the top 10 of 22 scoring teams, John Bapst of Bangor (120) took eighth and Ellsworth (107) finished ninth. Tenth place went to Camden Hills (101).