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11/16/2016 11:00 PMThe North Haven girls’ swimming and diving team recorded its all-time best showing at a state meet by finishing in fourth place at this week’s Class M State Championship. The Indians posted a total of 446 points to take fourth in the 21-team field and they were just one point behind East Lyme for third place. Brookfield won the meet with 688.5 points, while Lauralton Hall was second with 646.5.
Head Coach Martha Phelan praised her athletes for working tirelessly throughout the season and was pleased to see their non-stop effort pay off with the team’s historic performance at states.
“I am thrilled that this small group of swimmers competed fearlessly and embraced all challenges this season,” said Phelan. “It is rewarding when a team buys into my goals and vision for a successful season.”
The Class M meet kicked off with the Diving Championship at Bulkeley High School on Nov. 9 and freshman Ava Santacroce posted a score of 310 to finish in 10th place. Santacroce’s performance resulted in points for North Haven that carried into the Swimming Championship portion of the competition, which was held at Wesleyan University on Nov. 15.
The Indians had nine athletes swim that night, including freshman Angela Gambardella, who continued her exceptional season by making All-State in two events with a pair of second-place finishes. In the 200-yard individual medley, Gambardella swam a lifetime-best mark of 2:10.70 for second and was just shy of Brookfield freshman Anna Weinstein, who went a 2:10.65. Gambardella came back to claim the runner-up spot in the 100 breaststroke at 1:07.25, only placing behind Foran senior Sarah Fitzgerald (1:06.09). Gambardella had previously made All-Conference by placing third and second, respectively, in the 200 IM and the breaststroke at the SCC Championship.
Senior teammate Lauren Spencer joined Gambardella as an All-State honoree at the Class M meet by swimming a time of 1:01.81 for third place in the 100 backstroke. Spencer also finished fourth in the 500 freestyle at 5:17.72 after making All-SCC in that event a few weeks ago.
Additionally, Spencer and Gambardella teamed up with junior Laura Borrelli and senior Callyn Priebe to place fourth in the 400 freestyle relay with a school record time of 3:44.95. It was the third time this season that North Haven broke the school record in that event. Spencer, Gambardella, Borrelli, and junior Jasmine Nguy finished fourth in the 200 medley relay at 1:53.83.
Going back to the individual events, senior Molly Duffy captured fifth place in the 100 breaststroke with her time of 1:09.46 and she also did a lifetime best of 2:06.29 in the 200 freestyle to take 18th place. Fellow senior Callyn Priebe notched a pair of lifetime-best marks by taking seventh in the 100 freestyle (56.32) and eighth for the 200 IM at 2:16.01.
“I am so proud of this small, but mighty group of seniors and what they have accomplished the past four years representing North Haven High School,” said Coach Phelan. “It is with a touch of sadness that I acknowledge their stellar high school swimming careers and wish them the best of luck in all their future endeavors.”
Additionally for North Haven, Borrelli finished seventh in the 50 freestyle (25.60) and was 12th in the 100 freestyle (57.04), while Nguy placed eighth in the 200 freestyle (2:02.35) and took 12th for the 100 butterfly (1:02.50). Freshman Kiersten Winter placed 19th in the butterfly with a lifetime-best time of 1:06.56 to go with a 16th-place performance in the breaststroke at 1:14.98. Fellow freshman Mackenzie Montesi finished 13th in the 500 freestyle (5:42.04) and placed 21st in the 200 IM with a 2:26.38. Montesi also swam on the Indians’ eighth-place 200 freestyle relay with Nguy, Priebe, and junior Michaela Salvo. The group finished with a time of 1:48.52.
As a result of their performances at the Class M meet, several North Haven athletes qualified for the State Open Championship at Yale University at noon on Saturday, Nov. 19. Gambardella made it in the 200 IM and the breaststroke, Duffy qualified in the breaststroke, Spencer is an alternate for the 500 free, plus the Indians’ 200 medley and 400 freestyle relays also qualified.
From the Sidelines
Two days after states, North Haven held its annual postseason dinner, at which its team awards were presented. Angela Gambardella and Lauren Spencer were named the Indians’ co-Most Valuable Players. Mackenzie Montesi won the Most Improved Player Award, while Laura Borrelli took home the Sportsmanship Award. The Athletes as Allies Diversity Award went to Avery Hill, who will captain North Haven next year with Borrelli, Michaela Salvo, and Jasmine Nguy.