Photo by Tiffany Xiao/The Choate News
While, as of last weekend, every interscholastic sport had completed numerous times throughout the winter season, Boys’ and Girls Varsity Swimming and Diving, had yet to make an appearance. Since November, the team has practiced for over five weeks. However, due to a series of cancellations related to the Covid-19 Pandemic, Saturday marked their first competition in almost two years. Although the team would ultimately fall short to Deerfield Academy, it is well positioned for a successful, albeit shortened, season.
Choate started the meet with a strong first place finish from Martha Chessen ’22, Maggie McCabe ’22, Mealy Cronin ’23, and Victoria Layden ’24 in the Girls’ 200 Medley Relay. Deerfield’s conditioning and experience was displayed in the school’s depth in the Boys’ and Girls’ 200 freestyle, but Kaya Tray ’24 was able to out touch an opponent swimmer by three tenths of a second to win the 200 IM. Going into Diving, both teams were down, but Catherine Cronin ’23 and Gretchen Russell ’22 placed first and second, respectively, giving a Choate a slight edge. The Boys’ team had divers who placed 2nd and 3rd in Diving.
Following a series of respectable swims across the board in the 500 free, 100 back, and 100 breast, both teams were neck and neck heading into the 400 free relay — the final event of the meet. Although Choate would put up a strong effort, Deerfield was able to perform better. Despite a 95-90 loss for the Girls’ and a 99-86 loss for the Boys’, the team nevertheless had some major takeaways. Finn Lutton ’23, who had never swam competitively, before this season said, “It was super exciting to see all the energy and passion the team brought to the meet. I was pretty nervous going into the meet but was calmed when I saw that everyone was cheering for one another.”
