Londonderry High School’s swim teams enjoyed a great start to their 2015-16 season at home Friday night, Dec. 11, posting a combined record of 7-2 and some performances that left them feeling quite proud.
The Lady Lancers tallied a 4-1 mark against five opponents while the Lancer guys went 3-1 overall. And coach Chrys Ewen, who leads both LHS teams and is usually quite low-key, let some of her excitement about the Londonderry High efforts bubble to the surface following the busy meet.
“The kids swam well, and it was a great season-opening meet,” she said. “We had several state qualifiers and times that were near or better than ones at the end of the season last year.”
The LHS girls collected a total of four first places and defeated Campbell of Litchfield (134-10), Goffstown (125-40), John Stark Regional of Weare (117-42), and Windham (104-66) quite handily. The Lancer males bested Windham (91-78), Campbell (92-61), and Goffstown (130-10).
GIRLS
Emily Buttafuoco was a huge part in the Lady Lancers’ success, winning the 200-yard freestyle relay as an individual (time of 2 minutes and 9 seconds), taking second on her own in the 100 free, and swimming the anchor legs on her squad’s victorious 200 free relay team (1:52.74) and 400 free relay team (4:09.56).
Her teammates on the first of those relay quartets were Caroline Russell, Allyson Gillespie, and Anna Guchot, and Russell, Gruchot, and Brittaney Brown swam the earlier legs on the 400 team.
Brown also bagged a win by herself in the 100-yard backstroke, doing so in a time of 1:08.68. Gruchot contributed an individual third place in the 100 free.
BOYS
The LHS males didn’t claim any first places, but a slew of seconds and third helped them to their considerable success in this season-opening meet.
Nick Byrne bagged second places in the 200 free and the 500 free, Kyle Mackenzie contributed thirds in the 50 free and the 100 free, Matt Bompastore claimed a second in the 100-yard butterfly, Duncan Van Etten was good for a third in the 100-yard breaststroke, and Mike Weisse snagged third in the 200-yard individual medley.
The hosts also collected third place finishes in the 200 free relay, 400 free relay, and the 200 medley relay.