L-S Boys Swim Team Too Much for Waltham and Bedford

The Lincoln-Sudbury boys swim team was on the road last week, first on Monday at Bentley University to compete against Waltham, then on Thursday at  Shawsheen Regional Technical High School to compete against Bedford. The Warriors won both meets.

Against the Waltham Hawks, L-S showed its talent and diversity in the pool. The Warriors placed first and second in the opening medley relay races. Coming in first was the team of brothers Dylan (back) and Taylor Brown (breaststroke), followed by Ricky Billig (butterfly) and Andrei Ritikin (freestyle), with the time of 1:55.47. Coming in second place was the relay team of Chris Knightly (back), Jake Hogan (breast), Chris Wilkins (butterfly) and Joe Merullo (freestyle), with the time of 1:56.29.  

Ryan Fleming, Hogan and Jack Walker swept the 200-yard freestyle race. Tom Edwards, Ryan Kenney and Billig also swept the 200-yard IM. Edwards qualified for the state meet with the time of 2:11.39.  

Merullo placed first in the 50-yard freestyle with the time of 23.85. Andrei Ritikin and Chris Knightly placed fourth and fifth, respectively.

The diving competition ran concurrent to the swimming competition. L-S diver Tom Novick won followed by Scott and Kevin Henderson. The 100-yard butterfly race was won handily by Fleming with a great time of 56.77. Sam Mackie followed, then Chris Wilkins, capturing second and third place, respectively.  

The 100-yard freestyle race was won by Edwards with a state qualifying time of 51.72, following was the Brown twins placing second and third. Mackie swam the grueling 500-yard freestyle race with a state qualifying time of 5:11.29. Billig placed second and Jack Hurley placed fourth.  

The 200-yard freestyle relay proved to be a close first- and second-place finish with L-S taking both spots. Freshmen ruled the 100-yard backstroke race. Knightly won (1:04.39), while Wilkins placed second (1:06.01). L-S took the top four spots in the 100-yard breastroke by Bryan Johnson (1:06.08), Merullo (1:09.38), Kenney ( 1:10.18) and Hogan (1:12.49).  

The final event of the day was the 400-yard freestyle race which was a great swim for the team of Mackie, Edwards, Fleming and Johnson, who won the event.

Three days later L-S rode to Billerica to compete against the Bedford Buccaneers. L-S won 91-69.  

The medley relay team of Edwards (back), Taylor Brown (breast), Kenney (butterfly) and Knightly (freestyle) swam to win. The 200-yard freestyle event was a sweep for L-S by Fleming, Taylor Brown and Sam Pace.  

Bryan Johnson placed first in the 200 individual medley with a state qualifying time of 2:09.09. Dylan Brown and Andrei Ritikin followed. Mackie and Merullo were strong finishers in the 50 free with the time of 23:06 and 23.86, respectively. Taylor Brown and Alex Yamron were the second- and third-place finishers in the 100-yard butterfly.  

Edwards and Shelly took the first two spots in the 100-yard freestyle. Freshman Nate Thomas swam strong in the 500-yard freestyle race and won the event with the time of 5:35.21. Ritikin placed second in this distance event (5:50.84).  

Billig and Knightly were the first two finishers in the 100-yard backstroke. Kenney turned on the gas in the 100-yard breaststroke and won with a time of 1:08:00, which qualified him for the sectional meet.

The Warriors will travel to Wayland on Tuesday for their first meet in the new Wayland Community Pool.