Summer Sports

Rocky Point Club captures ninth straight Fairfield County Swim League title

Photo courtesy of Kyoko Sorensen: Rocky Point Club of Old Greenwich gathers after winning the team title at the Fairfield County Swim League Championships this past Saturday at Roxbury Swim & Tennis Club in Stamford.

Behind a wealth of first-place finishes, impressive swims and terrific times, Rocky Point Club from Old Greenwich was once again, second to none at the swim meet hundreds of young athletes in the county look forward to all season – the Fairfield County Swim League Championships.

From start to finish, the meet, which featured fast times and standout performances, was one to remember for Rocky Point Club, which added another Fairfield County Swim League title to its collection.

Displaying its depth, Rocky Point captured the team title at the FCSL Championships held at Roxbury Swim & Tennis Club on Aug. 6, compiling an eye-opening total of 1,163 points. Host Roxbury Swim Team placed second with 842 points, followed by Waveny Swim Team (641), Shore & Country Club (567.5) and Newfield (525). Greenwich Water Club (515), Innis Arden Golf Club (442), Middlesex (357), Roton Point Association (355.5) and Black Rock Yacht Club (352) rounded out the top 10 clubs in the team standings. Overall, 28 swim clubs competed in last Saturday’s FCSL Championships at sunny Roxbury Swim & Tennis Club.

“We swam a very solid meet,” said veteran Rocky Point swim coach Terry Lowe, who has guided the boys swimming team at Greenwich High School for more than five decades. “We accomplished about everything we hoped for in terms of some of our top swimmers. “Our depth was really a critical thing for us.”

Photo courtesy of Kyoko Sorensen: From left to right: Zoe Sorensen, coach Noreen Haggerty, Patrick Mullen and coach Terry Lowe of Rocky Point Club gather following the team’s victory at the Fairfield County Swim League Championships.

The championship meet began with Rocky Point’s boys 17-under 200-meter short course medley relay team of Henry Wise, Patrick Mullen, James Plavoukos and Jackson Waters combining for a winning time of 2:12.19. In the girls 17-under 200-meter short course medley relay, Vivian Jacoby, Ava Baine, Kensie Worden and Izzie Nassa of Innis Arden posted a first-place finish with a time of 2:22.08.

Vaughn Waters, representing Rocky Point Club, touched the wall first in the boys 8-and-under 25 short course meter butterfly (20.31 seconds). Shepard Jennings of Shorehaven was second (20.38), followed by Michael Lowham (Darien Country Club, 20.65). Linley Charette gave Rocky Point a winning effort in the girls 8-and-under 25 butterfly, clocking in at 17.59. Annabelle Hayes (Silver Spring) was the runner-up in 18.15 seconds, while Parker Schatz of Roxbury placed third (18.39).

In the girls 10-under 25-meter butterfly, Roxbury’s Zadie Schatz took top honors, registering a time of 15.63. Ilivia Broderick finished second (16.15) and Hayden Hines from Roton Point took third (16.25). Brody Michaels of Aspectuck was the boys 10-under 25-meter butterfly champion (15.82) and Rocky Point Club’s Jackson Waters finished second (16.25). Erick Murphey, also representing Rocky Point, was third (17.46), while Charlie Lowham of Darien Country Club was right behind him in fourth (17.52).

Photo by Kyoko Sorensen: From left to right: Hanna Flakstad, Julia Gustaffson and Ellison Charette of Rocky Point Club, gather during the Fairfield County Swim League Championships, a meet Rocky Point won in impressive fashion.

Kaitlyn Knowles (New Canaan Field Club) earned the gold medal in the girls 12-under 50-meter butterfly, posting a time of 32.32 seconds. Jameson Wales (Innis Arden, 32.37) was second, followed by Abigail Burke (Shore & Country Club, 32.81). Charette Alden (Rocky Point) was fourth in 35 seconds.

Roxbury received a first-place finish in the boys 12-under 50-meter butterfly from Matthew Bergner (31.71). Anthony Osadchy (Waveny, 33.90) was second and James Plavoukos (Rocky Point, 34.53) finished third.

“We had some nice surprises,” Lowe said. “It was nice to see a bunch of kids jumping up spots. It was fun to watch to see who picked it up in the finals.”

Alex Sharp of Shore & Country Club finished first in the boys 14-under 50 butterfly with a time of 28.87 and Jake Mercer (Shorehaven) was a blink of an eye behind him in second (28.90). The girls 14-under 50-meter butterfly saw Lauren McCauley from Millbrook Club top the competition (31.09). Julia Gustafsson from Rocky Point turned in a second-place finish in 31.41, while Ainsley Sahrbeck of Riverside Yacht Club placed third (32.21).

“Julia Gustaffson had great swims,” Lowe said. “It was nice to get such good performances from our 14-under swimmers.”

Photo courtesy of Kyoko Sorensen: From left to right: Tessa Murphey, Ava Mendelsohn and Linley Charette of Greenwich’s Rocky Point Club gather at the Fairfield County Swim League Championships. Rocky Point claimed the team title again.

In the boys 17-and-under 50 butterfly, Riley Twiss (Shore & Country Club) claimed the winner’s medal with a time of 26.48. Rocky Point’s Patrick Mullen was a very close second (26.80) and Timmy King (Black Rock Yacht Club, 27.06) finished third. Emily Kalvaitis (Middlesex) earned the first-place medal in the girls 17-under 50-meter butterfly, registering a time of 30.10. Rory Keller from Middlebrook was the runner-up (30.48) and Julia Stidolph (Roton Point) took third (30.93). Zoe Sorensen finished fourth in the race for Rocky Point (31.04).

Photo by Kyoko Sorensen: From left to right: Eric Murphey, Felik Flakstad, Jack Cassidy and Peter Murphey of Rocky Point Club following Rocky Point’s victory at the FCSL Swimming Championships in Stamford.

Declan McCarthy (Greenwich Water Club) produced a winning performance in the 8-under 25-meter breaststroke (22.58), while Shepard Jennings (Shorehaven) was second and Rocky Point Club’s Vaughn Waters was third (24.25). In the girls 8-under 25 breaststroke, Roxbury’s Park Schatz was the winner in 22.60 and Sophia Brady (Black Rock Yacht Club) placed second (23.00). Kathryn Pocock of Roxbury finished with a time of 23.90, good for third place.

Zadie Schatz (Roxbury) won the gold medal in the girls 10-and-under 25-meter breaststroke, touching the wall in 19.06. Vivian Jacoby (Innis Arden) was the runner-up (21.31), while Alexandra Knowles (New Canaan Field Club) finished third in 21.59.

“The top swimmers came from all over the league,” Lowe said. “There were kids winning events from a variety of clubs.”

Will Lenich (Wee Burn) placed first in the 10-under 25-meter breaststroke with a time of 19.72. Weston Picket (Bell Haven, 21.03) and Peter Hendrickson (Middlesex, 22.03) were second and third, respectively. In the boys 12-under 50-meter breaststroke, Connor McMahon (Roxbury) took top honors (36.60) and Rocky Point’s James Plavoukos finished second (39.03).

The girls 12-under 50 breaststroke champion was Greenwich Country Club’s Siena Pierson, who posted a time of 39.66 seconds. Luchi Didodo (Waveny, 40.81) and Victoria Gorzkowicz (Waveny, 40.92) were second and third respectively in the race.

Photo by Kyoko Sorensen: Rocky Point Club’s Luke Mendelsohn reacts during the FCSL Championships.

Wyatt Vitiello (Newfield) captured the first-place medal in the 14-under 50 breaststroke (32.97), while Kensie Worden (Innis Arden, 37.68) took the girls title in the event 14-under event. Emma Stehman (Greenwich Water Club, 37.90) and Hanna Flakstad (Rocky Point, 38.83) were second and third, respectively, in the race.

Aiden Bucaria claimed the 17-under 50 breaststroke title in 30.37, while Patrick Mullen (Rocky Point, 32.10) finished second. Finishing in third for Rocky Point was Luke Mendelsohn (32.47). Samantha Taylor (Shore & Country Club) was first in the 17-under 50 breaststroke (37.70) and Kelly Leahy (Rocky Point) was a close second (37.75). In the boys 10-and-under 100-meter individual medley, Rocky Point received a winning effort from Jackson Waters, who posted a time of 1:19.59. Zadie Schatz (Roxbury) was the girls winner in the event, clocking in at 1:20.43.

Matthew Bergner (1:11.53) and Connor McMahon (1:13.22) were first and second, respectively, for Roxbury in the 12-under 100 IM and Kaitlyn Holmes (New Canaan Field Club, 1:14.32) was the girls 100 IM winner. Julia Gustafsson earned the title for Rocky Point in the 100 14-under IM (1:11.640) and Wyatt Vitiello was the boys winner in the event (1:05.10).

The boys 17-under champion in the 100 IM was Greenwich Water Club’s Aiden Bucaria (1:00.36), while Felix Flakstad was second for Rocky Point (1:02.51). Jack Haley (Waveny) took third (1:02.77), while Patrick Mullen (Rocky Point) and Kristopher Flores (Roton Point) tied for fourth (1:02.99).

Payton Foster earned a winning time of 1:09.36 in the 17-under 100 IM for Greenwich Water Club and Rory Keller (Millbrook) placed second in 1:10.52. Emily Kalvaitis (Middlesex) was third in 1:12.14 and Rocky Point’s Zoe Sorensen finished fourth (1:12.49).

Photo by Kyoko Sorensen: Jackson Waters excelled in numerous events for Rocky Point Club at the FCSL finals.

Finn Dowling (Roxbury, 21.34) and Annabelle Hayes (Silver Spring, 18.21) were the 8-under 25 backstroke FCSL champions. Vivian Jacoby (Innis Arden, 18.39) and Kareen Dodani (Black Rock, 19.07) were the 10-under 25 meter backstroke winners.

In the girls 12-and-under 50 breaststroke, Millbrook’s Dara Cassidy was the winner in 35.77, followed by Izzie Nassa of Innis Arden (36.81). Anthony Osadchy (Waveny, 33.58) and Connor McMahon (Roxbury, 33.63) were the top two finishers in the boys 12-under 50 backstroke. Wyatt Vitiello (Newfield) touched the wall first in the 50 breaststroke (29.78) in the 14-under boys race, while Caitlin Dean topped the competition in the 50-meter backstroke (Riverside Yacht Club, 34.39).

Peter Michalik (Innis Arden, 27.46) was the boys 17-under champion in the 50 backstroke, while Riley Twiss (Shore & Country, 27.64). Rocky Point was paced by Felix Flakstad in the race, as he finished third in 28.70.

Rocky Point received winning performances from Linley Charette in the 25 8-under freestyle (16.78), Jackson Waters in the 10-under freestyle (31.37) and Julia Gustaffson in the 14-under 50 freestyle (28.69). Rocky Point’s Kegan Clark (55.14) and Felix Flakstad (55.18) were third and fourth, respectively, in the 17-under 100 freestyle, which was won by Riley Twiss (Shore & Country, 52.18). Payton Foster won the girls 17-under 100 freestyle in 1:00.71.

Categories: Summer Sports

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