Greenwich High girls swimming team places sixth at CIAC State Open Championships at Yale University

By David Fierro on November 27, 2022 • ( Leave a comment )

Contributed photo: Members of the Greenwich High School girls swimming team gather after competing in the CIAC State Open Swimming Championships last week at Yale University.

This season was a rebuilding one for Greenwich High School’s girls swimming/diving team, since it had numerous athletes competing at the varsity level for the first time. Yet, the Cardinals still managed to produce a successful season, highlighted by a wealth of impressive performances.

Greenwich concluded its 2022 season at the CIAC State Open Championships at Yale University’s historic pool on Nov. 30 and it placed a strong sixth in the team standings out of the 46 teams that competed in the championship meet.

Ridgefield won the State Open team title with a score of 478 points, while Darien was the runner-up (388.5 points). Cheshire finished third in the team standings with a score of 342 points, followed by Glastonbury (320) and Staples (303). Greenwich totaled 281 points for its sixth-place finish. Ridgefield also placed first in the team standings at the FCIAC Championships and the Class LL Championships – winning its first Class LL title. The Cardinals won the State Open, Class LL and FCIAC titles in 2021. Greenwich also placed second in the team standings at the Class LL Championships, recently and finished third at the FCIAC Championships.

“The team did great,” said Greenwich coach Brendan Heller, who completed his second season at the helm. “It was a huge growth year for our team.”

Photo by David Fierro: Sydney Jee of Greenwich, center, had a great junior season for the Cardinals’ swimming team.

In the first event of the State Open Championships – the 200-yard medley relay – Greenwich’s relay team of junior Anabelle Guarnera, junior Sydney Jee, freshman Melissa Geiger and senior Daisy Decker combined for a fourth-place time of 1:49.34. Darien won the 200 medley relay title with a time of 1:47.04.

In the 200-yard freestyle at the State Open, Decker posted an eighth-place finish with a time of 1:55.19. Staples sophomore Annam Olasewere in a State Open record time of 1:48.20. In the 200-yard individual medley, Jee earned an eight-place finish for GHS, registering a time of 2:10.68. Cheshire’s Julia Barto, a junior, captured the first-place medal in 2:03.05.

Decker gave Greenwich a seventh-place finish at the State Open in the 500 freestyle, clocking in at 5:11.24. Hall’s Meghan Tiernan was the race’s champion (4:58.17).

Photo by David Fierro: Daisy Decker produced an outstanding senior season for Greenwich’s swimming team.

Jee earned the fifth-place medal at the Open in the 100-yard breaststroke, touching the wall in 1:07.08. Ridgefield sophomore Riley McGerald posted a winning time of 1:05.76.

The Cardinals ended the State Open by placing sixth in the 400 freestyle relay. Freshman Wesley Wales, Decker, freshman Melissa Geiger and Guarnera combined for a time of 3:34.13. Ridgefield claimed the 400 freestyle State Open title.

“The seniors went out having their best seasons,” Heller said of his team. “And the underclassmen all what we need to do to be successful. We will be back!”