The recent run of storms has had an effect on high school swimming teams. Waterville Senior High School, for example, just had its second meet of the season when it swam against Erskine Academy on Friday.

If the season had gone according to schedule, Friday’s meet would have been Waterville’s fourth of the season.

“We went almost a month between meets,” Waterville coach Bob Johnston said. “We’ll just pile everything up at the end of the (regular) season.”

The lousy weather meant teams didn’t just lose competition time, they lost practice time, too. With meets to make up in January, that practice time is still hard to come by, Johnston said.

“We’re not practicing as much. We’re not getting workouts in. We’re not working on stuff,” Johnston said.

The Purple Panthers have two meets scheduled for this week. On Tuesday, they’ll swim at Belfast. On Friday, Waterville hosts Cony. Freshman Spencer Jones has been a bright spot for the Panthers, and has already qualified for the state meet in the 100 backstroke and 200 individual medley.

Advertisement

The girls team was hit hard by graduation, but Johnston said he has 10 swimmers who are improving.

“The junior high program kind of helps us and saves us a little bit,” Johnston said.

• • •

While Cony hasn’t lost a meet to the weather, the Rams have seen practice time limited by the storms.

“It devestated our practice schedule,” coach Jon Millett said. “We’ve missed four or five practices.”

Cony freshman Anne Guadalupi is off to a good start. Guadalupi already has three Cony records — in the 100 backstroke, 200 individual medley and the 500 freestyle.

Advertisement

“She’s one of the top swimmers in the state,” Millett said. “She can swim almost every event.”

Guadalupi, who won the Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A cross country title in the fall, has the top time in Class A in the 500 freestyle, according to the most recent results available at maineswimming.wikispaces.com, in 5 minutes, 34.28 seconds.

Guadalupi also is in the top 10 in the 200 individual medley, 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle. Her school record in the 100 backstroke (1:03.39) will likely be among the top in the state this season when the results are updated.

“She’s very coachable,” Millett said. “She makes corrections immediately.”

• • •

Messalonskee junior Kristy Prelgovisk is off to a strong start this season. The defending Kennebec Valley Athletic Conference Class A champ in the 100 butterfly and 100 breaststroke, Prelgovisk is ranked in the top six in the state in four events, according to the most recent results available.

Advertisement

Prelgovisk has the top time in the 100 breaststroke — 1:09.46 in a meet versus Cony on Dec. 20. Prelgovisk is ranked second in the 100 freestyle with a time of 56.16, which she swam against Edward Little on Dec. 10.

Prelgovisk also is ranked fourth in the 100 butterfly (1:01.23) and sixth in the 50 freestyle (26.18).

Messalonskee senior Allison Fischang is ranked second in the 200 freestyle (2:08.20).

Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242

tlazarczyk@centralmaine.comTwitter: @TLazarczykMTM


Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.

Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.