Wreckers Splash Two Foes to Open the Season

 

By Justine Seligson

The Staples boys swimming and diving team began the season with a splash.

Staples opened the season with two home victories, vanquishing Trumbull, 105-73, last Wednesday, and Danbury, 97-73 Friday.

The Wreckers won the first event of the season behind their seniors. Matthew Wisher and captains Joss Abel, David Katter and Kyle Bacon, ruled the 200-meter medley relay with a time of 2:00.58. Junior, Matthew Wetmore won the 200-meter freestyle (2:15.37).

“I have been training very hard.” Wetmore said. “I have been practicing twice a day-before and after school.”

It looks like that intensity sure paid off and not just for him but also for the whole team. Abel triumphed in the 50-meter freestyle (27.07). Sophomore Jonathan Blansfield won the 100-meter butterfly (1:05.01) and 100-meter backstroke (1:06.45).

In the 200-meter freestyle relay, sophomore, Justin Krakoff, junior Marcus Russi, sophomore Christopher Mombello and Wetmore (1:49.34) prevailed. And junior Andrew Cohen was tops on the diving board (105.01).

Two days later, Staples won eight events against Danbury. Blansfied, junior Trevor Locke, Bacon and sophomore Tyler Crowder ruled the 200-medley relay (2:06.73). Abel dominated distance events by triumphing in the 200-free (2:10.30) and 400-meter freestyle (4:40.25). Blansfield continued his winning streak by taking the 200-meter individual medley. (2:22.04). Russi won the 50-free (27.73). Bacon was victorious in the 100-fly (1:05.52). Wisher won the 100-meter freestyle (58.63). Junior Tanner Blank (187.10) won in diving.

Although the Wreckers are 2-0, they shouldn’t get too excited. Coach, Jeffrey Schare said that Trumbull and Danbury are the weaker teams in the league.

But Staples didn’t take it easy in its lanes. “Knowing this going in, we challenged the swimmers to compete in races that are not necessarily their strengths and they responded well,” Schare said.

Abel for example, generally competes in breaststroke and individual medley, but in these meets, he took a turn with the freestyle and excelled. But Schare felt that his swimmers were kind of carefree for the start and not pushing themselves enough.

“We swam a little flat in the opening meet against Trumbull,” Schare said. “After addressing this with the team, and than swimming a great practice on Thursday, we raced with more enthusiasm against Danbury.”

And the team spirit increased drastically on Friday as well.

“The team was especially loud with spirit and the energy seemed to get everyone up for their races,” Schare said.

Overall, Staples is proud to be 2-0 and just wants it to get better.

“The team is definitely excited about winning the first two meets,” Bacon said. “But we know have some important meets coming up after winter break so we will continue to work even harder.”

Reprinted from the Westport News

Holiday Practice Schedule

 

“Big Three” Look to Carry Staples Boys Swimming

By George Albano
Hour Staff Writer

The term “Big Three” has become quite vogue in the sports world lately.

The Celtics won an NBA championship with their Big Three of Pierce, Allen and Garnett. The trio of LeBron, D-Wade and Bosh came up two wins short of doing the same in South Beach last year.

And the Knicks hope they found the third piece of their Big Three the other day.

In high school boys swimming, however, the “Big Three” tag takes on a slightly different meaning.

At Staples High School, for example, the Big Three translates into Nathaniel Boley, Matt Wisher and Jonathan Blansfield.

In Boley, a junior, the Wreckers return the reigning FCIAC and Class LL state champion in the 100 backstroke. He was also the FCIAC runner-up in the 100 freestyle.

“He’s very versatile and can swim anything,” Staples coach Jeffrey Schare said of The Hour’s 2011 All-Area MVP. “Nathaniel is going to swim a lot of different events at a level where he can match up with anyone in the league.”

Meanwhile, Wisher, one of the few seniors on the roster, captured a sixth-place medal in the backstroke at both the FCIAC and state meets.

“He’s also pretty versatile. He can swim the IM, the fly, and he’s a good freestyler,” his coach said. “It’s good to have a guy like Matt Wisher on the team.”

Then there’s Blansfield, who’s only a sophomore and who Schare says “should have a breakout season” after qualifying for the State Open in the 500 freestyle as a freshman.

“By the time the season is over, everyone is going to know his name,” Schare predicted.

But as good as they are, the Wreckers know it’s going to take more than those three if they hope to match or surpass last season’s accomplishments when they finished sixth at the FCIAC Championships, fifth in the Class LL state meet, and ninth at the Open.

That’s why Schare will also be relying on seniors Joss Abel, Kyle Bacon and David Katter in a variety of events.

“One really nice aspect of coaching this team is a lot of guys are well-rounded swimmers, which gives me a lot of flexibility. It makes it fun,” the Wreckers’ ninth-year head coach pointed out. “I can mix up the lineup and keep other schools on their toes because they don’t know what to expect. It adds another dimension.”

Schare is also looking for contributions from a pair of junior divers, Tanner Blank and Andrew Cohen, who need to fill the void left by the graduation of Zach Slater, now diving at Penn State.

“It’s always good to have good divers, especially after we lost Zach,” Schare said of Slater, who was fourth in Class LL last season. “He was dynamite for us.”

As the Wreckers prepare for their season opener on Wednesday against Trumbull, Schare is impressed with the makeup of this year’s Staples swim team.

“The FCIAC is always very competitive,” he said. “We have the best swimming competition in Connecticut. At the State Open, the FCIAC had the top four teams and five of the top six.

“But one thing I’ve noticed early on about our team is these guys are not afraid of the competition. They’re really looking forward to facing some of the traditionally tough teams. They’re ready to take on the challenge.

“This team doesn’t seem phased and hopefully that gives us one leg up at the start of the season.”

Of course, having a “Big Three” to lead the way will also help.

Reprinted from The Hour

Mandatory Practice: December 9th

Also, reminder that code of coducts are due now.

Regards,