Swim team dives into new season

Gallery • 11 Photos

Mila Barry

Josh Priest, Tessa Bushfield, Haley Weed, and Tyler Weed pose for a photo.

The Gloucester Swim and Dive team is having a strong start to their season. 

The team consists of students ranging from 7th to 12th grade that go to Rockport and Gloucester schools, and is led by coaches Laura Dale and Mercedes Lane. They have won two of their five meets this season. 

Two of the most notable meets took place on January 7th against Beverly and January 8th against Salem. Both meets were held at the Cape Ann YMCA, Gloucester’s home pool. 

Beverly has a very strong team, with more swimmers than GHS. The final score was the meet was 102-81, in favor of Beverly. Although Gloucester didn’t get the win, it was a very successful meet. Many swimmers competed in races that they had never swam before, and there was a strong sense of confidence on the pool deck. 

Many swimmers also made cut times for MIAA Sectionals and States competitions. The girls 200 Medley relay, which consisted of 8th grader Madi Moseley, sophomore Caroline McKay, 8th grader Willow Barry, and 7th grader Sarah Fernandes went a time of 2:10.57, qualifying them for sectionals. They were also able to make the sectionals time in the 200 Freestyle relay, going a time of 1:56.02. 

The girls 400 freestyle relay made Sectionals as well, thanks to the hard work of McKay, Mila Barry, Willow Barry, and Moseley (4:21.28). 

Junior captain Sam Groleau made sectionals in the 200 Individual Medley (2:11.01), and States in the 100 backstroke (58:59). 

Sophomore Caroline McKay also made States in the 100 freestyle with a time of 57.16. 

Gloucester fared even better in the Salem meet. Salem is a fairly small team compared to GHS. The meet ended in GHS’s favor, coming out with a score of 104-62. Though most swimmers were worn out from the meet the previous night, they still put in lots of effort to make sure they got the win against Salem. 

No sectional or states times were made at this meet, but it was still a great chance for swimmers to win races. In the 200 IM, freshman Charlie Groleau and McKay took first and second. Other notable swims were from junior Jack Fernandes with first in the 100 butterfly, and first in the 100 breastroke from Groleau. 

With three more meets to go in the season, the team is looking forward to the NEC (Northeastern Conference), which will be held at Saint John’s Prep.