Mercy High School captures "C" Conference Swim Title in Inaugural Season
By Nelson Coffin
nelson@iaamsports.com
In a season of firsts for Mercy, its inaugural swim team garnered the C Conference championship on Monday at the Loyola University Maryland Fitness and Aquatic Center.
To say that Magic coach Abigail Werner was excited before the match is an understatement.
“I felt like I was waiting for Christmas morning,” Werner said.
After Mercy (408 points) completed an undefeated season by topping Key (323), Catholic (246), Indian Creek (243), Annapolis Area Christian School (179), St. Vincent Pallotti (159), St. Timothy’s (153) and Beth Tfiloh (133), the excitement level ratcheted up several more notches.
“There were a lot of tears,” Werner said. “Everyone is over the moon.”
There were, however, a couple of moments prior to the meet that gave the Magic pause when two swimmers were too ill to participate.
“I started freaking out,” Werner said. “Luckily, we have enough girls with swimming experience who could show us how to handle the pressure. And I told them that we’ve been in worse situations and there was no reason why we couldn’t win the meet if we gave it our all.”
Things began well in the 200-yard medley relay with freshmen Victoria Kurzatkowski, Brooke Mellendick and Emily Kellerman and senior Avery Chambers (2:00.51) beating Catholic juniors Toni Tan and Sofi Torchia, sophomore Emma Niese and freshman Clara Gustafson (2;08.27).
Key made a move behind sophomore Maebelle Stern (2:03.42) in the 200 freestyle, although Mercy freshman Tess Brandenburg (2:11.72) picked up valuable second-place points in the process.
Annapolis Area Christian School junior Rachel Hutchins (2:15.46) prevailed in the 200 individual medley before Kurzatkowski (2:19.25) managed to soften the blow with more runner-up points after a state-cut effort.
When Kellerman (25.27) took the 50 free over AACS sophomore Camille Smith (26.30), Mercy stated to pull away.
The Magic’s winning formula continued when Indian Creek sophomore Lily Swope (58.28) touched the wall first in the 100 butterfly with Kellerman (59.88) next.
After Indian Creek senior Natalie Swope (58.80) edged Smith (1:00.44) in the 100 free, yet another Mercy freshman, Sara Waldt (5:45.39), was second to Stern (5:27.30) in the grueling 500 free.
“Once we got through the 50 free, we thought we were going to have enough points,” Werner said. “By the 500, we started to feel pretty secure.”
When Brandenburg, Kellerman, Mellendick and Waldt (1:47.29) swept to the 200 free relay over Indian Creek’s Swope sisters, junior Irene Goldstein and sophomore Maia Riley (1:55.78), the Magic were really on their way.
Lily Swope (59.48) shaded Kurzatkowski (1:00.60) in the 100 backstroke before Hutchins (1:11.11) slipped past St. Vincent Pallotti junior Elizabeth Austin (1:12.41) in the 100 breaststroke, leading to Mercy’s final salvo in the 400 free relay.
Kurzatkowski, sophomore Eva Puleo, Waldt and Brandenburg (4:06.64) did the work in the victory over Key juniors Chloe McCarthy and Ellie Navarro-Monzo and sophomores Stern and Ava Santin (4:30.40).
Mercy’s balance carried the day, Werner said.
“We had a handful of firsts and a lot of seconds through sixes,” she said. “Everyone contributed at least one point.”