The Dolphins had a great showing at the Maine YMCA State Championships last weekend, placing 2nd out of 16 teams. 104 swimmers from the Down East Family YMCA competed against 1,500 swimmers, aged 6 -20, at the meet held at the University of Maine, Orono.
The Bath YMCA, State Champions for more than 20 years in a row, repeated as State Champions with a score of 3,082 points. DEFY scored 2,154 followed by the MDI YMCA with a score of 1,837. DEFY became the only other team, aside from Bath, to score more than 2,000 points in the history of the Championships.
The Dolphins swam incredibly well over the long weekend, scoring 9 individual state championships, 3 relay state championships, 2 new meet records and 8 new team records.
2 meet records: Talor Hamilton 50 free (21.10) & 100 Free (46.97).
8 team records: Talor Hamilton 50 & 100 Free, Cooper Holmes 200 IM (1:58.33) & 100 Breast (59.45), Ava Sealander 100 Fly (1:00.57) & 200 IM (2:13.73), Senior Boys 200 Free Relay Kohl Shaw, Sam Alvarado, Cooper Holmes, Talor Hamilton (1:31.12), Girls 13-14 Medley Relay Sidney Hamilton, Kate Brenner-Simpson, Ava Sealander, Ellie Clarke (1:58.25).
9 individual state champions: Talor Hamilton 50 & 100 Free, Ava Sealander 100 fly & 200 IM, Ellie Clarke 50 free (25.82), Sam Pelletier 200 IM (2:18.52), Cooper Holmes 200 IM, Owen Frank 25 Fly (19.20), Colin Aponte 50 Fly (34.74).
3 relay state champions: 9-10 boys 200 free: Nick Partridge, Ryan Ulichny, Diego Harvey, Colin Aponte (2:23.71). 13-14 Boys 200 Free: Brandon Aponte, Carter Frank, Austin Baron, Camden Holmes (1:38.71). 13-14 Girls 200 Medley Relay: Sidney Hamilton, Kate Brenner-Simpson, Ava Sealander, Ellie Clarke.
Next up for the Dolphins is the Maine Junior Olympics, March 12-15, at the University of Maine, Orono.