By Christopher Tremblay

The Norwood swim team fielded one of its smallest teams this year, 12 girls and 2 boys, since co-coaches Jen Dwyer and Kate Curtin took over the program. The girls were able to go 4-4 on the season, while the boys didn’t have enough swimmers to actually field a competitive team.

Although there were only 14 athletes taking part for the Mustangs in the pool, Norwood had 7 individual athletes qualify for the post-season in addition to all three of its relay teams; the 200 and 400 freestyle as well as the 200 medley.

Leading the Mustangs in the pool has been eighth grader Samantah Lee, who has taken part in just about every event for Norwood Swim this season. Her specialties are the sprinting freestyle events and has qualified for the post-season in every event except for the 100 backstroke. 

Lee, who will swim the 50 and 100 freestyle in the post-season, captured first place in both events at the Tri-Valley League Championship Meet and holds the Norwood school record in both as well. She has the record in the 50 freestyle with a time of 24.82 and the 100 freestyle at 54.71.

 

Samantha broke the record by a second, which in a sprint event is impressive, especially as only an eighth grader,” Curtin said. “We’re very excited to see what she will be in the future. She should definitely be a factor in the post-season.”

Coming into the season, the coaches knew that the young swimmer was a talented athlete, but going up against girls who were a lot older than she was something that would be tough.

“Her very first meet, we knew that we had something special,” Dwyer said. “It’s going to be exciting to see what she can do in multiple events throughout her career.”

The young swimmer will also take part in two of the three relays Norwood has qualified for in the post-season. 

Caleb Kwon, one of two boys swimming for the Mustangs this season, is also relatively young. As a sophomore this year, he broke the school records in the 100 butterfly (59.31), the 100 backstroke (1:01.89) and the 2 IM (2:13.96). Kwon also holds the Norwood record in the 200 freestyle (2:02.68) which he set last year as a freshman.

“He is another definitely talented athlete,” Curtin said. “This season was a little difficult in terms of his focusing on individual success instead of the success of his team, but the opportunities were there for him.”

Kwon will be swimming in the 2 IM and 100 backstroke in the post-season, and according to Curtin, it’s a big deal as he is the first individual to qualify for the post-season for a Norwood winter team since moving to the TVL.

Senior co-captain Colleen Sisk, who will be attending Division 1 Bryant next year, holds two diving records for Norwood. This year, she scored 249.05 points in 6 dives, and last year in the Sectionals competed in 11 dives scoring 381.8 points. Sisk finished second in the TVL Championship Meet and will be headed into the South Sectionals at MIT as the three seed in her event.

In addition to diving, Sisk has taken on some swimming events for the Mustangs this year since their team is so small.

“She has really helped us out with the relay teams and helped them to qualify for the post-season,” Curtin said. “It speaks to her as a leader; dedicated to her craft, but willing to participate in other events to help the team get points.”

The other co-captain, Bridget Sople, qualified for the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:15.58 and is seeded 10th in the Sectionals. Sople worked on improving her time and focused on her endurance and was able to qualify in Norwood’s last meet.

“As a captain, she too is an integral part of the freestyle relays and the breast stroke in the medley relay,” Dwyer said. “She stepped up and showed her versatility and we relied on her in those events.”

Other Sectional qualifiers for Norwood are senior Shea Larkee, a second-year diver, and sophomores Maddie Sople and Sydney Cochrane; both taking part in all three relays.

Participating in the South Sectionals at MIT in Boston, the Norwood girls’ swimmers placed 11th out of 42 teams by scoring 100 points. All three relays (200-yard medley, 200-yard freestyle and the 400-yard freestyle) all finished in the top 15. Individually, Lee was the Mustangs top finisher with a third-place finish in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 24.83 and was fourth in the 100-yard freestyle with a time of 55.23.

Sisk took home fourth place in the 1-meter diving event with a score of 398.30, breaking her own school record and Larkee was right behind her in fifth place with 382.75 points. Bridget Sople placed fifth in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:13.26.

On the boys side, Kwon placed 18th overall in the 200-yard IM with a time of 2:11.52, breaking his own school record and qualifying for the Division 2 State Tournament. 

Pictured: Caleb Kwon; (left to right) Sydney Cochrane, Samantha Lee, Shea Larkee, Colleen Sisk, Bridget Sople, and Maddie Sople.