Norwich uses tough losses to prepare for Section IV Championship meet
NORWICH – After starting the season off with an undefeated record, the Norwich swim team has lost three straight meets. However, those meets have been close in score and against some of the top teams in Section IV.
Tuesday night, the Lady Purple Tornado swam against Maine-Endwell and lost in a close one, 99-84. Norwich gave the Spartans 13 points in the diving event as the Tornado have no divers on the team.
“The girls did a really great job in this meet,” said Tornado head coach Saundra Gantt. “We had them until diving and unfortunately, with two of our swimmers sidelined and a few who couldn’t swim in certain events, holes were made in our line-up. That allowed them the win.”
Norwich placed first in six events and had several other races where a swimmer took second. Some of the Norwich girls even had their best times in the events they swam.
The Purple Tornado started off the meet the right way, taking the 200 yard medley relay as Abby Hansen, Kaitlyn Blaisure, Margie Winter and Angela Carlson swam a time of 1:58.05 for first. The finish by the group was over two seconds better the Spartans and the home team was looking to set the tone early.
The first place finishes then went back-and-forth throughout the meet. Maine-Endwell won the 200 yard freestyle event by Norwich’s Haley Shattuck kept her team close by coming in second.
Winter and Hansen helped the home team with a 1-2 finish in the 200 individual medley relay as the senior swimmer touched the wall less than a second earlier than her teammate.
The Tornado’s Blaisure and Carlson then placed 2-3 in the 50 yard freestyle, finishing behind M-E’s Maria Pignatelli.
Winter and Carlson both answered Maine-Endwell’s 13 points won from diving with back-to-back event wins in the 100 yard butterfly and the 100 yard freestyle event. Hansen and Burton also aided in keeping the meet score close as the two went 2-3 in the 500 yard freestyle.
Norwich won the 100 yard backstroke behind the performance of Blaisure, beating out all other swimmers by two seconds. The Purple Tornado then claimed a first-place finish in the 400 yard freestyle relay as Carlson, Hansen, Winter and Blaisure beat out all other teams with a time of 4:03.17 – a time that was 16 second better than the second place team from Maine-Endwell.
“We knew they would give us our best competition this season and we needed it going into sectionals,” said Gantt. “It was nice to see both the of coaches and team nervous as everyone didn’t know how to respond to much of what was happening in the pool. It was an intense meet for sure.”
Norwich swam against Chenango Valley the Friday before and once again had a close meet against the 2018 Section IV Champions. The Lady Tornado lost to the Warriors 87-71.
“It’s always a fun meet racing against Charlie [Frayer]’s team,” said Gantt. “He was a former teammate and coach of mine. He’s doing a great job over there in CV.”
The Norwich team took first in just the 100 yard backstroke, the 100 yard breaststroke and the 400 yard freestyle relay ending the meet with three wins. Haley Shattuck took the win the 100 yard backstroke while it was teammate Riley Revoir placing first in the 100 yard breaststroke.
Aurora Strauch, Julia Llewellyn, Shattuck and Emerson Burton won the final event of the night with a time of 4:27.
“I knew we’d see some great races,” said Gantt. “I am still trying to figure out where everyone’s going in Sectionals so I tried some different things to see what will work best for our chances as a team and as individuals.
“I now look forward to the next couple of weeks of training getting ready for sectionals.”
The Section IV preliminaries will be held on November 6 at Watkins Glen. The finals day is scheduled for Saturday, November 9.
Tuesday night, the Lady Purple Tornado swam against Maine-Endwell and lost in a close one, 99-84. Norwich gave the Spartans 13 points in the diving event as the Tornado have no divers on the team.
“The girls did a really great job in this meet,” said Tornado head coach Saundra Gantt. “We had them until diving and unfortunately, with two of our swimmers sidelined and a few who couldn’t swim in certain events, holes were made in our line-up. That allowed them the win.”
Norwich placed first in six events and had several other races where a swimmer took second. Some of the Norwich girls even had their best times in the events they swam.
The Purple Tornado started off the meet the right way, taking the 200 yard medley relay as Abby Hansen, Kaitlyn Blaisure, Margie Winter and Angela Carlson swam a time of 1:58.05 for first. The finish by the group was over two seconds better the Spartans and the home team was looking to set the tone early.
The first place finishes then went back-and-forth throughout the meet. Maine-Endwell won the 200 yard freestyle event by Norwich’s Haley Shattuck kept her team close by coming in second.
Winter and Hansen helped the home team with a 1-2 finish in the 200 individual medley relay as the senior swimmer touched the wall less than a second earlier than her teammate.
The Tornado’s Blaisure and Carlson then placed 2-3 in the 50 yard freestyle, finishing behind M-E’s Maria Pignatelli.
Winter and Carlson both answered Maine-Endwell’s 13 points won from diving with back-to-back event wins in the 100 yard butterfly and the 100 yard freestyle event. Hansen and Burton also aided in keeping the meet score close as the two went 2-3 in the 500 yard freestyle.
Norwich won the 100 yard backstroke behind the performance of Blaisure, beating out all other swimmers by two seconds. The Purple Tornado then claimed a first-place finish in the 400 yard freestyle relay as Carlson, Hansen, Winter and Blaisure beat out all other teams with a time of 4:03.17 – a time that was 16 second better than the second place team from Maine-Endwell.
“We knew they would give us our best competition this season and we needed it going into sectionals,” said Gantt. “It was nice to see both the of coaches and team nervous as everyone didn’t know how to respond to much of what was happening in the pool. It was an intense meet for sure.”
Norwich swam against Chenango Valley the Friday before and once again had a close meet against the 2018 Section IV Champions. The Lady Tornado lost to the Warriors 87-71.
“It’s always a fun meet racing against Charlie [Frayer]’s team,” said Gantt. “He was a former teammate and coach of mine. He’s doing a great job over there in CV.”
The Norwich team took first in just the 100 yard backstroke, the 100 yard breaststroke and the 400 yard freestyle relay ending the meet with three wins. Haley Shattuck took the win the 100 yard backstroke while it was teammate Riley Revoir placing first in the 100 yard breaststroke.
Aurora Strauch, Julia Llewellyn, Shattuck and Emerson Burton won the final event of the night with a time of 4:27.
“I knew we’d see some great races,” said Gantt. “I am still trying to figure out where everyone’s going in Sectionals so I tried some different things to see what will work best for our chances as a team and as individuals.
“I now look forward to the next couple of weeks of training getting ready for sectionals.”
The Section IV preliminaries will be held on November 6 at Watkins Glen. The finals day is scheduled for Saturday, November 9.
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