The Guilford girls’ swimming and diving team put together a top-notch performance when the Grizzlies competed in the Class M State Championship last week. Guilford finished in third place out of 21 teams by scoring 441 points when the state meet took place at Cornerstone Aquatic Center in West Hartford on Nov. 16. Guilford was only four points behind runner-up North Haven (445) for second place.

All three of Guilford’s relay finished in the top five at the Class M State Championship. The Grizzles’ 200-yard freestyle relay of sophomore Sorina Cheng, junior Charlotte Martocci, junior Grace Young, and freshman Isabel Torello turned in the best showing by taking third place with a time of 1:44.49.

Guilford’s 400 freestyle relay of Torello, freshman Kate Young, Martocci, and senior Brynn Leslie came in fourth place (3:54.04). The 200 medley relay of Cheng, junior Rylan Jacobson, Grace Young, and Kate Young finished in fifth place (1:55.55).

Grace Young finished fourth in the 100 freestyle (56.43) and also placed ninth in the 100 breaststroke (1:10.64) at the state meet. Torello finished fifth in the 500 freestyle (5:33.25) and took sixth for the 200 freestyle (2:02.90). Cheng finished sixth in the 200 individual medley (2:21.68) and was seventh in the 100 backstroke (1:03.84) for Guilford.

Leslie finished ninth in the 500 freestyle (5:43.95) and took 10th place in the 200 freestyle (2:06.67). Kate Young finished 11th in the 100 freestyle (58.09) and placed 13th in the 50 freestyle (26.56). Martocci took 11th place in the 200 freestyle (2:07.19) and finished 14th in the 100 freestyle (58.59) for the Grizzlies.

Jacobson finished 13th in the 100 breaststroke (1:12.33) and came in 18th place for the 200 IM (2:25.93). Freshman Evelyn Bertolini finished in 16th place in the 500 freestyle (6:02.30) for Guilford. Senior Natalie Bryan finished 19th in the 100 butterfly (1:07.42).

A few days before the swimming portion of states took place, freshman Jordyn Gould competed for Guilford at the Class M Diving State Championship at Sheehan High School on Nov. 11. Gould finished in sixth place by scoring a total of 322.85 points for her 11-dive performance, setting a new school record for diving.

A few days after the Class M meet, Guilford sent its 200 medley relay to compete at the State Open at Cornerstone Aquatic Center on Nov. 21. The Grizzles’ team of Cheng, Jacobson, Grace Young, and Kate Young finished in 19th place with a time of 1:54.43. This performance yielded 12 points that put Guilford in 43rd place at the meet.

—Chris Piccirillo