Printer Friendly Version - Nighthawks Girls’ Swimming Shows Season-Long Improvements While Overcoming Challenges

Senior Scarlett Russek and the North Haven girls’ swimming and diving team capped off a season of visible improvements by finishing 16th at the Class M State Championships. Photo by Welsey Bunnell/The Courier

The North Haven Nighthawks girls’ swimming and diving team had to learn to adjust to external factors beyond its control this year by not having a home pool for most of 2024. Yet the girls took the experience as a learning tool of how to adapt to sudden shifts in life and swam to marked improvement in the standings this campaign.

At the Class M State Championships on Nov. 12 at Cornerstone, the Nighthawks accumulated 108 points to place 16th out of 19 schools. In reflecting upon the season, Head Coach Ken Pierson explained that he was plenty proud of the girls for staying strong and focused, despite playing the role of nomads for a majority of the campaign.

“Considering we didn't have a pool for most of the season due to a new roof being installed, we did very well. We didn't get in until our Senior Night on Oct. 21, just a few days before SCCs,” said Pierson. “It was a great season and a big improvement from last year where we were 0-9. This season we were 4-9 and were competitive in all our meets.”

In relays, the 200-yard medley relay foursome of seniors Amelia Bautz, Giada Garofalo, freshman Cosma Gregg, and freshman Kelsey Perkins placed 15th in a mark of two minutes and 10.57 seconds. The 400 freestyle relay was 14th with the efforts of Garofalo, Perkins, senior Abigail Lorusso, and Bautz in 4:18.35. Finishing 16th in 2:02.11 was the 200 freestyle grouping in Lorusso, senior Angelina Valentino, senior Scarlett Russek, and junior Andrea Laborde.

Elsewhere, Perkins placed 23rd for the 200 individual medley in a time of two minutes and 40.32 seconds. Moving to the 50 freestyle, Garofalo placed 18th in a mark of 27.1 seconds.

For the diving event, sophomore Riley Mattox nabbed a score of 271.2 to come in 15th. Perkins next finished 23rd in the 100 butterfly with a time totaling a minute and 9.4 seconds. For the 100 backstroke, Garofalo swam to 16th in 1:07.22. Lastly, Gregg placed 23rd for the 100 breaststroke race in one minute and 21.28 seconds.

Pomperaug took home the state crown on the night with a score of 748 points. A distant second place was Brookfield with 506. Completing the top 10 were Wethersfield in third with 490 tallies, fellow SCC program Guilford at fourth (483), East Lyme at fifth with its 373 points, St. Joseph in sixth (279), Lyman Hall following at seventh (270), Masuk placing eighth with 266 points, Windsor Locks seeing ninth (262), and Berlin in 10th (256).

At the SCC Championships two weeks prior on Oct. 30 at Southern Connecticut State University, the Nighthawks placed 13th with 264 points. Amity took home the top spot with a collective tally of 1,426 points.

For the conference meet, the 200 medley relay team in Garofalo, Gregg, Perkins, and Bautz came in 12th in a mark of two minutes and 7.63 seconds. Matching that placement was the 400 freestyle relay with the grouping of Garofalo, Andrea Laborde, Perkins, and Bautz by clocking in at 4:19.13. The 200 freestyle relay race saw North Haven place 14th, with Lorusso, Valentino, Russek, and Laborde collecting a time of 2:01.70.

In the individual event at SCCs, Garofalo came in 13th for the 50 freestyle in 26.70 ticks. Mattox flew her way to 17th for the diving competition with a score of 290.55. Perkins raced to 15th for the 100 butterfly in a minute and 7.04 ticks. Garofalo came in 12th place with her performance in the 100 backstroke in 1:06.42.

Cheshire was runner-up to the Spartans with a score of 1,185 points. Third place went to Guilford with 781, and Hand nabbed 66 points to finish fourth. Rounding out the team standings were Sheehan at fifth (551 points), Lyman Hall in sixth (501), Hamden scoring 478.5 points to finish seventh, Law following right behind them in eighth with 476.5 points, Foran in ninth with 471.5 points, Sacred Heart Academy-East Haven-Cross-Hillhouse in 10th with 391 tallies, and Branford in 11th (355.5). 12th place went to Shelton (290 points), Mercy finished behind the Nighthawks at 14th with 233 points, Lauralton Hall had 224 to come in 15th, and West Haven accumulated 179 points for 16th.

Bautz and Garofalo served as the senior captains for the club this fall. These two super stewards truly showed their talents as athletes and teammates by keeping the girls focused while constantly on the road to various venues. Yet they were stoic, consistent, and kept optimistic vibes through all the miles logged by the Nighthawks.

“The captains were great keeping the team together,” said Pierson. “Not having a pool and practicing with various teams every day was challenging due to the pool being crowded. But it was handled in a positive way by all teams, and it became a positive experience for all teams. It enabled the girls to bond with each other, plus create new friendships with the other teams. We couldn't be more grateful for them.”

The Nighthawks’ roster is comprised of seniors Bautz, Garofalo, Lorusso, Russek, Valentino; juniors Tessa Boisseau, Avery Cullen, Laborde; sophomores Mattox, Mars McCann, Brigette Perez-Carreto, Abigail Ray, Resse Tesla, Kaili Wan; plus freshmen Falak Awais, Payton Erodici, Gregg, Perkins, Else Roosevelt, Anshika Singh, and Destiny Wininger.