Submitted by Ed Bland
The air was almost as thick as the water on Saturday morning when The Wedgewood Club of Bedford raced against the neighboring Heritage Pool and Racquet Club of Concord in their first home meet of the season.
More than 100 male and female swimmers competed in more than 50 swim and dive events, ranging from the 12-yard freestyle to the 100-yard individual medley, an event that encompasses all four swimming strokes. The youngest of the swimmers will enter kindergarten this fall, while the oldest swimmers are approaching their high school graduation.
The day’s highlight was Luke Brady’s first-place finish in the 10 and under 100 IM, which broke the pool record.
Other first place finishers from Wedgewood included:
- Gabe Favalora in the boys’ 13-14 100-yard IM
- Matsen Spirn in the boys’ 15-17 100-yard IM
- Patti Legge in the girls’ 6-and-under 12-yard freestyle
- Drew Chaplin in the boys’ 7-8 25-yard butterfly
- Felicity Baron in the 11-12 50-yard butterfly
- Molly Lynch in the girls’ 7-8 25-yard backstroke
- Connor Bland in the boys’ 7-8 25-yard breaststroke
- Madigan Fratello in the female under-6 12-yard backstroke
- Henrik Muelhoefer in the boys’ 11-12 50-yard breaststroke
- Lucy Scoville in the girls’ 13-14 50-yard breaststroke
- Matsen Spirn in the boys’ 15-17 50-yard breaststroke
- Jack Lynch in the boys’ 11-12 50-yard freestyle
- Grace Weisz in the girls’ 15-17 100-yard freestyle
- Ben Campbell in the boys’ 11-12 50-yard backstroke
- Boden Spirn in the boys’ 15-17 50-yard backstroke
- Pavitra Sharma in the mixed 10 and under one-meter dive
- Grace Collins in the mixed 11-12 one-meter dive
- Sophia Demeo in the mixed 13-14 one-meter dive
- Taelor Nichols in the mixed 15-17 one-meter dive.
Julia Doucet is Director of Aquatics at Wedgewood. She swam for the club from age five to 17. This is her ninth year as coach.
“The kids have made such improvements over the summer,” said Doucet. “They are swimming faster and their technique has improved. I’m very pleased with their performance.”
The Wedgewood team is led by veteran swimmers and coaches such as Katie Dillon and Zach Wirth.
“We’ve seen a lot of progress from every swimmer,” said Wirth, who placed second in the boys’ 15-17 100-yard freestyle and fourth in the boys’ 15-17 50-yard butterfly. This is Wirth’s 10th year swimming for Wedgewood.
Wedgewood’s first meet of the season was on July 10 at the Wayland Swim and Tennis Club. The team had a number of first-place finishes, including:
- Gabe Favalora in the boys’ 13-14 100 IM and the 50 butterfly
- Tegan Spirn in the girls’ 11-12 50 breast and 50 back
- Amalia Ayres in the girls’ 9-10 freestyle
- Corinne Brandt in the girls’ 25 backstroke
- Addison Farb in the girls’ 9-10 25 backstroke
- Delaney Bertos in the girls’ 13-14 backstroke
- Grace Collins in the mixed 11-12 one-meter dive
- Taelor Nichols in the mixed 15-17 one-meter dive
Wedgewood, located near the intersection of Brooksbie and Page roads in Bedford, is a member-owned, summer-only club that boasts three outdoor pools, six tennis courts, and expansive open space for members to play basketball, tetherball, gaga ball, and other outdoor activities. The club opened in May 1960.
Wedgewood’s next meet is Wednesday, July 19 against the Swimming All-Stars at home.
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