![Wayland Historical Society Executive Director Scarlett Hoey explains the history of the Cochituate Gatehouse.
"The exterior is still a nice monument to remember buildings [involved in] water history," Hoey said. "We all drink lots of water, and it's such an important resource that we kind of take for granted nowadays."](https://waylandstudentpress.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/IMG_2024-1200x800.jpg)
On Tuesday, Dec. 16, the boys Wayland Swim and Dive team (1-0-1) tied Weston (1-0-1), with a score of 93-93 in their third home meet of the season. The girls team (0-1) lost to Weston, 88-96.
Swimmers earn points through their individual events and relays, with the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place swimmers getting points for their respective teams. The team with the most points at the end of the meet is the winner. The meet had several standout events, such as the 500 yard freestyle, where freshman Jack Galalis placed first and senior Matthew Tan placed second, scoring key points for the boys team.
“Despite us being projected to lose by 20 points, [we tied],” sophomore diver Cash Bradford said.
According to senior captain Cara Hill, the girls team had strong energy, despite the loss.
“I felt the meet went pretty well overall,” Hill said. “The energy was high, and it was really nice seeing alumni and other Wayland High School students supporting this big meet. Even though we lost, I still feel it was a great start to the season, and it wasn’t a major loss.”
A standout swimmer and diver this meet was sophomore Izzy Irwin. Last year, when Irwin was a freshman, she broke multiple diving records. Although primarily a diver, Irwin competed in the 100-yard breaststroke and swam a time of 1:14, dropping three seconds from her previous time. This time qualified her for states.
“I was most proud of Izzy Irwin,” Hill said. “She went a 1:14 in the 100 breaststroke, which was really impressive since she went a 1:17 at our meet against Grafton. That qualified her for states.”
Hill also noted sophomore Maya Pereira as a key contributor for the girls team, saying she was likely the top scorer after winning the 50 and 100 freestyle.
Senior captain Kevin Jia said he was proud of the team’s overall effort in the meet, highlighting swimmers’ strong performances across multiple events.
“I think the team did very well, and I’m proud of everyone who raced [Tuesday],” Jia said.
Jia also recognized freshman Michael Huang and sophomore Ryan Foley, proud of their racing in the 200 yard individual medley (IM), where they beat Weston swimmers who were expected to finish ahead of them.
Looking ahead, the team wants to continue their undefeated streak from last year, where the boys placed first in the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Division II State Championships.
“[Some goals] for this season are to swim fast and have a good time as a high school swim team,” Jia said.
The season continues on Friday, Dec. 19, with a meet versus Cambridge Rindge & Latin School at home. The full season schedule can be viewed on Arbiter.
