History was made this past weekend as the boys and girls swimming and diving teams won the state championships, a feat that has never been accomplished by both teams in one season.

Last Saturday, for the first time in the history of Wayland boys swimming and diving program, the team won a state title. Ending Weston’s ten year state championship win streak, the Warriors (156 points) were able to hold off heavily favored Bishop Feehan (147), while Weston took third (138).

The stands were filled with Wayland fans for a meet filled with excitement. Bishop Feehan won the 200 yard medley relay, the 200 yard freestyle, the 500 yard freestyle, and the 400 yard freestyle relay. Wayland, whose only (and first ever) individual victory was in the 100 yard breaststroke (sophomore Mike Ren), was carried to victory by their depth. Each swimmer and diver on the team played a role in the win. Winning by only nine points, every point the Warriors received was essential, and they were able to score in every event.

The team had an outstanding season and also won the DCLs for the first time ever, got 4th at sectionals, and set new records. The relay team of Ian Stack (sophomore), Nick Karlson (senior), Brendan Place (senior), and Travis Downs (junior) set a varsity record in the 200 yard freestyle relay this weekend, and Karlson, Place, Mike Surjaputra (senior), and Downs also smashed the varsity record in the 400 yard freestyle relay. Sophomore Mike Ren destroyed the varsity record in the 100 yard breaststroke by almost two seconds on Saturday.

“All our accomplishments this season were due to the immense amount of hard work put in by every single member throughout the whole season,” said senior captain Andrew Becker. “Everyone had unbelievable improvements from the beginning assignments, and I’m so proud of where everyone ended up.”

Last Sunday, less than 24 hours after the boys captured the state crown, the girls swimming and diving team completed another perfect season by winning their fourth straight state championship. Wayland was the clear winner with 308 points, while second place went to Weston with 194 points.

Wayland won the 200 yard medley relay, the 200 yard freestyle relay, and the 400 yard freestyle relay. They also won the 200 yard freestyle (senior captain Olivia Blahut) and the diving (senior captain Kristin Hehir). The girls team scored many of their points by having multiple swimmers place in the top six in many events. They finished 2nd, 3rd, and 4th in the 50 yard freestyle, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th in the 100 yard freestyle, and 2nd, 4th, and 5th in the 100 yard breaststroke.

This season was another unbelievable one for the girls. They went undefeated in the regular season and won DCLs, sectionals, and states. They also broke more than half of the varsity records:

200 yard medley relay – Emily Downs (sophomore), Valerie Eisenson (sophomore), Katie Karlson (senior captain), and Emily Wright (junior).
200 yard freestyle – senior captain Olivia Blahut
50 yard freestyle – junior Emily Wright
100 yard freestyle – sophomore Emily Downs
200 yard freestyle relay – Wright, Downs, Blahut, Michelle Cunningham (sophomore)
100 yard breaststroke – senior captain Katie Karlson
400 yard freestyle relay – Cunningham, Leah Jacques (senior captain), Blahut, Karlson

The 200 yard medley relay was fast enough to be considered for All-American status, and the girl’s 200 yard freestyle relay was fast enough to automatically achieve All-American status. Lincoln-Sudbury broke the nine-year-old state record in the 200 yard freestyle relay last Sunday, but yesterday Wayland blew past their time to establish a new state record by just over a second.

“We are the hardest working team I know and it’s amazing that we keep getting stronger. It has been amazing to win four years in a row, and I can’t think of a group of girls who deserve it more,” said senior captain Leah Jacques.

Photos courtesy of Becker Family