VERGENNES — The visiting Vergennes Champs swim team rallied on June 27 during the freestyle events to edge the host Middlebury Panthers, 246-235.
The Panthers led after the first round of relays and the butterfly, backstroke and breaststroke events, 161-160, but the Champs earned a 51-39 edge in the free events to take a 211-200 lead into the free relays. The teams then each won five free relays, and the Champs earned an insurmountable 246-221 lead by winning both the 14-and-under boys’ and girls’ events before the Panthers closed the evening out by winning both U-18 relays.
“It was a squeaker, with only a one- to 11-point spread after each set of events until the free relays,” said Panther team organizer Suzanne Snyder.
Katrina Mayer led the Champs by sweeping all four of her U-18 girls’ events, while Carson Hoffman, Emily Rooney and Ezekiel Palmer won two races apiece.
Nora Wootten and Ellie Ross prevailed in three races apiece for Middlebury, while Thomas Denton, Devon Kearns and Max Moulton picked up two wins apiece.
Swimmers scoring points with top-three finishes in individual events on the Thursday evening meet were:
BUTTERFLY
•  U-8 girls: 1. Wootten, M, 20.64; 2. Mischa Yurista, M.
•  U-8 boys: 1. Ian Henderson, V, 28.85.
•  U-10 girls: 1. Anna Rakowski, V, 15.69; 2. Jordan Jewell, V; 3. Ivy Kate Doran, M.
•  U-10 boys: 1. Denton, M, 18.31; 2. Colby Hammond, M; 3. Tyler Jewett, V.
•  U-12 girls: 1. Emily Jewett, V, 37.19; 2. MaryAnn Eastman, M; 3. Leah Croke, V.
•  U-12 boys: 1. Kearns, M, 42.00; 2. Spencer Doran, M.
•  U-14 girls: 1. Moriah Cushing, V, 33.67; 2. Lucy Ursitti, M; 3. Sophie Rippner-Donovan, V.
•  U-14 boys: 1. Ethan Sausville, V, 34.50; 2. Brody King, V; 3. Archie Milligan, M.
•  U-18 girls: 1. Mayer, V, 32.46; 2. Brianna Foley, M; 3. Harriet Milligan, M.
•  U-18 boys: 1. Nick Merrill, M, 28.41; 2. Moulton, M; 3. Joshua Cook, V.
BACKSTROKE
•  U-8 girls: 1. Wootten, M, 22.38; 2. Yurista, M; 3. Frances Eckels, V.
•  U-8 boys: 1. Hoffman, V; 2. Aidan Chance, M; 3. Nate Muzzy, V.
•  U-10 girls: 1. Ross, M, 20.57; 2. Holly Staats, M; 3. Carlisle Brush, V.
•  U-10 boys: 1. Colby Hammond, M; 2. Jewett, V; 3. Owen Connelly, M.
•  U-12 girls: 1. Rooney, V, 38.32; 2. Izzie Olson, M; 3. Eastman, M.
•  U-12 boys: 1. Palmer, V, 39.56; 2. Dylan Rapaport, V.
•  U-14 girls: 1. Ursitti, M, 40.00; 2. Calista Carl, M; 3. Jordan Yandow, V.
•  U-14 boys: 1. Milligan, M, 38.30; 2. Kimball, V; 3. Max Ratti-Bicknell, V.
•  U-18 girls: 1. Mayer, V, 33.15; 2. Foley, M; 3. Reubie Bolton, M.
•  U-18 boys: 1. Cook, V, 36.98.
BREASTSTROKE
•  U-8 girls: 1. Vivi Hammond, M, 25.05; 2. Yurista, M; 3. Channing Brush, V.
•  U-8 boys: 1. Muzzy, V, 24.87; 2. Henderson, V; 3. Chance, M.
•  U-10 girls: 1. Ross, M, 19.91; 2. Rakowski, V; 3. Staats, M.
•  U-10 boys: 1. Will Carpenter, M, 20.50; 2. Fraser Milligan, M; 3. Adam Clark, V.
•  U-12 girls: 1. Megan Tarte, V, 47.89; 2. Emily Steen, V; 3. Grace Tucker, M.
•  U-12 boys: 1. Kearns, M, 22.78; 2. Palmer, V; 3. Rapaport, V.
•  U-14 girls: 1. Sadie Kass, V, 40.53; 2. Cushing, V.
•  U-14 boys: 1. Kimball, V, 38.86; 2. Julian Schmitt, M; 3. Sausville, V.
•  U-18 girls: 1. Mayer, V, 34.43; 2. Bolton, V; 3. Samara Sausville, V.
•  U-18 boys: 1. Moulton, M, 33.62; 2. Merrill, M; 3. Silas Mullin, V.
FREESTYLE
•  U-8 girls: 1. Wootten, M, 17.03; 2. Yurista, M; 3. Eckels, V.
•  U-8 boys: 1. Hoffman, V, 21.50; 2. Henderson, V; 2. Chase, 26.12.
•  U-10 girls: 1. Ross, M, 14.56; 2. Rakowski, V; 3. Jewell, V.
•  U-10 boys: 1. Denton, M, 16.03; 2. Nathan Stone, M; 3. Clark, V.
•  U-12 girls: 1. Rooney, V, 32.06; 2. Croke, V; 3. Eastman, M.
•  U-12 boys: 1. Palmer, V, 32.31; 2. Kearns, M; 3. Robert Kenfield, V.
•  U-14 girls: 1. Cushing, V, 30.75; 2. Carl, M; 3. Rippner-Donovan, V.
•  U-14 boys: 1. King, V, 30.66; 2. Sausville, V; 3. Milligan, M.
•  U-18 girls: 1. Mayer, V, 27.18; 2. Sausville, V; 3. Foley, M.
•  U-18 boys: 1. Moulton, M, 25.87; 2. Merrill, M; 3. Mullin and Cook, V.
Andy Kirkaldy may be reached at [email protected].