OWEGO – A team without a single senior, a team with a new varsity head coach, a team that held over a .500 regular season record and sent nine girls to the finals of the Section IV Class B championship.
Norwich concluded their postseason – and therefore their 2016 fall season – on a very high note.
“No big surprises. This was a building year. We needed to lay the foundation. We went into the season knowing which meets we would win and which ones we would not win, and no amount of finagling the line up was going to change that,” said Norwich head coach Saundra Gantt. “They were tired all season, and they all swam
faster at the end of the season. It was a successful championship meet and season.”
Prior to the nine Tornado athletes advancing to the finals in Owego on Nov. 5; the Tornado girls first had to travel to Waverly for the preliminary round of sectionals on Nov. 2.
The Tornado swimmers ripped through their competition during the preliminary rounds; taking a total of 96 seconds off their personal best times as a unit, as well as having Maya Blaisure break the Waverly Pool record and Norwich High School record in the 100 Breast stroke – with a time of 1:08.81.
Event 1, 200 yard Medley Relay: Taking the win in the first event was the team of Iris Incitti, Molly Olzinski, Brianna Owen, and Allie Hussar with a time of 1:52.38. Norwich's relay of Melissa Stroh, Maya Blaisure, Maggie Winter, and Lauren Llewellyn claimed a third place spot with their time of 1:58.15.
Event 2, 200 yard Freestyle: Paige Lettera of Chenango Valley claimed the top spot with a time of 1:57.65. Norwich's top swimmer in the event was Emerson Burton who finished in 13th place with a time of 2:19.86.
Event 3, 200 yard IM: Summer Pierce of Owego finished on top with her time of 2:13.22. Blaisure of Norwich raced to a fourth place finish with her time of 2:20.74.
Event 4, 50 Yard Freestyle: Owego claimed another win on the day with Katie Shoen taking the event with her time of 24.47. Margie Winter of Norwich was the highest ranked for the Tornado with her time of 26.30.
Event 6, 100 Yard Butterfly: Pierce of Owego snagged another win for her school with her time of 58.69 – the only sub minute time in the race; however, Winter of Norwich swam a solid 1:06.09 for an eighth place finish.
Event 7, 100 Yard Freestyle: Lettera of CV returned for another win in this event with her stellar time of 55.31. Norwich's top swimmer was Melissa Stroh with her sub minute time of 59.91 placing her 11th.
Event 8, 500 Yard Freestyle: A new CV swimmer emerged in the long distance race, as Kathleen Schultz took the top spot with a time of 5:12.24. Burton of Norwich would hold down the fort with her 14th place finish off a time of 6:21.18.
Event 9, 200 yard Freestyle Relay: CV's relay took the top spot with a time of 1:43.22; as Norwich's relay – Ashton Wenzel, Emerson Burton, Riley Revoir, and Kaitlyn Blaisure – claimed a solid fifth place finish with their time of 1:57.10.
Event 10, 100 Yard Backstroke: Shoen of Owego returned once again for another victory with her time of 1:00.25 for the first place spot. Lauren Llewellyn of Norwich claimed the top spot for the Tornado with her time of 1:10.37 for a 11th place finish.
Event 11, 100 Yard Breaststroke: It was this magical event, where Norwich grabbed the attention of many. Maya Blaisure raced to a first place finish in the event. Blaisure finished with a new school record and pool record time of 1:08.81 – edging out second place finisher Molly Olzinski who had a time of 1:08.96.
Event 12, 400 yard Freestyle Relay: The Warriors of CV claimed one more win on the day to finish out with their relay taking first in the event with a time of 3:44.00. Norwich, feeding off the recent win of Blaisure, raced to a second place finish in the event with their time of 4:00.48. The team consisted of Melissa Stroh, Lauren Llewellyn, Maya Blaisure, and Margie Winter.
With the preliminaries completed, Norwich packed their bags to return home, where they would ready themselves for the upcoming finals on Nov. 5. The following Norwich athletes qualified to advance to the final rounds of the Section IV Class B championships: Melissa Stroh, Maya Blaisure, Margie Winter, Lauren Llewellyn, Emerson Burton, Haley Shattuck, Ashton Wenzel, and Riley Revoir.
Event 1, 200 Medley Relay: In the very first event of the finals Norwich managed an impressive showing, as the relay team of Melissa Stroh, Maya Blaisure, Margie Winter, and Lauren Llewellyn earned a fourth place finish with their time of 1:58.20, .05 slower than their preliminary time. Owego claimed the win with a 1:50.79.
Event 2, 200 Yard Freestyle: Lettera Paige once again returned to the top of the podium for Chenango Valley, with her winning time of 1:58.39, nearly a second slower than her prelim time. Norwich's Emerson Burton and Haley Shattuck raced in the event, taking home a 12th and 16th place finish respectively with times of 2:19.17 (faster than prelim time) and 2:28.81 (slower than prelim time).
Event 3, 200 Yard IM: Summer Pierce of Owego stomped her competition in the event cruising to a sectional win with her time of 2:10.24. However, Norwich's Maya Blaisure snuck her way into a fourth place spot with her time of 2:20.90 (prelim time of 2:20.74).
