After BCC meet, it's off to state sectionals for swim team
The Nantucket boys finished second overall and the girls fifth overall in last weekend's Bay Colony Conference championships at New Bedford.

Diver Tiffany Lee scored 133.8 with this dive against Taunton Monday.

The Whalers competed against seven other schools in the competition.

Harrison O'Rourke finished first in the 50 yard freestyle and the 100 yard freestyle, while Beau Garufifinished first in the 100-yard breaststroke. Other notable boys' performances included a second place finish in the 400 yard freestyle relay event, a second place finish for Trevor Lockley in the 100 yard backstroke, and a third place finish for Hunter Burnham in the 200 yard freestyle.

For the girls, the team of Ashley Martin, Meaghan Lynch, Haley Cabre and Ainsley Ellis finished fourth in the 200 yard freestyle relay. Ellis took second place in the 100 yard backstroke and 200-yard freestyle, and the team of Martin, Jesse Lang, Cabre and Ellis finished second in the 400 yard freestyle relay.

Girls earn second win of season

The teams returned to Nantucket for a makeup meet with Taunton Monday afternoon, with the girls rallying to take their second win of the season, 90- 77. "It came down to the last few events," said head coach Jim Pignato.

Justine Paradis shattered her own school record in diving, racking up 195.80 points and besting her previous record of 178.

Ainsley Ellis and Katie McInerney finished first and second in the 200 yard freestyle; Ashley Martin took first in the 50 yard freestyle; Meaghan Lynch finished first in the 500 yard freestyle; Ellis took first in the 100 yard backstroke; and the Whalers also finished first in the 200 and 400 yard relays.

On the boys side, Hunter Burnham qualified for this weekend's state sectionals in the 200-yard freestyle with a time of 2:00.22. The boys took eight events to handily dispatch Taunton, 50-17.

Five girls and five boys will compete in this weekend's state sectionals at MIT. Ainsley Ellis, Ashley Martin, Justine Paradis, Haley Cabre and Meaghan Lynch will represent the girls' team, and Hunter Burnham, Beau Garufi, Harrison O'Rourke, Jeremy Schneider and Will Martin the boys.

"The post-season is looking very good," coach Pignato said. "This is the greatest number of swimmers, overall, that we've sent to the sectionals in a while."

Based on their performances in the sectionals, swimmers can qualify for next weekend's state finals, but Ellis, Garufiand Harrison have already notched finals-qualifying swims.

- Steve Sheppard