LYNN — The Bulldogs are officially back in the pool after the Lynn English swim team kicked off its season Monday night at the Tech field house.
“We’re all very happy to be getting the chance to have the season,” English swim coach Lisa Trahant said. “Especially for our returning seniors. I have 10 seniors on this team, which is a big year for us. A lot of them have swam with me for four years. Even though it’s all so different, they’re very excited.”
One of those key differences is that all meets are held virtually and swimmers are not actually swimming next to their opponents. Because of that, English may know their own results but they won’t find out if they win until its first opponent of the year — Somerville — swims on Wednesday. But there was still plenty for the Bulldogs to be excited about Monday.
“Everyone has been excited to be back with friends and swimming,” Trahant said. “A lot of kids aren’t in school and haven’t seen each other, so the team bonding has been great right from the start.”
Now that large senior class is getting its chance to finish off their English careers. The Bulldogs, whose team also includes swimmers from Winthrop, will be led by a group of five captains — Ryan Curley, Tyler Kebreau, Alyx Nelson, Carlie Harris and Catherine Zuffante. Cole Story, Conlan Petersen and Kasey Rouse also round out the group of seniors.
“We have 19 swimmers and 10 of them are seniors,” Trahant said. “So it’s a big thing for them to be back in the pool. We had our banquet last year and then everything shut down a week later. A lot of these kids haven’t been doing a sport or anything since.”
As for the results in the pool, 200-yard Medley Relay teams of Rouse, Nelson, Harris and Curley along with another team of Zuffante, Kebreau, Story and Petersen posted times of 2:40.34 and 2:22.40 respectively. Kebreau (3:07.63), Rouse (3:12.50) and Magdalena Polska (3:13.22) competed in the 200 freestyle. Harris was the lone swimmer in the 200 individual medley with a time of 3:20.82, while Story led the way in the 50-yard freestyle with a time of 26.19. Curley ended the 500 freestyle with a time of 9:33.26 and Zuffante posted 1:15.15 in the 100 butterfly. Story had a time of 1:12.97 in the 100 freestyle, Harris led the 100-yard backstroke (1:17.22) and Kebreau finished the 100 breaststroke in 1:33.08.
The relay teams of Eamonn Mchale, Petersen, Nelson and Story (2:14.88) and Curley, Harris, Zuffante and Kebreau (5:29.39) led the way in the 200 and 400 freestyle relays respectively.
“It was definitely a learning experience, but everything ran smoothly,” Trahant said of the first virtual meet. ” I know Carlie Harris said to me that it was weird not having someone next to her swimming. It doesn’t feel right and it was different for her pushing herself without an opponent there.
“But everyone is so excited in the pool,” Trahant said. “It’s been a learning experience for everyone. I thought we looked great and most of all they were having fun out there. That was good to see.”
English now waits for Somerville to swim the meet on Wednesday to find out the results. The Bulldogs take on Malden Thursday (6:30).
