St. John’s Prep wins third consecutive Div. 1 boys’ swimming state title for

CAMBRIDGE — Winning the Div. 1 state championship is greater than only a purpose firstly of the season for the St. John’s Prep’s boys swimming and diving program.

The program entered Sunday’s championship meet because the two-time reigning champions and had gained 15 of the final 17 titles. Despite having no particular person winners, the robust depth on the roster helped the Eagles rating 193 factors to clinch a three-peat and proceed their dynasty.

“We didn’t have any individual winners, we just had depth in the right places,” Eagles head coach Jeff Fiore stated. “That’s how we’ve managed to win as many as we have. That’s how we do it.”

St. John’s Prep solely had one second-place end, which went to the 200 freestyle relay, as a substitute counting on filling up the leaderboards with a number of swimmers or divers incomes factors in occasions. The Eagles registered factors in 11 of the 12 occasions, together with two divers incomes an important 16 factors that pushed them excessive.

“We owe a ton to our divers today, they really won the meet for us,” Fiore stated. “Before those scores kicked in, it wasn’t in our favor. It’s also those guys who are toward the bottom or outside of the scoring who showed up, had a big swim on the right day and scored us some points.”

Senior Wes Ross a key contributor for the Eagles, completed third within the 200 freestyle and fifth within the 500 freestyle whereas including a second-place end within the 200 freestyle relay and a sixth-place end within the 400 freestyle relay.

Overall, he helped contribute to 90 factors and stated the group was conscious that it will take everybody chipping in so as to add to the trophy case once more.

“It definitely wasn’t a sure thing,” Ross stated. “It probably took until January to figure out where everybody fits in and where everybody does good in getting motivated. It definitely took some work in order to figure out how to lead this team.”

Westford Academy completed second within the meet with 183 factors whereas Minnechaug completed third with 181 factors. Westford Academy’s Aiden Gouldson had notable particular person success, profitable the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and contributing to a first-place end within the 200 medley relay and a second-place end within the 400 freestyle relay.

Still, the depth of St. John’s Prep couldn’t be matched and that led it to the victory and a celebratory soar into the pool with the trophy that has change into a famous custom for this system.

Senior captain Ben Masterson, who was additionally on the 200 freestyle relay and helped contribute 66 factors to the board, mirrored on the victory and stated it was a terrific option to cap his highschool profession.

“I love those guys, these are my brothers,” Masterson stated. “I’m just so grateful and so happy that I could end my career with these guys here. I wouldn’t choose anybody else. This is the perfect ending for me.”