WHS swim team tunes up for postseason with solid meet against Kennebunk

By Matt Pascarella

Windham High School’s swimming team competed in one of their final regular season meets against Kennebunk at Saint Joseph’s College on Saturday, Feb. 7. The team is preparing for the Southwestern competitions and the state championships. The Windham boys’ team beat the Rams, 97-37, and the Windham girls’ team put in a very strong effort but lost, 70-22.

Windham sophomore Peter Funk swims the breaststroke 
during one of the final regular season swim meets against 
Kennebunk at Saint Joseph's College on Saturday, Feb. 7.
PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA 

“We talk about elevating the pace in which you race,” said Windham swim coach Peter Small. “We’ve been focusing on technique all year and we’ve seen great time drops. I wanted to see that hunger to race today; have some of the speed things kick in, our turnover rate and we saw it across the board. I feel really good ... and they are responding well to each other racing – they’re lifting each other up even more. They’re responding during meets and they’re responding in practice. Our turns (need work); you can never be as good as you want to be in turns, whether it’s the distance coming in, whether it’s the speed of the hips into the wall, we’re fine tuning a lot of those things along with pacing.”

BOYS

Freshman Thomas Hilmer finished first in the 200-freestyle with a time of 2:24.01 minutes. He also finished first in the 100-backstroke with a 1:13.71 time.

Jacoby Burton, a freshman, finished second in the 200 with a time of 2:37.10 as well as fourth in the 100 with a 1:07.97 time.

Sophomore Peter Funk finished first in the 200 individual medley with a time of 2:12.16. Funk was first in the breaststroke with a 1:12.61 time.

“The team did really well, good morale and swims throughout the team,” said Funk. “We're getting ready to win Southwesterns and I think it'll be close between us and TA. I might be a little biased but I think we should come out with the win. I personally haven't (set a personal record) in anything in a while, but I don’t mind because I still have time.”

Sophomore Lonnie Fitts said everybody has worked hard this season and they’re going to keep going until the end.

GIRLS

Maya Fitts, a junior, finished first in the 500-freestyle with an 8:06.64 time. She was second in the 50-freestyle with a time of 36.35.

“Everyone is improving on how fast they are and their flip turns,” said Fitts. “I think I’m getting faster; I set personal records in the 500-freestyle and the 50-freestyle. Maybe team cheering (needs work). (It is a goal of mine to) qualify for the state championship meet.”

Stephanie Roghelia, a sophomore, finished first with a time of 2:18.93 in the 200-freestyle and first in the 100 with a 1:00.50 time.

“A lot of it is the psychological – having kids believe they can swim faster than they can,” said Small. “The mantra today was I want you to go to a place that’s uncomfortable. Our walls can always get better but letting the kids believe in themselves to go to a place that’s uncomfortable, knowing the payout is on the other side.” <