2023 HS swimming guide

By PATRICK O’GRADY

Valley News Correspondent

Published: 02-02-2023 11:57 AM

HANOVER

Coaches: Head swimming Trent Staats (first season as head coach, second on staff); assistant swimming Linda Bedford (eighth season); assistant swimming Sean Utierwyk (fifth season); head diving Carl Renshaw (fifth season).

League: NHIAA Division II.

Last year: Boys were state champions; girls were runners-up.

Returners: Seniors — Jaclyn Hazen (captain), Janina Li (captain), Erica Holmes, Ava Winchester (captain), Mollee Ye, Kieran Artman, Andres Savellano. Juniors — Rosie Keith (captain), Sam Calderwood, Joshua Stearns. Sophomores — Hanae Debo, Tirza Savellano, Elizabeth Staats, Aiden Caulfield, Theo Cook, David Viazmenski, Ella Tullar, Josie Dennis.

Newcomers: Senior — Kiara King. Junior — Skylar Spiro. Sophomores — Taylor Robles, Linda Zhao, Finn Artman, Gabe Clerkin, Gael Popescu, Miles Vogt.

Analysis: After one year as assistant, Staats takes over the head coaching reins from Utierwyk and will look to continue the Bears’ phenomenal success in recent years. The girls aim to be back on top after its string of five straight championships was snapped at last year’s state meet, while boys look to make it two in a row as state champions.

“We have a great corps of seasoned swimmers and divers returning to provide leadership for a bumper crop of new athletes from which we have very high expectations,” Staats said. “The boys team will seek to defend last season's state championship performance. while the girls will seek to move from runner-up to state champions come February's state meet.”

LEBANON

Coach: McKeanna Teevens (third season).

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League: NHIAA Division II.

Last year: Angus Hall qualified for the state meet in the 50- and 100-yard freestyle, and Ellen Wolstenholme swam the 100-yard breaststroke at the state meet.

Returners: Seniors — Sarah Cunningham, Isabella DiRenzo, Angus Hall, Nicholas Lamontagne, Vickie Ni, Ellen Wolstenholme. Juniors — Joseph Gile, Adaa Karanwal. Sophomore — Molly Russell.

Newcomers: Senior — Anna Numme. Freshmen — Georgia Gaffney, Henry Swan.

Analysis: Teevens’ squad is loaded with experience and she is eager to see what they can do.

“It feels great to have started a regular season since Covid,” Teevens said. “Allowing spectators, no masks. Everyone showed up healthy and strong, I hope we can carry that through the season. Majority of the team is experienced and upperclassmen so I'm looking forward to seeing how we compete.”

STEVENS

Coach: Abbey Hudson (fourth season).

League: NHIAA Division II.

Last year: Freshman Sara Gaspard was eighth in the girls 100-yard butterfly and 14th in the 50 free at the state meet.

Returnees: Sophomores — Sara Gaspard, Aubrey Herzog.

Newcomers: Senior — Miriam Bellilli (exchange student). Junior — Olley Casey

Analysis: “The team looks to be shaping up well so far,” Hudson said. “I have hopes that more than one swimmer will qualify for the state championship meet this year. We are a small team but the kids all work hard and try their best and that is the most I can ask for.”

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