THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, January 10, 2025 Page 13 MVRCS Girls’ Swimming tops defending State Champion Weston, 97-71 By Emily Brennan M ystic Valley Regional Charter School girls’ swimming defeated Weston, the 2024 MIAA D2 State Champions, 97-71, over winter break. With the win, Mystic Valley improved to 4-0 on the season. “This was a phenomenal meet put together by the girls, they came out strong and held their own until the very end,” Head Coach Andrew DiGiacomo said. “They knew they had to show up and swim their best in order to beat a great team like Weston, and they did. This certainly is the biggest win ever for Mystic Valley Girls Swimming.” Kicking off the meet, the Eagles clinched the top spot in the 200 Medley Relay. The team of Sydney Cao, Lucia Antonucci, Isabelle Pennachio and Britney Nayiga finished first with a time of 1:58.01. Brooke Burke, Crystal Tang, Khloe Co and Benitah Mwebaza finished third in 2:07.80. Cao and Mwebaza finished second and third in the 200 Freestyle, finishing with times of 2:13.20 and 2:23.24, respectively. Isabella Cirame swam to a close second-place finish with a 2:18.69 in the 200 individual medley, swimming two lengths of each stroke – butterfly, back, breast and free. Lucia Antonucci was third at 2:23.87. Nayiga triumphed in the 50 free sprint, clocking a season best time of 26.21 for first place followed by Albuquerque in third at 26.40. After the break Pennachio won the 100 butterfly at 1:04.41 Britney Nayiga Lucia Antonucci followed by Klhoe Co in third at 1:08.98, a season best. Cirame followed with a first in the 100 Freestyle at 57.13 followed by Sydney Cao in 4th at 59.68. Mystic Valley took the top spot and earned a season best in the 200 Free Relay led by the team of Lana Albuquerque, Nayiga, Cao and Cirame at 1:44.73. Following in the 100 Backstroke, Pennachio won for the second time at 1:05.25 followed by Burke in third place at 1:10.47 and Co in fourth at 1:10.71. Britney Nayiga won the 100 Breaststroke, for her second victory of the day with a personal best and state cut time of 1:11.46 followed by Antonucci in second place at 1:12.04. The Eagles return to action on Wednesday, Jan. 8 (after press deadline) when they host Northeast. After a meet at Shawsheen on Friday, Jan. 10, the Eagles return home to host Scituate on Saturday, Jan. 18. Mystic Valley Boys Swimming downs reigning State Champion Weston, 98-70 By Emily Brennan T he Mystic Valley Regional Charter School boys swimming team upped its season record to 4-0 over winter break with a 98-70 home victory over perennial powerhouse Weston, the 2024 MIAA D2 State Champions. In the opening event, the 200-yard medley relay, Weston led wire-to-wire to start the meet, with the Eagles earning a second-place finish in the 200 Medley relay. Kyle Nguyen, Christian Antonucci, Thomas Sodeyama-Cardoso and Lucas Freitas turned in at 1:45.24. Nicholas Caballero, Aris Catic, Brandon Wamala and Dylan Phan took third in 1:49.86. The tone of the meet changed in the next event, the 200 Freestyle, where Jayden Anthony led his team to a one, three, four finish – setting the pace with a stellar time of 1:51.96. Lucas Santos followed with a determined fight to the finish, earning third place with a time of 1:56.04. Phan rounded out the top group, securing fourth place with a solid 2:01.75. In the next event, the 200yard individual medley, Thomas Sodeyama-Cardoso touched the wall first at 2:03.82. Antonucci finished third, clocking in at 2:05.22. Anthony earned his second win of the day in the 100 freestyle with a 51.06, a season best. Phan took second place coming in at 53.16. MV took the top two spots in the 100-yard butterfly, with Kevin Sodeyama-Cardoso taking first with 56.27 and Brandon Wamala taking second in a season-best 57.25. In the 500 free, twin brothers Thomas Sodeyama-Cardoso and Kevin Sodeyama-Cardoso finished first and Lucas Santos Coach Andrew DiGiacomo giving the team a pep talk before the meet second at 5:04.82 and 5:14.21, respectively. Eighth-grader Kyle Nguyen shined in the 100 backstroke with a second-place finish, clocking in at 59.85 with Nick Caballero following closely, securing third place for the Eagles with a solid 1:01.86. Wamala wasn’t far behind, delivering a personal best of 1:02.40 to claim fifth place. “I am very happy with how we swam today,” Head Coach Andrew DiGiacomo said. “We had a lot of our younger boys step up, they came prepared to swim their best for the team and we wouldn’t have been able to win today without them.” The Eagles will return to action when they host the Northeast Knights on January 8 (after press deadline). After a meet at Shawsheen on Friday, Jan. 10, the Eagles return home to host Scituate on Saturday, Jan. 18
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