When you walk into the Staples High School pool you can’t miss the large board to your left highlighting the top ten times in school history for each event with a familiar name F. Driscoll, the head coach of Staples.  You would also notice each team sizing the other up during warm-up.  New Canaan came into the meet undefeated with notches in their belt representing wins over their rival Darien as well as swimming goliath Greenwich.  Staples entered the meet with a simple mission of garnering a win!

 

The meet opened with Staples quartet  Twiss, Hunter, Tarrant, McNab capturing the 200 MR, New Canaan took the 2-3 spots minimizing the sting.  The next event had Nico Ortega swim a blistering 1:58.14 (meters) in the 200 free for an easy win with the time placing him third all time on the big board knocking F. Driscoll to the fourth spot!  Staples went on to win the next event when Dashiell Hunter won the 200IM by posting the second fastest time in school history with a 2:13.60 giving Staples a four-point lead.  A swimmier from New Canaan turned to a friend and said “ I don’t like the way this is starting,” three events three straight wins for the Wreckers. 

 

Reigning State Champion Ed Rudman stepped up to the blocks in the 50 free in attempt to end Staples winning trend.  When the splashing and dashing ended New Canaan cam away with 1-2 finish led by Rudman’s 25.64 giving the Rams the lead by two entering diving.   New Canaan’s diving trio showed why they are regarded as one of the best groups in the state when they swept the event.  New Canaan now  enjoyed a 12 point lead moving into the second half of the meet.  

 

Luke Stewart kept things moving for the Rams as he won the 100 fly in a time of 1:00.34 but with Staples taking 2-3-5 the score deficit was shaved to ten.  John McNab walked away with a win in the 100 free posting a 55.37 and teammate Scott Adler took third which chipped away more of the New Canaan lead which now was down to seven points.

 

Nico Ortega crushed the 400 free with a screaming time of 4:08.08 for the win and second all time in school history but New Canaan’s 2-3-4 finish boosted the lead to nine.

 

McNab,, Tarrant, Adler, Ortega won the 200 FRR cutting the lead to seven with three events left in the meet.  Rudman captured his second individual win for New Canaan in the 100 back in 1:03.04.  Staples would win the 100 breast behind Daschiell Hunter’s 1:09.02 but New Canaan was able to grab the 2-3-4 spot giving them an 11 point lead entering the last event essentially ending Staples hopes to upset the Rams.  Staples won the final event in 3:47.88. 

 

Despite winning eight of twelve events Staples was out done by the depth of the Rams,  New Canaan won 97-88.