This past weekend we competed in the Maine YMCA State Championship Meet in Orono. Hopefully everyone got to watch the kids perform either at the meet or with the live video feed. We ended up taking home the team runner up trophy, the girls team championship trophy and the 8 and under girls age group champion trophy. The battle for second was very close, as was the battle for the girls team trophy. It came down to the last few swims, and the placing in the last event, which was the girls 11-12 200 free relay. By a very narrow margin, with 4 great relay legs, the team of Abigail Bourgoin, Addie Pollis, Anna Clausen and Suri Ramkissoon finished in third place got the job done to secure the two team trophies. In addition we achieved 20 new team records, 6 meet records, 1 YMCA state record, 2 Maine Swimming (USA swimming) state records, 2 new National cuts, 2 additional swimmers quallify for Winter Champs, had 11 swimmers win 18 individual events, and we had one relay champion. 

The team record breakers where:

Eli Burnham 8 and under 50 free 30.73 and 100 IM 1:21.20 

Emily Kennard 11-12 100 IM 1:04.85 and 100 free 55.66

Ian Fournier 11-12 100 IM 1:01.95, 50 fly 27.10, 50 breast 30.52 

Emma Thomas 13-14 200 free 1:58.49

Ryan Emerson 13-14 200 IM 2:13.78 

Cecilia Guadalupi 15-18 200 IM 2:06.68, 100 breast 1:04.85, 50 free 24.04 

Gabby Low 15-18 100 fly 54.80, 100 back 53.72

Delaney Willey 15-18 50 free 24.29 (it was a 1 day record)

Nathan Berry 15-18 50 free 20.87 

Cecilia Guadalupi, Maddi Curran, Gabby Low, Delaney Willey 15-18 200 medley relay 1:46.22 

Cecilia Guadalupi, Emma Thomas, Delaney Willey, Gabby Low 15-18 200 free relay 1:36.69

Nathan Berry, Jake Witham, Cade Parker, Eli Story 15-18 200 medley relay 1:42.46 Jake Witham, Cade Parker, Eli Story, Nathan Berry 15-18 boys 200 free relay 1:30.08 

Girls 11-12 200 medley relay 1:59.43. A. Burnham, E. Brown, A. Orth, E. Kennard

The Y State Record was set by Ian Fournier in the 50 breast. The two MESI State Records were set by Eli Burnam in the 50 free and Gabby Low in the 100 back. The meet records were set by Emily Kennard in the 100 free, Ian Fournier 50 breast, Cecilia Guadalupi 100 breast, Gabby Low 100 fly and 100 back, and Nathan Berry in the 50 free. New YMCA National Qualifiers were Delaney Willey in the 50 free, and the Girls 200 free relay. New Winter Champs qualifiers were Braydon Brennick in the 50 back and Kate Mason in the 100 breast. 

Our State Champions were Lydia McDowell, Eli Burnham (2), Amara Johnderson, Emily Kennard (2), Ian Fournier (3), Zac Claude, Emma Thomas (2), Ryan Emerson, Ceclia Guadalupi, Gabby Low (2) and Nathan Berry (2). In addition the girls 8 and under 100 free relay of Anya Johnderson, Gabby Lazure, Meghan Inch and Sara Fournier provided our 1 relay championship. 

  The statistics don't tell the whole story. We had so many kids drop times that it would take a book to cover that topic. The hero's are the real story, and these include the swimmers, Sara and Victoria for the job they did with the 8 and unders, the parents who volunteered (and the two who were conscripted into service on Saturday) and the entire community for the support you give these kids to help them succeed.