Pittsfield Girls Show Depth in Swimming Win

PITTSFIELD, Mass. -- It was fitting that no one girl clinched Tuesday’s comeback victory for the Pittsfield girls swimming team.

 

The Generals went into the day’s final event with a two-point deficit to city rival St. Joseph. They came out of the 4-by-100 freestyle relay with a 50-44 win after the PHS relay quartets finished first and second.

 

Pittsfield’s boys also picked up a win, downing the Crusaders, 47-16.

 

On the girls side, it was a back-and-forth affair all afternoon with a singular theme that emerged: St. Joe was getting all the wins, but Pittsfield was winning enough points to stay in contention.

 

The St. Joe girls finished first in seven of 11 events, but nearly every time the Crusaders won, the Generals finished second. And they added enough third places to all those seconds to make the most of their four victories.

 

“I told the girls at the beginning of the meet: If there’s a third available, you have to have it,” Pittsfield coach Jim Harrington said. “You have to own third place. In a meet like this, that’s what you have to do because that’s a two-point swing when that doesn’t happen.

 

“First place is four, second and third place equals four, so if you own second and third all day, you can neutralize their best swimmers. That’s where depth comes in. You can’t win meets with just superstars. You have to have kids who can back them up.”

 

Pittsfield’s Szofia Lewis was a three-star General on Tuesday, winning the 200 individual medley (2 minutes, 26.38 seconds) and 100 breaststroke (1:12.73) and swimming a leg on the winning 400 free relay (4:20.35).

 

Joining her on that winning quartet were Abby Marsh, Olivia Douhan and Sarah Bradford. Jordan Bradford earned the Generals’ other first place, capturing the 50 freestyle in 28.11.

 

St. Joseph got a pair of wins apiece from Ellie Field and Jesse Tobin. Field won the 200 free (2:05.59) and 100 free (:59.06). Tobin won the 500 free (5:28.84) and 100 backstroke (1:05.43). Theresa Kirsimagi won the 100 butterfly (1:08.79). And the Crusaders won the 200 medley relay and 200 free relay.

 

In the boys meet, Lucas Godwin, Noah Elzner and Greg Fournier each picked up wins in contested events. Fournier won twice, taking the 500 free (5:43.98) and 100 breaststroke (1:13.00). Godwin won the 200 free (2:12.47), and Elzner won the 100 free (1:06.41).

 

St. Joe’s boys picked up a win from Michael Losado in the 50 free (:27.81).

 

Pittsfield’s Harrington said he was not surprised to see the St. Joseph girls won a lot of events, but he was pleased with the way his girls did not let that distract them from the team goal.

 

“I told our kids: You don’t win meets like this unless you really show up and swim well,” Harrington said. “Our team had personal bests. It had team season bests. And the kids swam some gutsy races.”