The boys’ and girls’ swim teams had stellar seasons, each team ending their regular season with undefeated titles and records of 12-0-0.

According to senior captains Kate Beland and Tara McGillicuddy, the success of the team had a lot to do with its versatility.

“The team really benefits from the depth it has in each event,” Kate Beland said. “Some of the teams we face have a few fast swimmers and that’s it. Our team has a lot of strong swimmers that contribute to scoring points for the team.”

“You don’t need to place first in every race to win the meet,” McGillicuddy said. “It’s the second, third, fourth and fifth that are just as important, and we always have multiple swimmers that get those places.”

The dedication of the swimmers on the team has also grown, demonstrated by the time they put into the sport during the off-season.

“There are many strong swimmers on the team, and some of the underclassmen came back this year stronger,” Kate Beland said. “More swimmers are practicing in the preseason.”

In addition, the new swimmers have helped lead the teams to success. The boys’ team nearly doubled in size from last year.

“The influx of underclassmen really helps,” senior captain Matt Beland said. “More swimmers are coming in with experience and have a good work ethic.”

“Since my freshman year, we have had some of the fastest swimmers in the league,” senior captain Ray Cerro said. “Matt Beland, [senior captain] Ryan Murphy and I typically win our events in every meet and have done so for most of highschool, but since we’ve had less than 10 boys [in the past], the other teams are often able to win second, third and fourth, which cumulatively count for more points than first place alone. With our new additions this year, we’re able to secure first, second, third and fourth, which allows us to stay ahead.”

The team has a strong set of swimmers, which contributes greatly to their success.

“One swimmer that stands out is Alexi Wong; she does well in any event she is put into,” Kate Beland said. “And Taylor Moore is a fast sprinter on the girls’ team.”

Not only is hard work driving the team, but the desire to keep their winning streak has fueled their performances.

“More practice time and harder sets have helped the team prepare for meets,” Kate Beland said. “Once the team was on a winning streak, we were determined to continue our record.”

According to the captains, the team hopes to remain undefeated and win Leagues this season.

“As we enter the league meet next week, everyone has to focus on achieving their best times,” Kate Beland said. “Algonquin has the capability to come out on top and win the League title.”