THE 2018 WMHS girls’ swim team will have a standard to uphold after winning the 2017 MIAA Sportsmanship Award. (Courtesy Photo)

Published in the September 18, 2018 edition.

By DAN BYRNE

WAKEFIELD — The Wakefield Memorial High School girls’ varsity swim team has been back in the pool this fall and the girls are getting ready to swim their first meet later this week.

Warriors Head Coach, Kathy Byrne sat down and discussed the team she has for the upcoming swim season.

“I’m looking forward to working with our returning seniors from last year,” Byrne said recently.

The Warriors return five seniors to the team this year with Alex DeCecca, Ashely DeCecca, Bridget Glendye, and captains Jess Conley and Katherine Maloney.

Coach Byrne has been very impressed with the organization of the seniors as a group, and the captains especially.

“Our captains have done a great job getting the girls ready for swim,” Byrne said. “Taking care of the different duties they have at the beginning of the year, they’re being very organized and motivating to the girls.”

“I’m looking forward to watching all five of them lead the team at the meets, in the water as well as out,” said the coach.

“Katherine Maloney leads the way in the water,” Byrne said mentioning her captain. “She is a very talented free-styler, as well as breaststroker. She likes to swim distance races.”

“We’re looking for her to lead by example there,” Coach Byrne said of Maloney.

“Jess Conley will also swim backstroke and free style during the season,” Byrne said of her captain.

The team has seven juniors returning for the 2018 season, “We have a big group of juniors,” Coach Byrne commented.

Abbey Federicci and Kyra Hoffman will be a couple of names to watch for in the water from the junior class. Isabella Barrett, Lillyan DeFeo, Natalia Frate, and Taylor Owen make up the members of the class of 2020.

“They’re a great group that works very hard, and works well together,” Byrne said of her seven juniors. “We’re hoping to see some good races from them.”

A strong sophomore class will help with the team’s depth.

“They’re led by Hannah Guay who was a Middlesex League All-Star last year as a freshman,” Byrne said.

Guay, along with Laura Sweeney, Erica Pecjo, and many of the eight other sophomores will be big contributors to the team this year.

Byrne hopes that all of Sam
Colliton, Lily Cullen, Reignyah Grant, Eden Hudson, Donella Nardone, Kyleigh Norton, Alyssa Toppi, and Ava Sowyrda can contribute to the team this season.

“We have 10 new freshmen, many of whom have previous swim experience and have come to the pool ready to compete,” Byrne said.

“I’m expecting to see a lot of good swimming from Kaitlin Patt,” noted the coach. “She is a very versatile and talented swimmer, as is Sophie Brown.”

The eight other freshmen are Maria Brizon, Emily Chan, Emily Federici, Hannah Federici, Abigail Lane, Isabella Melo, Hannah Morris, and Samantha Sheedy.

Overall, the coach said of her incoming freshmen, “I see much talent that is going to serve Wakefield Swimming very well.”

Coach Byrne’s goal for the season is to improve on their 4-5 record from a year ago.

“We’d like to be 5-4 and have a winning season,” she said, “Win more than we lose.”

Since August, the team has been preparing for their first meet and they’re going to need to be ready on Thursday, September 20 as they swim against defending league champions, Reading.

“They’re very strong,” Byrne said of Reading. “I’m looking at this as kind of our shakedown cruise, see what people can do, see who can rise to the occasion and turn in some good times, and start to gain points for our team.”

The team will be hosting a fund raiser next Thursday night, September 27.

“Join us at The Dockside Restaurant in Wakefield between 6-9 p.m.,” the coach said. “A portion of your bill will go to benefit Wakefield Swimming.”