NORTH ADAMS -- Hoosac Valley coach Eryn Brewer may want to consider having Emma Whitney swim the 500-yard freestyle more often.
Whitney took first place in the event by 54 seconds and finished 1:08 in front of third place. It was her first time this season swimming the 500.
Despite five other first-place victories for the Hurricanes, it wasn't enough to top Mount Anthony Union at the Northern Berkshire YMCA on Wednesday. Mount Anthony won the girls' meet 92-78 and took the win in the boys' meet as well, 107-42.
"I don't ever swim that event," Whitney said of the 500. "That's not my best event at all. I guess not swimming it for a while and being able to rest and work on other things really helped me."
Whitney started the meet by helping her 200 medley relay team to a seven-second victory. Liz Bernardy was also a member of that team and then picked up a victory in the 200 freestyle.
It was depth that hurt the Hurricanes, however. Mount Anthony placed second in all the events in which a Hurricane won. MAU also took the majority of third-place finishes.
"I think it's because our numbers are down," Bernardy said. "We have a good core group and we really fend for ourselves. We just don't have the numbers.
"MAU is a really great team and one of our hardest competitors, though."
Mount Anthony was led by Heather Foley. She took first in the 200 IM and 100 fly, while pacing the 400 free relay.
"They
The win moves the MAU girls to 6-1 and into first place in the division.
"I'm really proud of the girls," Mount Anthony coach Anna Swierad said. "This Hoosac team is coming off a win over Monument. Everyone just did what they were asked to do."
Michaella Vecchiarelli won the 100 free and Julia Whitney picked up the win in the 100 breaststroke.
Bernardy's second-place finish in the 50-yard free qualified her for the Western Massachusetts meet. She missed the qualifying time for the 200 by one-tenth of a second.
On the boys' side, Mount Anthony took an early lead and never let it go. Keith Pero won the 500 freestyle and Mike DiSanti took the victory in the 200 free, but those were the only wins for the Hurricanes.
Ryan Spencer won the 50 free, 100 backstroke and helped the 200 medley relay and 400 free relay teams to victory for MAU.
"I think the boys are doing a really good job," Brewer said. "They haven't had many wins, but they're improving every race."
Pero finished second in the 100 fly, and DiSanti took a second-place finish in the 100 breaststroke. Trevor Ciempa also earned a second-place finish in the 100 free.
"The motivation from the team has been great," DiSanti said. "We're just trying to stay motivated and practice hard."
To reach Sam Monroe, email
smonroe@thetranscript.com.
On Twitter: @NAT_DigitalSam
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