Belinksy, Ariola Qualify for States, Set Team Records for NHS Swim & Dive

Norton swimmers and divers performed very well against Ashland this Sunday, setting two team records that were state qualifiers, and posting 18 best-time swims, an average of one per swimmer.  The performances began a tough stretch of schedule this week, with three meets in five days.

Chris Casello and Brad Driscoll had big time drops while recording personal best times, Casello dropping 8 seconds in the 200 free and 6.5 in the 100 fly.  Driscoll dropped nearly 5 seconds off his 100 free, then got right back in the water to drop 30 seconds off of his 500 free, which was the very next event.

Amanda Moriarty, Cassie Phillips, Brandon Blair and Dylan Lucero all scored two personal bests each, Moriarty in the IM and Fly, Phillips in the 500 and backstroke, Blair in the 100 free and breaststroke, and Lucero in the 50 and a huge 9-second improvement in the 100. 

Natalie Morris and Dan Gao also had big drops, Morris's was 7+ seconds in the 200 and Gao's almost 5 seconds in the 100 free.   Jen Berard had a big drop, of over a second, in the 50 free.

The team members have been setting several school records throughout the season, and that trend continued on Sunday.  Alex Belinsky scored a lifetime best in the team's lone win of the day, a new team record and state- and sectional- qualifying time of 58.66 in the 100-yard butterfly.  He is the first NHS male swimmer to ever qualify for states. 

Diver Elliot Ariola crushed his lifetime best score and team record with a 210.  That is way above the state qualifying time and his second mark above the sectional cut.  Jared Terwiliger and Gabby Bergeron also dove extremely well for the Lancers.

The Lancers swim perennial powerhouse Hopkinton on Tuesday, and figure to have a close battle with Holliston on Thursday.