Bangor swamps Riots> Traditional Ram depth missing

ORONO – Mike Reid is in his third season swimming at Bangor. But this year the junior swimming star feels like he is on another team.

After contributing to the Rams’ last two state championships, Reid is in a situation he is not used to: a season full of doubt on a team stripped of talent, experience and leadership.

“We’re not as confident as last year. But last year we graduated a whole lot of seniors. We graduated 16,” Reid said. “Last year’s team was the biggest and the best in Bangor High School history.”

Bangor defeated Orono 141-34 Friday at Wallace Pool at the University of Maine in Orono.

Reid helped by winning the 50-yard freestyle in 24:57 and the 100 butterfly in 59.09, and anchoring the winning 400-free relay (3:55.29) and 200 medley relay (1:53.8). Reid was the only swimmer to win more than one individual event. Orono had a first-place finish from diver Tony Trawick who scored 186 points.

However, the Rams are in a serious rebuilding stage, and nobody is more aware of that than Reid.

The past two years, Reid was a player in helping to continue Bangor’s swimming tradition. Last year at the state meet, Reid had a second and third-place finishes in the 500 and 200-freestyles, respectively. His freshman year, he placed fifth in the 100 free. But Reid still is not one for boasting.

This year, Reid is confident but careful.

“We’re just a little younger,” Reid said. “We should be all right once we start to taper.”

Bangor swim coach Phil Emery said whether the Rams can capture their sixth-straight state title this year won’t be apparent until the final event at the state meet.

Last year Bangor was so deep, not all the Rams who qualified for the state meet got to swim. This year, according to Emery, every swimmer who qualifies will swim.

Emery said last year Bangor brought 16 swimmers with scoring experience in a state championship to the state meet. This year, the Rams have just six swimmers who have scored at states.

“Last year, we had six deep in every event at the state meet. Right now we have two deep, maybe by states we’ll have four deep,” Emery said. “These swimmers always had someone out in front of them. They’ve never been on stage, so to speak. The focus has not been on them.”

Last year Bangor defeated South Portland by 72 points in the state meet. This year, Emery said the Rams will have to handle a formidable Cape Elizabeth team – which already defeated Bangor in the Westbrook Invitational.

What’s more, compared to teams of the past, the Rams’ coach of 28 years said this year’s team has not shown the aggressive mentality needed to win a state meet.

“It’s hard to tell right now how we’ll do,” Emery said. “We’ve just finished double sessions. We’ll have to wait until we taper.”

Yet, while the challenge of continuing the Rams’ winning tradition is daunting, it’s not unappealing to some of the Bangor veterans who will be expected to step forward and lead the team.

“It’s fun to win. I miss the guys on last year’s team,” Reid said. “In the past I was one of many [good swimmers]. I don’t think anyone expects us to win states this year. That’s kind of fun too.”