Witches remain inspired> Brewer boys come within 3 of Old Town

BANGOR – The Brewer boys swim team may be a decimated group, it may have even been defeated Thursday at the YWCA pool, but uninspired the Witches are not.

Brewer coach Kathy Cahill said she knew when an extended two-hour practice last year led to grumblings that she’d be faced with fewer swimmers this year. She never imagined her yearly 20-swimmer squad would be cut in half.

But after 12 years, Cahill isn’t about to give up on her Witches. She made them watch Rocky III Wednesday night, and then watched as her boys team came within three points of defeating the state’s perennial Class B power, Old Town.

The Indian boys pulled out the 91-88 victory, while a younger and fast-building Old Town girls team thumped Brewer 106-67.

“We’re doing really well; to be three points behind Old Town, which is twice the size,” Cahill said. “I did not expect it to be close. [This year] we have fewer kids who are faster [than last year’s team].”

Sylvester Stallone and Mr. T aside, Cahill knows it’s going to be hard to motive her team until the numbers pick up – especially since the Witches learned that sophomore Chris Sighinolfi is next in line to leave.

“Chris’ heart is in track. He’s from a family of swimmers. He wants to try something new,” Cahill said.

Sighinolfi describes his new longing to join the Witch harriers differently. A taste of track last spring and a PVC cross country title this fall turned his loyalty.

“Track at Brewer is almost like swimming at Bangor. It’s like a religion,” Sighinolfi said. “It has its effect on me. At the same time, the team was motivated today. We watched Rocky III, the eye of the tiger. I think it helped.”

Sighinolfi was just as instrumental in Brewer’s competitive showing Thursday as he was helping the Witches to a sixth-place finish at the Class A state meet. He won the 200 individual medly (1:19.71), the 100 freestyle (54.09), led off the winning 200 free relay (1:28.52), and anchored the winning 400 free relay (3:47.76).

In the girls meet, the Old Town girls won all but two events, showing how strong a 25-member team with seven rookies and a core group of underclassmen can be.

“We’re a young team, but the freshmen are playing a key role,” said first-year Old Town girls coach Tim LeCrone, whose team is 3-1.

Janai Bernholz and Kiva Hermansen were just two of the Indians’ eight freshmen who swam like veterans.

Bernholz won the 200 free (2:14.42) and was part of the winning 200 medley relay (1:34.23) and the top-finishing 400 free relay (4:07.42). Hermansen took the 200 IM (2:49.09) and the 500 free (6:34.43).

Old Town junior Katie Laverdiere, who was a member of the state champion 200 medley relay, said the Indians will improve on their third-place finish at states.

“We have a freshman who swam the 500 free for the first time,” Laverdiere gushed – not evening mentioning Hermansen won the event. “And she liked it. That’s not easy to swim 20 laps.”