BRUNSWICK – With just one swimmer who competes in a club beyond high school, the Brunswick Dragons returned from a runner-up state finish a year ago to capture their first ever Class A girls state swimming title Monday at Bowdoin College.

“Abby Lemieux is the only age-group swimmer. Other than her, everyone else is a pure high school swimmer,” said Brunswick’s sixth-year coach Lynn Barker. “That makes it more satisfying.”

While Brunwick’s clear victory that was decided with 170 points was easy to predict, runner-up honors were more hotly contested. And, in that race, this year’s meet was vastly more satisfying for Bangor.

The Rams relinquished second place to Westbrook as Blue Blazes totaled 151 points and Bangor 145. But as freshman star Candida Carvajal pointed out, Bangor’s rise from a ninth-place showing last year was something for other teams to take note of for next year.

“We were hoping to get second today. But we have a number of good swimmers coming in. We should be able to hold second if not take first,” said Carvajal who finished third in the 50 free (26.57 seconds) and fourth in the 100 free (58.75), which she had never swam before Monday’s meet.

However, the meet’s biggest surprise was Maranacook of Readfield senior Katie Abbott, who was making her debut in the Class A meet as an individual. Abbott, who trains with John Millett’s Cony of Augusta team, swam in the Class B state meet her sophomore year, where she finished seventh twice. Monday, Abbott vied for the meet’s Most Valuable Swimmer Award with the meet’s other double-winner, Lyndsey McCaslin of Westbrook.

McCaslin was given the award for winning the 200 IM (2:14.16) and the 100 breaststroke (1:08.90), but Abbott left her mark.

In the 50 freem she had a half-second edge on Cape Elizabeth’s Seana Phillips after the trials, but the finals were much closer. Abbott turned first at the wall – but just touched out Phillips with a winning of time of 25.77 to Phillips’ 25.87. Then in the 100 free, Abbott again beat out Phillips with a time of 55.62 to Phillips’ 56.47.

“She looked at me after the 100 free and just said `Who do you swim for?’ She looked pretty upset,” Abbott grinned. “I think I prepared well for the meet. I spent the last two weeks visualizing my races. That made all the difference. I never broke 26 before this meet. Then in the trails I swam 25.8 and 25.7 in the finals.”

Barker said Brunswick’s performance across the board was just as intense. The Dragons were led by Lemieux, who took first in the 200 free (2:03.4) and second in the 500 free (5:27.75), and Caitlin Anton, who was third in the back (1;06.49) and fourth in the 200 IM (2:21.33).

However, Barker said her swimmers who scored from fifth to 12th delivered the title.

“That’s where you get the win,” Barker said. “I had us by three coming into the meet. But everyone swam so perfectly. That’s the way we swam all year.”

Through six of the 11 events Bangor led by seven over Brunswick. But the Rams points came in spurts. After eight events, they were down by seven, but held fast to second place for most of the meet.

The Rams had reason to hope early, as they opened the meet winning in classic come-from-behind fashion. Bangor went into the 200 medley relay with the fastest trial time by more than a second, but it wasn’t until the last lap that the Rams pulled away.

It was Lucy Gross, swimming the third leg of butterfly, who brought Bangor back from fourth. Then Carvajal, swimming anchor, went off just behind three other swimmers, yet and was first to turn at the wall and held the lead.

Bangor won in a time of 2:02.05, while Morse was right there at 2:02.40.

Carvajal came back to take third in the 50 free (26.57) to help the Rams go into the fifth event tied for second place with Westbrook. Then through the next four events, Bangor held onto second place with Carvajal finishing fourth in the 100 free, with six other Bangor swimmers placing anywhere from sixth to 12th, and with the 200-free relay, placing sixth, good for 18 points.

With two events to go, the Rams were still in second, but while their 400-free relay finished second (4:01.19) to Brunswick (3:56.65), not having anyone in the 100 breaststroke hurt.

In the diving championship, Brunswick won the team title with 36 points over Bangor’s 26, by placing first, second and seventh.

Brunswick’s Emily Kennedy won with 354.15 points while teammate Nachelle Weigman was second (334.20). The Rams were led by Samantha Hartery (310.40) and Holly Haeberlein (287.55).