Kovenock sharp at YMCA meet Hurricanes 6th at YWCA nationals

Kate Kovenock of Orono turned in a top finish as Maine’s fastest YMCA swimmers are competing at their national championships this week in Florida, while the Bangor YWCA Hurricane Swim Club returned home Monday night from a fine effort at the YWCA Nationals in North Carolina.

Kovenock and Jim Soucie of the Old Town-Orono YMCA’s Canoe City Swim Club were two of Monday’s top finishers at the YMCA Nationals. Kovenock swam a 24.35 in the consolation final of the 50-yard freestyle, good for 11th place overall. Soucie was 20th in the morning preliminary heats of the 50 free. His 21.96 didn’t qualify him for the evening finals.

The Hurricanes finished sixth out of 21 teams and a host of individuals turned in top performances at the YWCA Nationals April 5-8.

The team racked up a total of 669 points. The Hurricane girls scored 331 points and were fifth, while the boys were eighth with 338. The top 16 finishers earned points.

The Hurricanes set Maine Swimming records in the senior 200-yard medley relay (a team of Snyder, O’Donnell, Jessie Schwartz, and Kayle Shapero touched in at 1:54.13). Snyder won both the 100 and 200 backstrokes (1:00.04 and 2:08.46, respectively), breaking the senior and 15-18 records for the 200 in the process.

Snyder, O’Donnell, Schwartz, Shapero, and Kim Rice each had at least two top-16 finishes. O’Donnell’s top efforts in five events included a second in the 200 breaststroke and a third in the 100 breaststroke. Schwartz, Rice, and Shapero went 4-9-11, respectively, behind Snyder in the 200 back.

The group that did well in the 400 medley relay was also at least 11th in the 200 medley relay and the 200 and 400 free relays.

Kallie Pottle, Chausey Ashey, Erica Simpson, and Mara Shapero led the way in the girls’ 13-and-under. They were 12th in the 200 medley relay, 14th in the 400 medley relay, 10th in the 400 free relay, and 11th in the 200 free relay. Pottle logged top-16 finishes in five events, including an eighth place in the 100 back. Simpson was eighth in the 100 IM.

On the senior boys side, Magiera had a stellar meet. He won the 1,000 free (10:03.01) and the 200 fly (1:59.95). He was also fourth in the 200 free, third in the 200 breaststroke, and second in the 500 free.

Pat Rice picked up a fourth place in the 1,000, a second in the 400 IM, a sixth in the 100 back, and a third in the 200 back. Steve Cartwright was another big scorer for the Hurricanes, taking third in the 100 fly, fifth in the 200 breaststroke, sixth in the 400 IM, and second in the 200 fly.

The team of Rice, Steve Cartwright, Mageria, and James Bair was sixth in the 200 medley relay, fifth in the 400 medley relay, 11th in the 400 free relay, and seventh in the 200 free relay.

Magiera, Rice, Cartwright, and Bair went 2-4-7-16, respectively, in the 500 free. Bair was also 12th in the 1,000 free and 16th in the 400 IM.

Josh Ranger (13-under) was 12th in the 100 breaststroke.