BAR HARBOR – With three of the four defending state swimming champions all in the same room Friday night in boys and girls dual meets, there were sure to be some close races between the Bangor and MDI swimming teams.

And there were – although the MDI boys and Bangor girls, which won Class B and Class A state titles, respectively, in 2007 both pulled away for team wins in what’s become a huge dual meet for both squads.

The Trojans beat the Bangor boys, who won the Class A state title last year, by racking up 113 points to 63 for the Rams, while the Bangor girls held off MDI 102-84.

Both schools left Lenny DeMuro Pool with 100-yard backstroke records for that facility. MDI senior Justin Gilmartin’s 55.16 seconds and Bangor senior Erin Thomas’ 1:01.74 were enough for new marks.

Even though the MDI boys are focused on the Class B state meet, where they’re hoping to win their fifth straight title on Feb. 18, beating perennial powerhouse Bangor is still a goal.

“It means a lot, but we’re still focusing on the big picture, which is the state meet,” Gilmartin said. “We had a lot of really good, close races today and this is the most competitive dual meet we’ve had all year. It was good.”

The MDI boys kicked things off with a first in the 200-yard medley relay as Trojan anchor Evan Hendricks held off a charge from Bangor’s Joey Quinn in the freestyle leg.

Ian Carbone and Quinn then provided one of the more entertaining races of the evening as Carbone came from behind to edge his Class A counterpart. He started to make his move on Quinn with about 100 yards left and finally edged him by about nine-tenths of a second.

“I just wanted it,” said Carbone, who didn’t swim on MDI’s medley relay while Quinn had just a few minutes between races. “I was trying to save a little bit for the end and it just worked out good.”

Quinn held on in the 500 free against MDI’s Ty Onda for the Rams’ lone swimming win. Bangor’s Andrew Sawyer was the only diver Friday night.

Onda edged Taylor Wicks in the 200 individual medley, while Gilmartin won the 50 free in addition to his backstroke record. Carbone also took the 100 free and Michael Breen had an easy win in the 100 butterfly. Cullen O’Brien won the breaststroke.

The Bangor girls, who like the MDI boys will be considered one of the favorites at states this year, had to come from behind early and were tied with the Trojan girls at 39 points apiece after MDI’s Hannah Adelmann won the diving.

The Rams then won two events in a row as Grace Barnett cruised in the 100 fly and Sorrell Cardello won the 100 free, which is an off-event for her. Bangor went 1-3-4 in the fly and 1-2-5 in the free to stretch the lead.

“We pulled it together,” said Cardello, who hadn’t competed in the 100 free since she was about 12 years old. “The early part of the meet is usually our strong point, but we did awesome at the end. It’s a big win for us because they’re the best competitors we have until states.”

Julia Macauley of MDI, whom Cardello edged in the IM earlier in the meet, rallied for a win in the 500 free, slipping past Bangor’s Alicia Laflamme with about 150 yards to go.

“Sometimes my coaches tell me to get out of my head, and when I swim a race it’s just for me and not to worry about anyone else,” Macauley said. “But in a race like that it’s a great opportunity to race, so why not take it?”

It was enough of a push for Laflamme that she had a best time for the season, Bangor assistant coach Ritchie Palmer said, and she also had a best time in the breaststroke.

Macauley also led in the IM after the backstroke leg, but Cardello, a breaststroke specialist, rallied in that stroke and held off Macauley.

“I knew as soon as I got to the breaststroke I’d be OK because I can usually stay ahead in the fly,” Cardello said. “When I’m behind, I’m thinking, ahhh, I’ve got to get ahead. It’s kind of frustrating and I like to stay ahead of my competition. [Macauley is] an awesome IMer.”

Bangor won the medley relay and the 400 free relay with Thomas, Cardello and Barnett on both teams. Zarin Kacer anchored the medley relay and Tatjana Spanehl did the second leg of the distance relay.

Barnett was the breaststroke winner and Thomas took the 200 free.

jbloch@bangordailynews.net

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