Senior easily outdistances her competition, takes third in 200 freestyle as well
SENIOR SHANNON Quirk (left) is pictured with a pair of Winchester swimmers during the Div. 2 All-State Meet last night at Harvard University. Quirk captured the title in the 500 freestyle and finished third overall in the 200 freestyle.
CAMBRIDGE — Senior Shannon Quirk was the 500 freestyle champion in the Middlesex League and in the North Sectional meet. Now she can say that she is the best in the state.
Quirk captured the 500 freestyle title last night in the Div. 2 All-State Meet at Harvard University as she swam a time of 5:06.97 and easily outdistanced the competition for the crown.
Quirk beat out Winchester freshman Kate Fosburgh by nearly 13 seconds. Fosburgh was the runner-up with a time of 5:19.36.
Not only did the Warrior standout win one event but she also placed in another individual event. Quirk secured a third place finish in the 200 freestyle as she clocked in at 1:56.09.
Taking first and second in the 200 freestyle was Bishop Feehan’s C.M. Reidemeister and Stoneham’s Kaylie O’Connell. They posted times of 1:54.26 and 1:55.85.
Wakefield’s Madison Guay, a junior, also competed in the 200 freestyle and claimed 19th place with a time of 2:06.86. Guay also swam the 100 butterfly and fared much better as she finished in 14th place in a time of 1:04.68. The 14th place also earned three points in the team scoring for Wakefield.
In addition to Quirk and Guay each swimming two events, the Warriors also had all three relays teams entered in the Div. 2 All-State Meet.
The 200 freestyle relay posted an 11th place finish in a time of 1:48.28 and scored 12 points. The four swimmers included Guay, freshman Caroline Sweeney, junior Nicole Pecjo and Quirk.
The 400 freestyle relay captured 13th place overall and the quartet of swimmers scored eight points. The team of Guay, Sweeney, senior Shannon Grady and Quirk combined for a time of 3:54.81.
The 200 medley relay team finished 18th overall in a time of 2:10.61. The four swimmers included Grady, Pecjo, senior Avery York and senior Kim Green.
As a team, Wakefield scored 59 points which was good for 16th place of the 24 teams that scored points in the meet.
“Our team did just great. Shannon (Quirk) and Maddie (Guay) had great days,” said Coach Kathy Byrne. “Shannon came in third in the 200 free breaking her WHS record and won the 500 by a mile. Maddie improved both her times in the 200 free and 100 fly.
“Both freestyle relays improved their times,” continued Byrne. “In the 400, Caroline Sweeney made her goal of breaking a minute in the 100 free, a big accomplishment for the freshman. Also, Nicole Pecjo became ill and our captain Shannon Grady had to step into the 400 relay. She did her best time of the season and so did the relay. (It was) A good meet for Wakefield.”
