THE WAKEFIELD HIGH girls’ swim team took 5th overall at the Middlesex League Championship Meet last week. The Warriors had two individual champions as senior Katie Patt (100 back stroke) and freshman Audrey Cook (100 breast stroke) brought home gold medals. Cook also got 2nd in the 200 freestyle and Patt got 2nd with a school record-breaking time in the 100 butterfly. (Courtesy Photo)

Patt earns a league title, sets school record

By DAN BYRNE

MEDFORD — Last Thursday, the Wakefield Memorial High School girls’ varsity swim team participated in the 2021 League Championship Meet at Medford High.

Last year’s event was virtual, but this year, the league held an in-person, split into three pools: Medford High School, Atkinson Pool in Sudbury and the Boys’ and Girls’ Club in Woburn. Four teams swam at Medford, three teams at Woburn Boys and Girls Club, and three teams at Atkinson Pool in Sudbury.

Times were then compared over the weekend to produce an official outcome. Out of 10 teams, the Warriors finished in 5th place overall, ahead of Burlington, Woburn, Stoneham, Melrose and Reading.

Recently, Warriors’ head coach Kathy Byrne spoke about her team’s performance at the League Meet.

“Of note,” she began, “We have two Middlesex League Champions: Katie Patt in the 100 Back and Audrey Cook in the 100 Breast Stroke. Katie Patt also broke the school record in the 100 Butterfly and she came in 2nd place.”

Fellow Senior Abby Lane placed 5th in the 100 Butterfly and 9th in the 100 Back.

Cook, a freshman, also swam to a 2nd place finish in the 200 Yard Freestyle, while senior Sophie Brown claimed 5th place in the event.

Brown had a solid day swimming to a 4th place finish in the 500 Yard Freestyle as well. In that event, the Warriors’ Hannah Morris claimed points for a 13th place finish, as the top 16 swimmers score points.

It wasn’t just a day of individual success for the Warriors as both of the relays had strong performances as well.

“Both of our 200 relays came in 2nd in the League which is very impressive,” coach Byrne noted.

Byrne saw much to be pleased with, pointing out some individuals who stepped up on Thursday.

“Sophie Sideman had personal best times in both events that she swam, the 200 IM and the 100 Breast stroke,” she said. “And that was exciting to see.”

“It’s nice to see those kinds of things happen at League Meet,” commented the coach, noting many of the girls had never been involved in a meet as big as Thursday’s. “We’re very pleased to have done as well as we did and with the girls’ performance at a big meet, some of them it was their first time being at a meet of that size and magnitude,and to come in 5th with only four teams beating us, all of us were very pleased with the results, me, (assistant coaches) Frank (Lee) and Kim (Guay).”

One additional feat of note coach Byrne mentioned, “Beating Reading is incredible, it’s the first time we’ve ever beat them at League Meet; they beat us last year when we came in 2nd in the spring, they took 1st, but we’re all in different places now than we were in the Spring.”

Next up for the Warrior swimmers is North Sectionals, which will be held this Saturday at WPI. Unfortunately for parents and fan, no spectators will be allowed in the venue.

However, all the events will be available to view online via a live video stream at the following link:

nfhsnetwork.com/