Conard hosted Glastonbury Tuesday afternoon at Cornerstone Aquatics Center in West Hartford, with the Red Wolves achieving victory over a team that has alluded them for years.

Conard vs. Glastonbury girls swimming and diving. Sept. 17, 2024. Courtesy photo

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Tuesday afternoon’s meet between Conard swimming and diving and perennial powerhouse Glastonbury was the second strong challenge the Red Wolves faced this season. Coach John Smachetti has been with the Conard girls team since 2012 and in that time a victory over Glastonbury had always been just out of reach, including last season when they lost in a heartbreaker that came down to the last event.

“Glastonbury is the team we have always looked at to set the standard,” Smachetti said after the meet ended. “They’ve been the best team in the CCC as long as I can remember.”

The Guardians put up a strong fight over the course of the afternoon, but the Red Wolves were able to outscore them in nine of the 12 events, splitting two others evenly, and losing just one event the entire afternoon.

When Smachetti gathered his team to read off the final score, Conard 99, Glastonbury 85, the Red Wolves squad erupted.

Conard vs. Glastonbury girls swimming and diving. Sept. 17, 2024. Courtesy photo

Conard started the meet by winning the 200 Medley Relay with Gracie Lowney, Ella Hall, Rachel Mathews, and Lyla Harhay swimming a season-best 1:59.20. Glastonbury was able to take the next two spots but was down 8-6 to start the day.

The Red Wolves seized the momentum from the relay with Echo Jo and Lucy Pincince easily taking the first and second place finishes in the 200 freestyle, while Kayla Lowney held off an impressive challenge from the Guardians’ Martha Smith by four one-hundredths of a second to secure the sweep for her team.  The Guardians’ Lucy Boisoneau took first in the 200 Individual Medley, however Mathews, Rosie Alonzo, and Hall combined for 2-3-4 to outscore the Guardians 9-7.

In the 50 Freestyle, G. Lowney easily took first place, while teammates Claire Haverly and Cece Peck finished fourth and fifth, adding another nine points to the Red Wolves’ total. At the break for diving the score was 39-23 in favor of Conard.

Conard vs. Glastonbury girls swimming and diving. Sept. 17, 2024. Courtesy photo

On the board, Conard’s Gabby Alekshun and Mia Rosario were prepared for serious competition. Glastonbury newcomer Neha Jayachandran had previously posted a score of 218 and would present a strong challenge to Alekshun who had scored a season-high 220 the previous week. For Rosario the challenge came from Glastonbury’s pair of junior divers who had previously scored 178 and 175 points to her 190 points from last week. Alekshun and Jayachandran were locked in for each dive, however Alekshun’s four years of experience and higher degree of difficulty gave her the edge, and she posted a season-high score of 221.00 on her way to winning the event, while Jayachandran scored 208.50 to take second. Rosario battled with Jillian Jarvis and Isabel Rodriguez, with Jarvis narrowly outscoring Rosario 177.25-172.90. Despite the Guardians’ best efforts, the Red Wolves were able to split the diving points 8-8, bringing the score to 47-31.

Conard vs. Glastonbury girls swimming and diving. Sept. 17, 2024. Courtesy photo

Glastonbury won their sole event in the 100 Butterfly behind Boisoneau, Hannah Kaufman, and Samiksha Narayanan who took first, third, and fifth to combine for 10 points, but Lyla Harhay, Pincince, and Haverly immediately answered back in the 100 Freestyle, taking first, third, and fifth respectively, regaining the Red Wolves’ 16-point lead.

In the 500, Jo cruised to a first place finish, while teammate K. Lowney was locked into a three-way battle for second with Rachel Hassett and Paeton Romero. Hassett managed to hang on for the second place spot, but Lowney pulled off another spectacular finish, beating Romero by 12 one-hundredths of a second to take third.

Moments later the Conard team of Haverly, Pincince, Jo, and G. Lowney held off a tough challenge from Glastonbury in the 200 Freestyle Relay, winning the event 8-6.

With just three events to go and a sizable lead, Conard’s Alonzo, Peck, and Maddie Mancini split the 100 Backstroke points, putting the Red Wolves just five points shy of a guaranteed victory. Hall, Harhay, and Celia Filotto wrapped up the meet for the Red Wolves with their first, second, and fifth place finishes in the 100 Breaststroke, all three swimming to season-best times.

The Red Wolves went on to place first and second in the 400 Freestyle Relay behind Mathews, Haverly, Jo, and G. Lowney (first), and Pincince, K. Lowney, Alonzo, and Harhay (second).

Conard is now 3-0 on their season, with their next dual meet not until Tuesday, Oct. 1 where they will face their first CCC West opponent, Farmington, at 3:45 p.m. at Cornerstone Aquatic Center.

Conard vs. Glastonbury girls swimming and diving. Sept. 17, 2024. Courtesy photo

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