In the last regular season meet, the Waves won more than half of the individual races.

West Hartford Waves teammates Cate Mancini (left) and Julia Seguro are headed to the Central Connecticut Winter Swim League’s “A” Championship meet on Feb. 15. The pair was part of a winning medley relay team on Sunday against Farmington. Submitted photo

By Holly Neumann

The West Hartford Waves swim team wrapped up its regular season with a win on Sunday over Farmington Valley Recreation Swim Team, 422-227, at Cornerstone Aquatics Center.

The meet got off to an exciting start with a come-from-behind victory in the 9-10 girls 200-yard medley relay. Farmington Valley had a solid lead at the half-way point, but Waves swimmer Julia Seguro, 9, closed a 15-yard gap on her butterfly leg to set up a tight race for freestyler Cate Mancini, 10. Cate passed the Farmington swimmer on the second half of her swim, to touch the wall to loud cheers from the crowd.

“I could hear the cheering under the water,” said Cate.

The high energy buoyed the team. The Waves went on to win more than half the individual races in the meet, which marked the end of dual meet competition in the Central Connecticut Winter Swim League. The Waves finished the season with a 4-3 record.

West Hartford Waves swimmer Cate Mancini, a fifth-grader at Morley Elementary, swam the 50 butterfly for the first time on Sunday and qualified for her swim league’s championship in the event. Submitted photo

Julia, a fourth-grader at Bugbee Elementary School, later won the 9-10 girls 100-yard freestyle in 1:15.58, a time which is nearly 10 seconds below the standard for the league’s “A” championship meet, to be held Feb. 15 at East Hartford High School.

Four swimmers led the team with double wins on Sunday: Blake Neumann, 8, won his age group’s 25- and 50-yard freestyles; Facundo Garcia won the 11-12 boys 50- and 100-yard freestyles; Eleanor Brown won the 13-14 girls 50 and 100 freestyles; and Mason Murphy took the 11-12 girls 100 individual medley and 50-yard breaststroke.

The meet was the last before season-ending championship meets, and several swimmers achieved “A” qualifying marks. Cate Mancini recorded one of the team’s “A” cuts in the 50 butterfly, swimming faster than the standard by more than seven seconds. It was her first time competing in the event.

Blake Neumann, a third-grader at Smith STEM school, swam breaststroke in the medley relay against Farmington on Sunday. He also won two individual events. Submitted photo

In addition, the team set 155 personal-best times in the meet. Timothy Baumer, 9, a third-grader at Morley Elementary, led the PRs with a 25-second improvement in his 100-yard freestyle.

“It’s great to be ending our season on such a high note,” said Waves board president Missi Burke. “We were happy to see so many swimmers grow and get faster with incredible drops in time.”

The Waves swim this Sunday, Feb. 8, in the league’s “B” championship meet at Springfield JCC. Swimmers who have achieved “A” time standards will not compete.