The Hanover High swimming team stuck its nose into a Seacoast-dominated sport by sweeping the NHIAA Division II boys and girls titles last winter. The Marauders would like nothing more than to start a streak of their own this weekend.
Hanover won its first NHIAA D-II championship last February at UNH’s Swasey Indoor Pool. This year, the Marauders have set themselves up to be right back in the mix to find success yet again.
The state D-II meet returns to UNH with the diving competition on Friday evening. Swimming completes the championship on Saturday morning, with Sunday serving as a make-up date should weather intervene.
Hanover coach Fritz Bedford is well aware of the tough road ahead for his team. His only goals for the Marauders are employing maximum effort and avoiding silly mistakes.
“We just have to do our best, that is the goal,” Bedford said. “I don’t want something like a false start to cost our team a championship. I just want them to execute well, go out there and put forward the best effort possible.”
Bedford attributed his team’s past success and state title to the precision the Marauders utilized.
“Everybody executed well; no one made any costly mistakes,” Bedford said. “If everybody executes, we have as good of a chance as anybody.”
Hanover features a girls team that returns most of the participants from last year, while the boys graduated five of the seven who were in states a season ago.
Senior Charlotte Bedford and sophomore Emma Dunbar are two to watch for the Marauder girls. Bedford was part of a winning 200-yard freestyle relay effort last season, and Dunbar helped with a 400 free relay victory and scored points on her own in the 500 free.
For the boys, senior Erik Hansen — who was the Marauders’ state champion in both the 200 and 500 free in 2018 — is back. So is junior Chris Rieseberg, who is currently one of the top breaststrokers in the state.
Hanover’s divers will also have a say in the title chase. Kai Renshaw and Amelia Wallis swept last year’s 1-meter boards, and they’ve dominated this winter as well. The Marauders’ team wins last year ended Oyster River’s four-year reign among the boys and cut into a girls’ scene that the Bobcats and St. Thomas have owned the past six years.
Lebanon High’s swimmers also are trying to achieve greatness in their own way this week. The Raiders also have a small but experienced group of athletes who give it their all in the pool.
Lebanon coach Karl Shepherd is taking four athletes to states, one girl and three boys. Marissa Hebert will represent the girls, and Andrew Han, Zethan Moss and Aiden Urnezis will represent the boys. All four raced at states last year; Han took second in the 100-yard backstroke and third in the 200 free, and all three boys were part of a third-place effort in the 200 free relay.
“We are one big tight-knit family,” Shepherd said. “Lebanon swimming has a very positive, happy and upbeat mentality. Sometimes the kids play music on the bus ride home, singing and giggling. It is just a really positive atmosphere.”
Shepherd and Bedford may coach rival schools, but both have a similar view on what they hope desire from states. Shepherd also just wants his swimmers to give it their all and have no regrets.
“I just want them to give the best effort they can and leave it all in the pool,” Shepherd said. “I want them to be really proud of their efforts.”