After a COVID shortened season that limited the meet schedule and curtailed practices, it is everybody back in the pool this year with a full slate of meets across the state that began the first week of December. Hanover, once again, will look to compete for another state championship. Graduating top swimmers from its team each year never seems to affect Hanover’s competiveness as the team has a strong combination of returnees and newcomers.
Lebanon’s second year coach, McKeanna Teevens, has more swimmers this year and will look to send as many as possible to states. At Stevens, the team is again small but may have the talent to qualify swimmers states.
Coaches: Sean Uiterwyk, Head Swimming Coach (5) Linda Bedford, Assistant Swimming Coach (5) Trent Staats, Volunteer Swimming (1) Coach Carl Renshaw, Head Diving Coach (7)
Last year: Girls won state championship, boys were runner up. Senior Sophia May won the Division II diving championship. Junior Sam Calderwood placed second
League: NHIAA Division II
Returnees: Seniors — Matthew Adner Jaclyn Hazen, Aiden Caulfield, Daniel Jaccaci, Theo Cook, Aidan Lackstrom, Andres Savellano, Kieran Artman, Rebecca Berger, Luca Callnan, Evelyn DeJesus, Tirza Savellano; Juniors — Danny Bender, Josh Sterns, Hanae Debo, Caroline Healy, Erica Holmes, Mollee Ye, Elizabeth Staats,
Sophomore — Benjamin Thaler Wellborn, Rosie Keith,Annika Lackstrom, Aislinn McDougall,
Newcomers: Freshman Benton Cesanak, Will Golec, David Viazmenski, Hannah Berger, Grace Clerkin, Elise Debo, Mia Edmonds, Vidushi Sharma, Claire Uiterwyk, Ava Winchester
Divers: Seniors: Michael Hertog-Raz, Brynne Spaeth, Charlotte Pidgeon, juniors — Sam Calderwood, Janina Li
Newcomers: Freshman Josie Dennis, Ella Tullar
Analysis: Quality and depth define the Hanover swimming and diving team again this year. The girls will likely be in the running for an unprecedented fifth straight NHIAA Division II championship and the boys will look to get back on top after finishing second to Oyster River last year. The diving team hopes to keep its own streak alive and vie for a seventh straight year with a state champion.
“The Hanover swim team graduated a number of talented swimmers last year. Fortunately, we have a number of strong returning athletes, said Coach Sean Uiterwyk. ” In addition, there are numerous new swimmers to the team who we expect will perform well this season.”
Uiterwyk says he has strong senior leadership and wants to focus on building team spirit, good technique and fast times.
“The team is also benefiting from the addition of former University of Texas swimmer, Trent Staats, to the coaching staff,” Uiterwyk said
Diving coach Renshaw said the team is returning five divers and expects them to compete among the top divers in the state and first year divers Ella Tullar and Josie Dennis are improving rapidly and add critical depth to the team.
Coach: McKeanna Teevens (2)
Last year: Senior Aidan Urnezis was third in the 100-yard breaststroke at the NHIAA Division II state meet in Salem
League: NHIAA Division: II
Returners: Seniors — Madilyn Herring, juniors — Angus Hall, Isabella Direnzo, Nicholas Lamontagne, Ellen Wolstenholme, sophomores — Sarah Cunningham, Adaa Karanwal
Newcomers: Senior – Baillie Mako, junior Vickie Ni, freshman Max Garland, Joseph Gile, Molly Russell.
Analysis: After a COVID shortened season that limited competition, the Raiders have more swimmers this year and aim to build a strong team that can qualify for the state meet
“Our returning swimmers are starting off stronger than they were at the beginning of last season and the team has also grown in numbers,” said Coach Teevens
Coach: Abbey Rouillard (5)
Returnees: Sophomor Elise Smith
Newcomers: Freshman Aubree Herzog, Sara Gaspard
Analysis: It will be a small team again this year for Stevens, which saw most of its meets last year cancelled when a COVID outbreak in January forced the high school to shut down and cancel all sporting events.
“We will look to improve individual times for our swimmers and try to qualify for states,” said Rouillard.
