Hawks dominate, win Division I title

Matt Metcalf
Posted 2/19/15

Last year was the first year that Hendricken didn’t win the Division I swimming title, as Smithfield edged the Hawks for their first title in school history.

That feeling was fresh in …

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Hawks dominate, win Division I title

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Last year was the first year that Hendricken didn’t win the Division I swimming title, as Smithfield edged the Hawks for their first title in school history.

That feeling was fresh in Hendricken’s mind on Monday at Roger Williams University, as its swimming team compiled 484 points at the Division I championships to regain the title – Hendricken’s 14th D-I title overall.

The Hawks beat the rest of the field by a landslide, as Barrington placed second with 293 points and Cranston East was third with 268.

The Hawks’ medley relay team started the meet on a good note, as Lucas Stencel, Max Miranda, Marc Andrews and Owen Schriber dominated the competition, placing first in a time of 1:42.84.

Hendricken then compiled 57 points in the 200 free, with Troy Pina placing second, Brendan Crowe fourth, Dillane Wehbe sixth and Alex Vessella seventh.

Andrews then won the individual medley with a time of 2:03.28 – his best time of the year.

Hendricken continued to dominate the meet as it went on, with Miranda winning the 50 free with a time of 22.09 seconds, before Andrews placed seventh in the 100 fly and Pina finished second in the 100 free.

As the points continued to pile up, the Hawks were really able to tack on to their lead in the 500 free, where they placed four swimmers in the top 10 for the event.

In the 500 free, Wehbe placed third, while Crowe finished fifth, Vessella sixth and junior Crispin Ferris eighth.

With the meet all but decided, the Hawks didn’t take their foot off of the gas down the stretch.

Hendricken claimed another relay, as Pina, Gian Paterno, Schriber and Andrews won the 200 free relay.

Stencel went on to place third in the 100 backstroke, before Hendricken placed three swimmers in the top 10 in the 100 breaststroke.

Miranda claimed the 100 breaststroke with a time of 1:00.63, while Sam Fox placed seventh and Anthony Vessella eighth.

Hendricken closed the meet by winning its third relay of the day – this time taking the 400 free relay. The team of Pina, Wehbe, Crowe and Miranda impressed in the relay, knocking their season time down by about three seconds.

“Last year was the first year that we lost divisions,” Hendricken head coach Dave Hanson said. “The kids were happy to get it back.”

Heading into states, Hendricken will rely on its top swimmer, Miranda.

But while Hanson insisted that there is only one Miranda, he believes that it’s his team’s depth that has allowed them to be so successful.

“It’s the other kids besides Miranda that have come through for us this year, as well,” Hanson said. “Some of the seniors on this team don’t even have a varsity letter and they’ve been main contributors.”

The Hawks look primed to regain the state title again this year, after Smithfield also ended Hendricken’s streak of 24-straight state crowns.

Although anything can happen, the Hawks seem focused to take over the spot atop the state once again.

The state meet will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday at Brown University.

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