Ridgefield splashes Wrecker swimmers

Heartbreaker describes the Staples boys swimming and diving team's loss Wednesday at Ridgefield.

Staples swam well and had some of its best times in its history. But the Wreckers were touched out in a few events in a 97-89 loss and dropped to 6-4. Ridgefield raised its record to 6-2-1.

"I'm not happy with the outcome, but I'm happy with the way we swam," Wreckers coach Jeff Schare said. "We had good swims and broke a school record."

This is Staples' second straight loss, and it closes out the regular season at Newtown today at 4 p.m. What makes this setback tough was the fact the Wreckers won at vaunted New Canaan last month, but they will have a chance to beat the Tigers at FCIACs and Class LL meetss

"All the results have been close and many teams are within points of each other," Schare said.

Staples began the meet by winning the 200-meter medley relay, 1:58.97-1:59.00 behind Matt Wisher, Joss Abel, Matt Wetmore and Justin Krakoff. The Wreckers took third (2:01) with Danny Williams, Mike DeLuca, Marcus Russi and Dave Katter.

In the 200-meter freestyle, Jonathan Blansfield swam well for Staples but settled for second (2:04.72) behind Ridgefield's Grayson Smith (2:01.78), who has committed to swim for Indiana University next year. Kyle Bacon (2:07.87) took fourth for the Wreckers in the 200-free.

Williams (2:21.16) was second in the 200-meter individual medley and third in the 100-meter butterfly (1:05.47). Abel (2:25.56) and North Woods (2:28.23) were three-four for Staples in the 200-IM.

Nathaniel Boley continued to be the Wreckers' best swimmer and won the 50-meter freestyle (25.06).

"I was well-rested for the 50 and knew the team needed me," Boley said. "I was glad I could help the team."

Tanner Blank had the fourth-best dive in school history and won diving (224.20) for Staples. Andrew Cohen (179.85) took second and Justin Malinow (122.6) was fifth.

"I went into the competition confident and had a good attitude about the meet," Blank said. "I tried to have harder dives and get higher degrees of difficulty."

Bacon (56.65) and Abel (58.25) were two-four in the 100-meter freestyle. Blansfield had the fourth-fastest time in Wrecker history in the 400-meter freestyle (4:15.81) but settled for second place. Krakoff (4:38.62) took fourth in the 400-free.

The 200-meter freestyle relay team had a lead after Boley led off. Wetmore, Katter and Bacon followed and the quartet had the second-best time (1:42.57) in school history, one second short of the record, but the Tigers (1:42.5) touched Staples out.

"They stepped up their performance but got beat," Schare said. "All we can ask them to do is to give everything they have."

Boley won the 100-meter backstroke (1:02.07) and Wisher (1:05.34) took third.

"Doing the 200-free relay and the 100-back, back-to-back, was tough," Boley said. "During the first 50, I felt good, but in the second 50, I started to feel it, but was ahead."

The Wreckers took two-three-four in the 100-meter breaststroke with DeLuca (1:14.47), Chris Mombello (1:14.48) and Ethan Hunter (1:14.66), falling short to Smith (1:12.62).

If Staples won the 400-meter freestyle relay, the meet would have ended in a 93-93 tie. Blansfield, Abel, Bacon and Boley set the school record in the 400-free relay (3:46.75) but were touched out by the Tigers (3:46.69).

"I almost caught him, but he was able to hold me off," Boley said. "Everyone swam well for us, but you have to hand it to Ridgefield."