Melendez, Ha lead swimmers at league meet
By Jay TurnerCanton High School’s two biggest swimming stars, junior Sebastian Melendez and senior Tiffany Ha, both shined brightly on the league’s biggest stage last week, earning two individual medals apiece at the Hockomock championships in Milford.
Melendez, who is the defending sectional champion in both the 200 and 500-yard freestyle, captured gold in both events on Sunday while leading the CHS boys team to a fourth-place finish overall.
In the 200 free, Melendez bested the runner-up, King Philip’s Tyler Stringfellow, by more than three full seconds. He was nearly as dominant in the 500 free, beating Stringfellow again by almost two seconds.
Melendez was also a part of the winning 200 freestyle relay team, along with Diego Ferstler, Sean Mitchell, and Owen Guerini. The foursome finished more than two seconds ahead of the second-place team from Attleboro, and they combined to finish third in the 400 free relay.
Mitchell, who will be competing in the upcoming sectional championships, also had a strong individual meet, placing third in the 50 free and sixth in the 100 breaststroke. Fellow sectional qualifier Owen Guerini finished seventh in the 50 free and 11th in the 100 free, and Dan Nadeau placed eighth in the 100 fly. Other point scorers for the Bulldogs included Ferstler in the 50 and 100 free and Jimmy Hamrock in the 200 and 500 free.
Meanwhile, in the girls competition held on Saturday morning, Ha was the big story for Canton as she placed first in the 100 free and second in the 100-yard backstroke. She was also part of the 200 free relay team that placed fourth overall along with Dasol Lee, Maddie Nourse, and Kaitlin McCarthy.
Other point scorers for Canton on Saturday included Nourse in the 50 free and 100 fly, Lee in the 100 free, Emily Beatty in the 200 free, and the 200 medley relay team of Brianna Mitchell, Brianna Murphy, Beatty, and Emily Pham. Mitchell and Murphy also delivered strong performances in the 100 back and 100 breaststroke, respectively.
Ha, a senior captain and a three-time league all star, will represent Canton in both the 100 free and 100 back at the upcoming central/south sectional championships. The girls 400 free relay team is also set to compete after smashing the qualifying time at the league meet. The girls 200 medley relay qualified for sectionals as well, and the boys have qualified for both sectionals and states in all three relays: 200 medley, 200 free, and 400 free.
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Posted by Jay Turner
on Feb 12 2016. Filed under High School, Sports.
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