Three meets into the 2023 season, the Canton Golden Bears Swim Team has proven to be a powerful force in Section 10. The team has not lost a meet since 2011, and looks like they intend on keeping that record.
Canton’s first meet against Gouverneur (127-31) saw the Bears take first place in all eleven events. In her debut on the Canton team, junior Gretchen Braun broke school records in the 200 Freestyle (1:58.08) and the 100 Freestyle (:53.96) that were set by Patti Abt in the late 1970’s. Junior Lexi Stuntz notched first place finishes in the 200 IM (2:24.95) and the 100 Backstroke (1:03.64) with personal best swims. Personal best times were set by sophomore Tessa Alguire with wins in the 50 Freestyle (26.28) and a :59.67 in the 100 Freestyle. Sophomore Skyler Sanderson won the 500 Freestyle (6:02.3), and freshman Kaitlyn Redfern scored first places in the 100 Butterfly (1:04.43) and the 100 Breaststroke (1:11.83).
Future Site Of Girls Swimming
The Lady Bears handed Franklin Academy a 95-60 loss in their second meet. The Medley Relay team of Baylee Wilson, Kaitlyn Redfern, Gretchen Braun, and Tessa Alguire placed first with a season best of 2:02.49. Gretchen Braun placed first in the 50 Freestyle (:25.01) and set a new Section 10 record in the 100 Backstroke with a :59.83. Lexi Stuntz garnered first place points in the 200 Freestyle (2:08.55) and the 500 Freestyle (5:41.79). Kaitlyn Redfern won the 200 IM (2:16.85) and the 100 Freestyle (:58.49). Tessa Alguire won the 100 Butterfly in 1:10.21 and senior Charlotte Colello led the Canton swimmers in the 100 Breaststroke (1:40.42). Also earning first place points was the 200 Freestyle Relay (2:01.70) of Maya Thomas, Hope Dollman, Emma Vallance, and Lexi Stuntz.
Canton’s win against Potsdam (112-57) exemplified the depth of the team. Canton placed first in all events, and placed 1-2 in five of the eight individual events. Gretchen Braun broke her 100 Backstroke record with a :59.35 and set a new Section 10 record in the 500 Freestyle with a 5:16.04. Lexi Stuntz placed first in the 200 Freestyle (2:10.25) and Emma Vallance qualified for Sectionals with a third place finish (2:29.39). The 200 IM saw Skyler Sanderson finish first (2:36.95) with Maya Thomas in second(2:45.30). The 50 Freestyle finishes were Tessa Alguire in first (:26.96), Maysa Moumen in third (:29.74), and Mauve Murphy in fifth (:30.80). Kaitlyn Redfern (1:05.98)and Maya Thomas (1:22.55) secured a 1-2 finish in the 100 Butterfly. Tessa Alguire added another top finish in the 100 Freestyle (1:00.73) while Skyler Sanderson and Lexi Stuntz added second place finishes to the 500 Freestyle and 100 Backstroke respectively. Kaitlyn Redfern notched a first in the 100 Breaststroke (1:11.98) and eighth grader Maeve Murphy place third (1:36.72).
First place relay teams were Baylee Wilson, Redfern, Sanderson, and Moumen in the 200 Medley Relay (2:12.16), Thomas, Moumen, Alguire, and Redfern in the 200 Freestyle Relay (1:53.49), and Alguire, Thomas, Sanderson, and Braun in the 400 Relay (4:10.40).
The Swimming Bears will compete against Massena and Ogdensburg this week on Tuesday and Friday. The home meets will begin at 6 p.m.
