Post-Season with the BHS Swim and Dive Teams

Bedford High School swimmers and divers had a great postseason. The 2019/2020 team of 20 girls and 15 boys has some strong swimmers and divers.

The girls’ diving team, only 3 girls, but strong & talented. Led by senior & Captain, Caitlin Pequeno, returning sophomore Bella Seldon and newcomer and senior, Caroline Sepe. The girls dominated the season placing well in dual meets, improving their scores and bringing lots of points to the team. “I enjoy coaching the girls, they’re incredibly hard-working, striving to learn more difficult and challenging dives”. It’s always fun to watch them in competition, great execution and form from take-off to entry! They make it look easy! I’m very proud of them and lucky to coach such a great group of girls. Says dive coach Kristi Pucillo.

The boys 200 Medley relay team of sophomore Andy McKiernan, junior Maxim Kovalenko, sophomore Benjamin Liao, and senior Jesse Collins broke their own high school record at the 2020 MIAA Winter Boys State Division 2 championship with a time of 1:46.45 and placed 15th! This boys relay team actually broke the Bedford High School record a week earlier at the Boys North Sectional meet with a time of 1:47.39 where they placed 16th.

Continuing on at the Boys State Division 2 championship — In the 50 Free, junior Maxim Kovalenko took 21^st place with a time of 23.16 (This was Maxim’s best 50 Free time all season) In the 100 Fly, Andrew McKiernan (SO) 28^th place with a time of 58.40 and Maxim Kovalenko (JR) 30^th place with a time of 59.96. In the 200 Free Relay, team members Jesse Collins (SR), George Rackey (SO), Andrew McKiernan (SO), Maxim Kovalenko (JR) took 24^th place with a time of 1:37.45 achieving their best time all season.

At the 2020 MIAA Winter Girls State Division 2 championship, sophomore Bella Seldon placed 15^th for diving with a score of 352.40 improving her score by 23.8 points from the previous weeks north sectional meet.

Lily Nemirovsky placed 21^st in the 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:34.24. Alli McSwain placed 21^st in the 100-yard backstroke. The 200-Yard Medley Relay team of Alli McSwain, Sarah Wirth, Elora Syed, and Lily Nemirovsky placed 23^rd with a score of 2:01.54.

Prior to States, during the North Sectional dive meet at MIT, senior Caitlin Pequeno placed 9^th in girls diving with a total score of 347.50 and sophomore Bella Seldon placed 11^th with a 328.60 for the girls diving. At the Sectional meet for the girls swimming, senior Lily Nemirovsky placed 13th in the 500 free and Alli McSwain placed 11^th in the 100 back. In the 200 Free Relay Alli McSwain, Elora Syed, Sally MacPhee, and Lily Nemirovsky placed 12th with a time of 1:50.96 with their season-best time.

In the Boys North Sectional meet, junior Maxim Kovalenko took 21^st place in the 50 Free with a time of 23.29. In the 100 Fly, sophomore Andrew McKiernan placed 26^th with a time of 57.87, Andy’s best 100 Fly time all season, and Maxim Kovalenko placed 28^th with a time of 58.31. For the 200 Free Relay, team members Jesse Collins, senior; George Rackey, sophomore; Andrew McKiernan, sophomore;  and Maxim Kovalenko, junior took 20^th place with a time of 1:37.75.

Starting off the postseason Bedford had a strong showing at the 2020 Dual County Swim and Dive Championship. Senior diver Caitlin Pequeno placed 6^th, and Bella Seldon placed 13^th for the girls diving. The girls 200-yard medley relay team of Alli McSwain, Sarah Wirth, Elora Syed, and Lily Nemirovsky placed 12^th with a time of 2:03.06

The Bedford team also took 12^th place in the 400-Yard Free Relay with a time of 4:09.60. Senior Lily Nemirovsky had a strong showing and took 2^nd place in the girls’ 500-yard freestyle with a time of 5:34.93, dropping 4.01 second on her time. She also took 11^th place in the 100-yard fly with a time of 1:06.60. Senior Alli McSwain placed 9^th in the 100-yard back with a time of 1:04.60. Freshman Elora Syed placed 37^th in the 50 Free with a score of 28.34 (out of 120 girls).