Bears Dominate in Home Meet Against Riverwood and Blessed Trinity
On Tuesday, the Bears faced off against Riverwood in an exciting dual meet that showcased depth, speed, and teamwork across the board. Both the boys' and girls' squads delivered strong performances, earning top finishes in nearly every event and setting the tone for the remainder of the season.
Team Scores
Combined:
Cambridge – 1416.5
Riverwood – 902,
Blessed Trinity – 848.5
Girls:
Cambridge – 688.5
Blessed Trinity – 613.5
Riverwood – 468
Boys:
Cambridge – 728
Riverwood – 434
Blessed Trinity – 235
Team Highlights
Cambridge swept the meet with commanding victories on both sides. The boys' team secured first place in every relay and multiple individual events, while the girls' team demonstrated strength and consistency, claiming top spots in freestyle, backstroke, and butterfly.
Relay Power
The meet opened with the 200-medley relay, where the boys' A-relay (Pranav Kolathaya, Tom Berezitsky, Brighton Damm, Brian Guy) clocked 1:55.43 for second place—a personal best for the squad. The B-relay also improved to 1:57.74 for third. On the girls' side, the A-relay (Amber Naude, Alana Drevet, Charlotte Weeter, Casey Chingirian) posted 1:59.46, another personal best, while the B-relay finished in 2:10.87, also faster than their seed.
Later, the Bears dominated the 200-freestyle relay, with the boys' A-relay (Bryson Mynatt, Oscar Ryzhkov, Tayne Naude, Jax Jackson) winning in 1:34.32 and the girls' A-relay (Vivi Vasconcellos, Audrey Lampa, Charlotte Weeter, Amber Naude) taking gold in 1:44.72—both personal bests. The night closed with thrilling wins in the 400-freestyle relay, where the girls' A-relay dropped time to 3:59.88 and the boys' A-relay finished in 3:41.10, both personal bests.
Individual Standouts
- Oscar Ryzhkov was unstoppable in the 100-freestyle, touching first at 49.32 (personal best) and contributing to relay victories. He also won the 200-freestyle in 1:48.09 (personal best).
- Amber Naude continued her dominance, winning the 100-butterfly in 1:01.40 and placing second in the 50-freestyle at 24.40.
- Tayne Naude captured the 200-IM title with a personal best of 2:05.99.
- Jax Jackson powered through the 500-freestyle for first place at 5:13.58, while Brian Guy earned third with 6:16.39 (personal best).
- On the girls' side, Vivi Vasconcellos impressed with a win in the 200-freestyle (2:10.80) and strong relay legs.
- Molly Melchiors earned second in the 500-freestyle with 5:38.72, a personal best, adding critical points for the team.
- Leila Kader dropped time in the 100-freestyle to finish second at 1:00.07 (personal best).
- Audrey Lampa and Charlotte Weeter posted personal bests in the 100-butterfly (1:10.83 and 1:12.82, respectively).
- Mihika Ayyagari improved in the 200-IM with a personal best of 2:41.94.
Depth Across Events
The Bears showed incredible depth, with multiple swimmers scoring in every event. Notable personal bests included:
- James Kates in the 50-freestyle (24.38),
- Pranav Kolathaya in the 100-breaststroke (1:18.26),
- Tate Robertson in the 100-breaststroke (1:18.30),
- Casey Chingirian in the 100-breaststroke (1:21.21),
- Maya Berezitsky in the 200-freestyle (2:19.15).
Looking Ahead
With this dominant performance and a slew of personal bests, the Bears continue to build momentum heading into championship season. The team's balance of experienced leaders and rising talent promises an exciting finish to the year. The Bears will head to Wesleyan on Friday, December 5th and then travel to Westminster for a dual meet on December 9th, before heading into Region Championships on the 20th.