After an undefeated season where the Trumbull Pisces claimed their third consecutive Yankee League championship, they entered the Yankee League finals as somewhat of the underdog.

The Pisces sent 70 swimmers to trials in an attempt to qualify for the championship finals meet at West Haven High School on Feb. 23, where they had a tall task to overtake the host West Haven Wizards team and their squad of 130 swimmers.

Coach Bill Strickland had his team prepared for the challenge and they came extremely close overcoming the odds. The Pisces took second place for the tournament by a small margin behind West Haven.  As a testament to the strength of their swimmers, the Pisces broke four league relay records and claimed 25 top three individual medals.

The Pisces took home more first place medals (13) than any other team and claimed top honors in the 11-12 girls’ division.

The Record Breakers: 

  • Chase Reynolds, Jaden Buchetto, Daniel Gomes and Owen Chizmadia were among 25 swimmers earing top-three medals.
    Chase Reynolds, Jaden Buchetto, Daniel Gomes and Owen Chizmadia were among 25 swimmers earing top-three medals.
    Chase Reynolds, Jaden Buchetto, Daniel Gomes and Owen Chizmadia were among 25 swimmers earing top-three medals.
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Chase Reynolds, Jaden Buchetto, Daniel Gomes and Owen Chizmadia were among 25 swimmers earing top-three medals.
Chase Reynolds, Jaden Buchetto, Daniel Gomes and Owen Chizmadia were among 25 swimmers earing top-three medals.

The 13-14 girls’ team of Norah Hampford, Julia Nevins, Jackie Dale and Liz Stoelzel finished first and the broke the 200-medley relay and the 200 freestyle relay league records.

The 11-12 girls’ team of Sara Johnson, Loralai Dale Caitlyn Dale and Kristen Racicot set the 200-medley relay record.

The 11-12 girls’ team of Chloe Abelard, Loralai Dale, Caitlyn Dale and Kristen Racicot set the 200-freestyle relay record.

All four of the records were previously held by Pisces teams that had been set at the 2018 Yankee League championships.

Along with the four record-setting girls relay teams, the boys 13 and over 200-freestyle relay of Sri Vangeepuram, Lucas Taormina, Royce Thaner and Divjot Muchal took third place.

Taking home medals for top three in the individual events were:

First Place Winners

Alisha Mahendran (6) 25 breaststroke

Soham Sarkar (10) 100 individual medley

Loralai Dale (12) 100 freestyle

Daniel Gomes (12) 50 butterfly

Kristen Racicot (12) 200 freestyle & 200 individual medley

Norah Hampford (13) 100 backstroke

Sri Vangeepuram (13) 200 individual medley & 100 breaststroke

Elizabeth Stoelzel (14) 100 breaststroke & 50 freestyle

Jacqueline Dale (15) 100 butterfly

Julia Nevins (16) 100 breaststroke

Second Place

Julia Terry (7) 50 freestyle

Sarah Johnson (11) 50 backstroke

Caitlyn Dale (12) 50 butterfly

Jacqueline Dale (15) 200 individual medley

Julia Nevins (16) 50 freestyle

Third Place 

Alexis Abellard (10) 50 freestyle

Chase Reynolds (11) 200 individual medley

Loralai Dale (12) 50 butterfly

Royce Thaner (13) 100 freestyle & 50 freestyle

Aaron Dressler (13) 100 butterfly

Lucas Taormina (13) 100 breaststroke