It looks like the Duxbury girls’ swim team is the team to beat in the Patriot League, as they began their season at 4-0 with two more wins last week over Pembroke (88-68) and Hanover (91-87).  The addition of eight freshmen has given the Lady Dragons the depth they will need to compete with the best teams in the division.

Divers took to the pool first in both meets last week with sophomore Kelsey Golden wasting little time at qualifying for States in just her second meet of the season. She scored 178.5 points vs. Pembroke and 194 points vs. Hanover, taking first in both meets.  Veteran senior, Sam Tougas, also qualifying for States, placed second and third, respectively.  Rounding out the girls’ diving squad is freshman, Avery Pisani, who in only her first season is already halfway to South Sectional qualifications. 
The Lady Dragons won all three relay events on Tuesday vs. Pembroke, as the 200-yard medley relay team of Shelby Rader, Ellie Johnson, Katie Eagan and Hannah Hutchinson qualified for Division II States with a time of 2:05.37.  Rader, Johnson and Eagan each would later return to the pool to take first in their individual events.
The 200-yard freestyle event was a Duxbury sweep with senior Abby Mullen (2:11.88), winning with a Sectional qualifying time, followed by MacKenzie Bright (2nd) and Lindsay Jordan (3rd). The girls also swept the 200-yard Individual Medley event with Michaela Morris (2:30.62) touching in first, Haley Chatlin taking second and Aly Wolff right behind in third. 
The 50-yard freestyle saw Rader (26.60) add another blue ribbon to her collection and qualify for States in the process. Following her were seniors Caroline McSherry (2nd) and co-captain Laura Husted (3rd). The 100-yard freestyle was also a Duxbury coup, as Aly Wolff (1:08.38) touched the wall first with Meg Murray and Sophie Gino completing the sweep. 
The Lady Dragons swept the 100-yard backstroke and breaststroke events as well.  Freshman phenom Mary O’Sullivan dominated the backstroke, finishing first in a Sectional qualifying time of 1:07.28.  Taking second and third in the event were Olivia Zelvis and Lexi Leclerc. Owning the breaststroke event was Johnson, who cruised to a first-place finish in a State qualifying time of 1:14.69.  Following close behind were Emily Nichols, in her first Sectional-qualifying time, and Cari Librett. 
The three top finishes of the 500-yard freestyle event belonged to the Dragons’ sophomore class. Miranda VanDingstee was the victor, finishing the 20 lengths in a Sectional-qualifying time of 5:55.06.  Also finishing the arduous race and completing the sweep were Elizabeth Buckley (2nd) and Jill Coghlan (3rd). 
The most exciting race of the afternoon would be the 100-yard butterfly, where sophomore Katie Eagan raced stroke for stroke with Pembroke swimmer Molly Dillon, touching her out by less than two seconds to take first and qualify for States in the process. Mullen (3rd) and Hannah Riddle (4th) also earned points in the event.
On Thursday, the girls were back at it, cruising their way to victory against Hanover.  After being out-touched on the first relay, they came back to win eight out of the remaining nine events. The 50-yard sprint freestyle event, although a loss, was the most thrilling to watch.  Sophomore Hannah Hutchinson (27.34),  cruised her way to her first Sectional qualifying time of the season, just missing first place by 6/10ths of a second.  Right behind Nichols and Husted touched in third and fourth.
Abby Mullen and Mary O’Sullivan both had two wins apiece, as Mullen took the 200-yard free (2:09.91) and 100 breaststroke (1:19.81) events, while O’Sullivan touched first in the 100 freestyle (1:02.19) and 200 IM (2:32.90). Following Mullen in the 200 free was VanDingstee (3rd) and Buckley (4th) and in the breast, Wolff (3rd) and Leclerc (5th).  Coghlan (3rd) and Husted (4th) scored points in the 200 IM, as did MacKenzie Bright (2nd) and Lauren McKim (5th) in the 100-yard freestyle. 
The 100-yard butterfly had VanDingstee (1:08.46) touching the wall first, while third and fourth place were claimed by Riddle and Wolff, respectively. Senior Haley Chatlin won the 100-yard backstroke event, as freshmen newcomers, Lucy Quigley (3rd) and Sarah Caso (5th) followed close behind.
After qualifying for States in each of the past two meets, the versatile Ellie Johnson paced her way to a blazing 5:45.49 in the 500-yard distance freestyle event, adding yet another cut.  Also competing in the event were sophomores Michaela Morris (3rd) and Shannon Hunt (4th). 
The Lady Dragons are off until Tuesday when they will swim in their most competitive meet of the regular season in Hyannis against nemesis Barnstable.