The Randolph Girls Swim team made history, winning the State Sectional Final for the first time since 2007 by defeating Northern Highlands 95-75 on Wednesday, Feb. 12.
“This meet was an absolute dream to witness,” Head Coach Krystal Hoffman said.
The team didn’t waste any time finding an early domination in the 200-medley relay, with senior captain Ana Saguillo Leppanen, sophomore Alba Saguillo Leppanen, junior Peyton Enama and freshman Ashley McDonnell placing first.
Junior Alivia Wright dominated in the 200 freestyle, securing the needed first place, with Alba Saguillo Leppanen right behind in third place.
“Freestyle wins high school meets, plain and simple,” said Hoffman on her strategy to gain those necessary points.
Moving on into the 200 IM, freshman Julianna Young, Ana Saguillo Leppanen and freshman Emily Dalton went 2-3-4, racking up points in each race.
The team saw a challenging 50 freestyle, with junior Sydney Wright earning a close second.
“The girls stay motivated by cheering each other on,” Ana Saguillo Leppanen said. “Every point mattered, so we were cheering in every race and were definitely the loudest team there.”
Going into the second half, the team knew the score would be tight. Enama and A. Wright placed second and third in the 100 fly, with freshman Angelica Sandoval right behind, proving Randolph’s domination.
Wright got second in the 100 freestyle along with McDonnell out-touching for third. Freshman Taylor Holtzman got second in the 500 free.
“The difference this season is that we had the depth, and seeing this early on, I knew I had to push a little more to achieve our ultimate goal,” Hoffman said.
As the team moved into the final events, the energy was intense, with Young earning the needed first place in the 100 back, and sisters Ana Saguillo Leppanen and Alba Saguillo Leppanen going 1-2 in the 100 breast.
Moving into the final 400 free relay, S. Wright got the lead early on. Her relay team of McDonnell, Wright and Young achieved victory. Freshman Reese Nelson, Holtzman, Enama and Alba Saguillo Leppanen also got third place, therefore ending the meet.
“The mind and body can do what they are trained to do; train fast, you will swim fast,” said Hoffman as a reminder to the team of how far they had come.
The Rams are gearing up for their next challenge, racing Chatham on Tuesday, Feb. 18, in the group semifinals.
