By Christopher Tremblay
Staff Sports Writer

Last winter the Holliston boys’ swim team put together another strong season with only two losses and they are hoping to improve upon that this year. 

The Panther swimmers also finished in the top three at the Tri-Valley league Meet, 10th at the Sectionals and ninth at the Division 2 States. The girls’ team wasn’t as successful due to a relatively small team, but Coach Samantha Nasson is hoping that the numbers go up this season and they too can compete at a high level.

Ella Talmanson

“The boys had only two losses, while unfortunately the girls only had one win. Both teams have been able to keep their heads up whether they win or lose,” the Panther Coach said. “We want to get back to the Sectionals and States and do better this year, but our number on priority is to have fun and with that we’ll go into meets more relaxed.”

Madeline Peirce

Nasson has three if its stronger boys swimmers back this season. They include three of the four captains in Taryn Craze, James Hein and Michael Webb. Craze competes in the 100 backstroke and 100 butterfly; he finished sixth at the States in the butterfly with a time of 54.09. Hein swims the breast stroke and he finished the 100-yard event in the States with a time of 1:04.06 for 14th place, while Webb is basically a freestyle swimmer who finished seventh in the 500 free with a time of 5:01.38 and 11th in the 100 butterfly at 56.13.

Craze and Hein were also part of the 200 medley along with junior Alex Beers and since graduated Lucas Haynes. The foursome took eighth place with a time of 1:43.13. Along with Charlie LaMonica, Beers and Haynes, Craze was also part of the 400 freestyle relay that posted a time of 3:29.80.

“The three definitely stepped it up last year and I know that I can rely on them to do whatever is needed,” Nasson said. “Swimming is a sport based on individual performances but it’s all for the good of a team. These three are always encouraging the other swimmers, challenging them to get out of their comfort zones.”

 The three seniors have the confidence in their abilities and the Coach is looking for them to come though this year with the same attitudes each time they get into the pool. Nasson noted that the trio has been training hard and their self-motivation is what is going to get them back into the post-season.

Senior Arfan Heidari is the team’s fourth captain and was a part of the team’s 200 and 400 freestyle relay teams at the States. Heidari is a determined swimmer always looking to improve his times. 

“I’ve never meet anyone more determined to break his times. He wants to take his 50-freestyle time under 30 seconds,” Nasson said. “He is always in the pool and working hard; he takes anything you tell him and stores it into his head for further use.”

Last season Heidari was able to get his 50-freestyle time under 30 seconds when he swam it in 28 seconds at the TVL Meet. The Holliston Coach is hoping that she can get the senior to take part in some longer events this year, although he much prefers the shorter races. 

While the boys had more success, the girls’ team did manage to perform well in the TVL Championships, where they finished fourth in the 200 Medley and sixth in the 200 freestyle. Leading the charge for the girls’ squad is senior Ella Talmanson, who finished fifth in the 500 freestyle with a time of 6:18.33 and was sixth in the 100 breast stroke with a time of 1:20.97 at the TVL. 

“Ella is someone who is always on time and although we only have a small team of girls you can always count on her,” the Coach said. “If not in the water, she’ll be at the end of the lane cheering her teammates on or giving them pointers to help them in the water.”

The Panther Coach went on to say that no one really likes to take part in the 500, but Talmanson swims it for the benefit of the team and always emerges from the pool with a smile on her face. 

“The 500 is an event that you definitely have to work up to,” Nasson said. “And it’s a struggle to find those swimmers who want to take part in it; I really appreciate that Ella does it for us.”

The other girls’ captain is junior Madeline Peirce who was part of the Holliston 200 medley and 200 free relay at the TVL Championship Meet. Being a non-club swimmer, the junior still can compete with the best of them. Along with her co-captain, Nasson is looking for her to continue taking on that leadership role once again this season. She is also another swimmer that the Coach can rely on.

As the season gets underway, Nasson is once again hoping that the boys can get back to the States and place even better than they did last year. For the girls’ team, she is hoping that they can advance to the Sectionals in the 400-freestyle relay, an event that the girls were just a millisecond off from advancing last year.