Senior Caroline Orem is one of several front running big producers of points for DHS. (Darien Times/Steven Buono photo)
SWIM-DIVE
Darien beat Staples 102-75 at home on Oct. 10.
And the Wave, most recently, swamped Danbury 102-62 away Oct. 12.
Next, Darien swims New Canaan at home on Oct. 24 in the last meet of the regular season.
But so far, the meet of the year, remains the slim loss to Greenwich a couple of weeks back; a loss, 95-91, that should give Darien a boost, just to think about it, going into the postseason.
“Well that was an awesome meet,” said Wave coach Marj Trifone of Darien’s only loss so far. “And, we could have tied the meet, had I split my relays at the end.”
Again, look to postseason for a boost from this long-fused result.
“In retrospect, did I pick the right people (to finish it)?” Trifone said. “But the whole meet was tight.
“And, I think, we swam with the best.”
Darien’s win over Wilton also showed signs of good things to maybe come in placing strong in FCIACs and contending for the top at states.
“Wilton was a big meet for us, because, we won that without diving,” said Trifone. “And we do have decent divers.
“I think that told us that we are a team in the running.”
It probably set up the serious run at the Cardinals too.
“And having that meet with Greenwich, knowing that we swam tied with them the whole time, also gave us confidence,” added Trifone. “To know that we are certainly a team to beat.”
Darien never really takes its best shot in FCIACs. Although you can’t count the Wave out, now, against the frontrunning Cards.
Freshman Becca Maroney is an example, just one, of why Darien’s got winning depth this season. (Darien Times/Steven Buono photo)
“We focus on states,” Trifone said.
But there’s more.
“And we are certainly going to focus on the state open meet this year,” she said.
Darien’s never won that.
“We’ve been second once in my time coaching.”
The Wave is looking like it might be primed, with strength up and down the roster, through each event, to do damage there.
“I’m hoping,” said Trifone. “I don’t want to get too crazy optimistic. We will definitely be one of the teams in there.
“I have a nice mix of a lot of depth, and I also have a few frontrunners.”
Olivia Leunis, Caroline Orem, Victoria Chao, Amanda Bieler, Courtney Ferreira were front runners, winning events vs. Greenwich, but Darien has many more, that win and finish high with points consistently to make Trifone’s hopes more than just fairy dust.
“I have a lot of very strong, depth,” she said. “You’re hoping that what helps you in the state meet — is that depth is actually strong enough, to get you into the open.”
Plus Darien has ready points always from diving, led by senior Caroline Ashcraft.
“And that’s what Greenwich has had for years. A lot of numbers in the open meet.”
If the Wave’s goal is to get as many into the state championships as it can, then do the same for the open — and it is — then, the course is set to do better than ever.
“We’ll be in better heats,” Trifone said. “I think we’ll be in stronger heats than we’ve been in the past.”
It’s all about reading the future from staring into reflections in the pool, though, until the starting gun at states.
“You never know what’s going to happen at the end of the season. And you are always on a good taper. But they’ve been working really hard. And I think harder than any year, collectively. So we are looking forward to it.”
Darien won eight states in a row for Trifone, then had the streak broken briefly before winning again — all mostly in Class S — the next year.
“And then we won again, so we are up to 10,” said Trifone, a former Wave swimmer who has coached DHS since 1999.
Among the depth, and the strength is across the board, a good indicator of how the Wave is finding points high and low, is freshman Lauren Rutledge.
“At the Greenwich meet, she had a standout meet there,” said Trifone. “She went 25.7 in the 50, and for a freshman in a big meet, that was a good swim.
“And Becca Maroney had a great swim in the backstroke, with a 1:03.
“And even though in that meet it didn’t place, for a freshman to go 1:03 in the back is a nice time.”
The highest number of events Darien’s placed for the state open is 11 swimmers. This year?
“I’m hoping 16,” Trifone said.
