Ridgefield girls swimming tops Greenwich in showdown of perennial FCIAC and state powers

You can't put a ton of weight on a swimming regular-season dual meet.

Dual meets and postseason meets are scored differently, and teams can earn points through event wins and depth.

That being said, it's hard not to be impressed by what the Ridgefield High girls did Wednesday against Greenwich at the Ridgefield Aquatic Club. The Tigers rolled past the Cardinals 110-76 in a showdown of perennial FCIAC and state powers.

"I couldn't be prouder of the way our girls competed yesterday," Ridgefield coach Paul Marchese said in an email Thursday morning. "We knew Greenwich was going to be a tough opponent, and we emphasized all week that it would take a complete team effort to come away with a victory."

The Tigers got that complete effort. Not only did Ridgefield win 10 of 12 events, but it also tallied seven second-place finishes, two third-place finishes, two fourth-place finishes, and six fifth-place finishes.

"Our depth was a huge factor in the meet. We have a group of girls who are willing to step into different events, embrace their roles, and do whatever the team needs to be successful," Marchese said. "It wasn't just about winning races, but about fighting for every place and every point. Those second- and third-place finishes are just as important as the wins, and I think our girls really understood that yesterday."

"Depth was definitely a factor in the meet," Greenwich coach Megan Kelly said in an email Thursday. "We only have a handful of strong sprint freestylers, so our strategy was to maximize points with seconds and thirds in the relays."

The Cardinals grabbed 10 third-place finishes and seven fourth-place finishes. Greenwich won two events, finished second in another five, and took fifth in three.

"Credit to Ridgefield for a strong meet," Kelly said. "Our girls came in heavily fatigued from training, so now the focus shifts to rest and letting their bodies adapt to the work we've put in."

The focus for the Cardinals is the postseason.

"Championship season is where we want all of that effort to show," Kelly said.

The Tigers are also looking toward the postseason.

"Greenwich is a program we have a tremendous amount of respect for, which makes this victory even more meaningful," Marchese said. "I'm proud of what our girls accomplished, but I'm even prouder of the way they came together as a team. Hopefully, we can carry that same energy and momentum into the championship season."

Seniors shine bright

Marchese was tremendously impressed by his seniors: Dalia Katra, Mairead Luhman, London Lewis and Kathleen Sullivan. It was senior night at the Ridgefield Aquatic Club.

"Our seniors really showed up and led by example, both in the water and on deck," Marchese said. "They've given so much to this program over the years, and to see them compete with that kind of passion and determination on their night was incredibly rewarding. They set the tone for the rest of the team, and I couldn't have asked for a better way to celebrate them."

Katra and Luhman each won an individual event, the former the 100 breaststroke (1:14.98) and the latter the 100 butterfly (1:07). Katra and Luhman swam with Ellie Griffin and Mary Kelly on the winning 200 medley relay (2:01.71), and Katra swam with Griffin, Lauren Crawford and Zsofia Milak on the winning 200 freestyle relay (1:51.02). Luhman swam with Milak, Kelly and Charlie Palmer on the winning 400 freestyle relay (4:08.51).

Lewis finished third in diving with a score of 246.50 points, and Sullivan was fifth in the 100 breaststroke (1:25.73). Individually, the sophomore Milak won the 200 freestyle (2:07.22) and 100 freestyle (58.17).

Big-time atmosphere

Marchese, who has coached both girls and boys swimming at the high school level, marveled at the atmosphere.

"In all my years of coaching, I don't think I've ever witnessed an atmosphere quite like that at a high school dual meet. The energy from the swimmers, teammates, families, and spectators was unbelievable," Marchese said. "Every race felt important, and the excitement throughout the pool was something special.

"This is what our sport is all about. Seeing that level of passion, support, and excitement for high school swimming is something I'll remember for a long time. It changes the level of the meet in a positive way."

What's next?

The regular season ends next week for both teams. Ridgefield concludes next Wednesday against Wilton at the Wilton YMCA at 3:40 p.m. Greenwich hosts Darien next Friday at 4 p.m.

After that, there's the FCIAC championships, where Ridgefield and Greenwich will be battling for the top spot. The diving championships are Oct. 29, while the swim championships are Oct. 31.

Ridgefield and Greenwich are both in Class LL, which sets up yet another showdown on Nov. 17 at the Cornerstone Aquatic Center in West Hartford. The State Open is Nov. 22 at Yale in New Haven.

Greenwich (Class LL) and Ridgefield (Class L) won championships last year before the Cardinals finished first ahead of the Tigers at the State Open. They also won their class championships in 2024, but Ridgefield finished first ahead of Greenwich at the State Open.

The teams went head-to-head in Class LL in 2022 and 2023 with the Tigers and Cardinals alternating victories. In 2022, Ridgefield won the State Open. In 2023, Greenwich was the State Open champion.

This article originally published at Ridgefield girls swimming tops Greenwich in showdown of perennial FCIAC and state powers.