MV Eagles Secure Third Place at MIAA North Sectionals Meet

By Emily Brennan

The Mystic Valley girls’ swim team kicked off their postseason with a historic performance at the MIAA North Sectionals on Saturday, held at MIT’s Zesiger Center. With a total of 241 points, the team earned an impressive third-place finish.

The meet kicked off with excitement as the 200-medley relay team, composed of Sydney Cao, Brittney Nayiga, Isabelle Pennachio, and Lana Albuquerque, took first place with a time of 1:53.01, smashing the school record by nearly three seconds. This victory also marked Mystic Valley’s first-ever relay title.

In the 200 individual medley, Isabella Cirame had a standout performance, finishing fifth with a time of 2:15.89. Teammate Lucia Antonucci followed closely in eighth place, achieving a lifetime best of 2:19.66. Pennachio rounded out the top 10 with another personal best of 2:22.28.

Nayiga continued to shine in the 50 freestyle, setting a new school record with a time of 25.36, breaking a long-standing record set by Alyssa Savarino in 2010. Teammates Albuquerque (12th, 26.27) and Cao (16th, 26.54) also placed in the top 16, while seventh-grader Benitah Mwebaza made a strong debut with a time of 26.99.

After a brief break, Pennachio earned points for the Eagles with an eighth-place finish in the 100 butterfly, clocking in at 1:03.24.

In the 100 freestyle, Cirame placed fourth with a time of 55.84, while Mwebaza placed 18th with a time of 58.58.

The 200-freestyle relay team of Antonucci, Cirame, Albuquerque, and Nayiga made history once again, winning the event with a blistering time of 1:41.28, breaking the school record by two seconds and securing Mystic Valley’s second-ever first-place finish at Sectionals.

Antonucci’s dominance continued as she claimed the 100-breaststroke title with a lifetime best and school-record time of 1:09.57, becoming only the second-ever individual sectional champion from Mystic Valley. Nayiga also had an outstanding swim, as she placed third with a time of 1:10.38, just shy of her personal best.

The meet concluded with the 400-freestyle relay, where the team of Cirame, Mwebaza, Cao, and Antonucci set another school record with a time of 3:49.55, securing third place.

Overall, Mystic Valley’s performance was nothing short of remarkable. With three first-place finishes, and five school records broken, the team’s third-place finish is one of the greatest athletic achievements in the school’s history. Notably, both Nayiga and Antonucci tied the record for the most points scored at the North Sectional Meet by a Mystic Valley swimmer, each earning 49 points, surpassing the previous high of 42 points set by Savarino in 2008.

The team will next compete at the MIAA Division 2 State Meet on February 15th, held at the Boston University pool.