Bears Excel in Tri-Meet Against Wesleyan and Riverwood
On December 5th, the Cambridge Bears competed in a spirited tri-meet against Wesleyan and Riverwood, delivering strong performances across all events. Both the boys' and girls' squads showcased depth and determination, earning top finishes and setting the stage for an exciting close to the season.
Team Scores
- Wesleyan Wolves — Boys: 264 | Girls: 217 | Combined: 481
- Cambridge Bears — Boys: 233 | Girls: 230 | Combined: 463
- Riverwood Raiders — Boys: 129 | Girls: 195 | Combined: 324
Meet Highlights
The Bears opened the night with a powerful showing in the 200-medley relay. The boys' A-relay (Pranav Kolathaya, Tom Berezitsky, Aneesh Ayyagari, James Kates) clocked 1:55.28 to take second place, while the B-relay (Tate Robertson, Shane Merrill, Nash Christiansen, Brian Guy) finished third at 1:57.55. On the girls' side, the A-relay (Audrey Lampa, Caroline Garijo, Sydney Edison, Maya Berezitsky) secured second place with a time of 2:09.83, and the B-relay added valuable points with a sixth-place finish.
Individual Standouts
- 200 Freestyle: Alexis Walkenhorst led the girls with a second-place finish (2:19.19), while Christine McVicker took fourth (new personal best) and Amy Watkins added points in ninth. For the boys, Campen Dawes placed fourth (new personal best) in 2:20.05, followed by Avi Saxena and Henry Sommet (Henry also posted a new personal best in 100 Free later).
- 200 IM: Meg Carrizal claimed the event title for the girls with a time of 2:39.71, while Emily Lewis finished third. On the boys' side, Bryson Mynatt took second (new personal best), with Shane Merrill third (new personal best) and James Kates fourth (new personal best).
- 50 Freestyle: Brian Guy sprinted to third place (23.51, new personal best), and Brighton Damm added a fifth-place finish (new personal best). For the girls, Abby Salvia impressed with a third-place finish (28.44).
- 100 Butterfly: Audrey Lampa powered to second place (1:08.40, new personal best), followed by Alexis Walkenhorst in third. Aneesh Ayyagari led the boys with a fourth-place finish.
- 100 Freestyle: Abby Salvia continued her strong night, taking second (1:01.04). Bryson Mynatt led the boys with a blazing 54.09, while Shane Merrill posted a new personal best in this event.
- 500 Freestyle: The Bears dominated distance events, with Brian Guy claiming the win (6:11.87, new personal best) and Maya Berezitsky taking first for the girls (6:10.78, new personal best). Caroline Garijo followed closely in second.
Relay Power
The Bears showed depth in relays:
- 200 Free Relay: Both A-relays finished second—the boys in 1:40.92 and the girls in 1:52.97.
- 400 Free Relay: The girls' A-relay (Audrey Lampa, Caroline Garijo, Abby Salvia, Alexis Walkenhorst) captured first place (4:16.36), while the boys' A-relay finished second at 3:47.91.
Diving Contributions
In diving, Taylor Eastman scored third (157.55) and Emily Temple added a fifth-place finish, giving the Bears an early boost. Mylon Sriganesha had a new personal best score for his second place performance.
Looking Ahead
With strong performances from veterans and newcomers alike, the Bears continue to build momentum heading into the final stretch of the season. The team will look to carry this energy into a dual meet with Westminster on Tuesday and then push into Region Championships on the 20th.
