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(Editor's Note - Due to a reporter's error, names and times were reversed on two of the Wilton High relay teams. Those names and times have been corrected in this verision of the story. The Villager regrets this error).

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Staff Report

NEW HAVEN -- The Wilton High School girls swim team capped off their memorable 2008 season with a fourth-place showing at the Open Championship meet on Saturday, Nov. 15, at Yale University.

It was a finish that, given the emotion of the Warriors taking the Class M title just three days earlier, Todd Stevens could live with even though Wilton missed third place to arch-rival Darien by just 1.5 points.

Greenwich won the meet with 728 points to easily out-distance runner-up Cheshire (450) as well as both the Blue Wave (404.5) and the Warriors (403).

"It was hard to do Wednesday night, then come all the way back from Wesleyan and then on Saturday, the meet was usually held a little later but it was moved up," said Stevens. "I don't know if we were fully ready, but I was look as some of the other teams and they didn't have good meets either."

Stevens was especially pleased with his relay squads who finished second (400 free), third (200 medley) and 200 medley relay team (sixth).

The 400 free squad of Caroline Higgins, Emily Healey, Jenn Abbott and Kelly Heyde knocked almost a second off their time with a swim of 3:35.33.

The 200 free relay team of KC Moss, Megan Lattimer, Kelly Caggainello and Healey was timed in 1:41.82, slightly quicker than their school-record seed time from the Class M championship meet.

And, the team's 200 medley squad of Abbott, Moss, Heyde and Higgins was timed in 1:49.77.

"The freestyle relays were fabulous," said Stevens, "and I was pretty pleased with the medley relay."

Higgins also had a strong day in the freestyles, placing fifth in the 50 free (24.48) and seventh in the 100 free (53.42).

"Caroline Higgins had a great meet," Stevens said. "She's come a long way since last year."

Katie Warburg was second in the diving (414.65 points) while Abbott was 10th (364.5).

The 200 IM had three Warriors score, including Heyde in 7th (2:10.42), Moss in 10th (2:11.01), and Abbott in 14th (2:11.75); all were slower than their seed times.

"I think we gave up a little bit in IM," Stevens said. "We were looking to do more there."

Heyde also earned a fourth in the 100 fly (58.35) while Natalie Dellinger was 23rd (1:02.25), Emily Healey was 11th in the 200 free (1:57.47) and 18th in the 100 free (55.11), Sophie Hornby was 18th in the 500 free (5:22.17), and Moss was seventh in the 100 breast (1:06.24).

"Obviously, I'd have liked to end up third, but I liked how we finished," said Stevens. "Overall, I'm very pleased with the season."

Stevens went as far to say this year's Warriors team might have been the best he's ever coached comparing it with the 1998 team that was third in FCIACs, second in the class meet, and second in Open.

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