Swimming: Edward Little juniors guiding the freshmen to first state appearance

Juniors Abby Fisher, left, Jenna Boucher, Leila Chirayath and Brendan Whitman chit chat during Edward Little High School swim practice at the YWCA in Lewiston. Boucher is a student at Leavitt Area High School, but trains with EL. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

LEWISTON — For Emma Hefty, Izzy Bellefleur and Samantha Poirier, this year has seen a lot of firsts: first day at a new school, first varsity swim meet, first conference championship meet and now their first state championship swim meet.

All three are freshmen who have contributed to the success to the Edward Little swim team this season and will be competing at the Class A state meet at the University of Maine in Orono on Monday.

Just like any freshmen going through their first years of high school, they have had guidance along the way, in the form of four juniors who are also competing in the state championships. They are Abby Fisher, Leila Chirayath, Jenna Boucher, who’s the lone Leavitt swimmer this year that practices with EL, and Brendan Whitman.

The four of them have helped the younger swimmers both in and out of the pool.

“They help us by teaching us how to grow up and what’s good sportsmanship is like,” Bellefleur said.

“Our dives have gotten better,” Hefty said.

Teaching is something Chirayath enjoys, and she has been working with the freshmen on their turns especially. She said they haven’t stopped learning and have continued to grow at each meet this season.

“I love teaching the younger swimmers and seeing them improve,” Chirayath said. “It’s always awesome seeing them improve with a smile on their face when they get a better time. It’s really nice to help teach them, and it’s really important as a team member to help them anyway I can.”

Head coach Scott Morrison sees coaching in Chirayath’s future. He said she has done a good job teaching starts and turns. He also said she’s comfortable talking to kids her own age and the upperclassman.

Boucher, though on a different team, offers a hand when she can.

“Even though I am not on their team, it’s good to leave a good impression,” Boucher said. “Because when I leave, even if I am not on their team, they still have to take over and teach the younger kids.”

Whitman — the lone Edward Little boy individual who qualified the state meet, which takes place Saturday for the boys in Orono — mostly works with the inexperienced boys, but likes to compete with the girls’ in practice.

He will be competing in the 50-, 100-, 200- and 500-yard freestyle events, the 100 fly, the 100 backstroke, 100 breaststroke and the 200 IM.

This will be the first time in a few years that the Red Eddies won’t have majority of the team graduate. Morrison likes the fact that the freshmen this year won’t be the veterans in 2018-19.

“Prior to this year, we had five straight years of double-digit graduates,” Morrison said. “Lelia and Jenna learned from those upperclassmen each year. I think that really prepared them to be being in that role. I suspect because they are such wonderful young ladies that they will continue as seniors to mentor the sophomores that you mentioned — we will also get more freshmen girls next year.”

Hefty has qualified in the 50, 100, 200, 500 freestyle events for Saturday. Bellefleur qualified in the 200 freestyle, 200 IM and the 100 fly. Poirier has qualified in the 200 IM, 100 fly and 100 breaststroke.

Fisher will be racing in the 100 fly, and the 200 and 500 freestyle. Chirayath will be competing in the 100 backstroke, along with the 50 and 100 freestyle. Boucher is competing in the 100 fly, 200 freestyle and 200 IM.

In some events, they only qualified last Saturday at the KVAC championship, and for the freshmen that has helped build the confidence for the state competition.

“They are difficult to make at high-pressure meets because you feel like there’s so much pressure on you,” Bellefleur said. “You just want to do really good.”

Bellefleur qualified for the 100 breaststroke and 200 IM at the KVACs. Hefty qualified for the 200 and 500 freestyle events.

Morrison believes the freshmen have the raw talent, they just needed someone to guide them through a major meet like the KVACs. The juniors have that big-meet experience.

“Leila, Jenna and Abby, they have had that experience swimming in big meets, KVACs and states,” Morrison said. “For the freshmen girls, although they are great swimmers, when you get that level of competition, their nerves kind of show up. The veteran swimmers have really been awesome in trying to keep them calm and relaxed.”

He also said that one of the goals this year was chip away at the qualifying times to get into states as the season went along, and to make sure the swimmers were swimming at their absolute best at the end of the season.

The freshmen have been teaching some of the less-experienced swimmers on the team.

“It felt good to teach someone some things,” Hefty said.

They haven’t just taught the swimmers who may be swimming for the first time competitively, either.

“If Brendan had any kind of weakness in his stroke, sometimes he has a weak kick,” Morrison said. “Emma Hefty, one of the freshmen has a strong kick. The competition between the two of them in kicking drills is really fun to watch.”

nfournier@sunjournal.com

Freshman Izzy Bellefleur, right, helps freshman Samantha Poirier with her swim cap at the beginning of practice at the YWCA in Lewiston. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Juniors Jenna Boucher, left, and Leila Chirayath talk with freshman Izzy Bellefleur, right,during Edward Little High School swim practice at the YWCA in Lewiston. Boucher is a student at Leavitt Area High School, but trains with EL. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Edward Little High School assistant swim coach Kim Preble leans down to talk to freshman Emma Hefty at the beginning of practice at the YWCA in Lewiston. Morgot Chirayath, parent helper, is at right and junior Abby Fisher is at left. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)