BEACON FALLS — Woodland made a nonconference statement on Monday afternoon.
The Hawks defeated East Haven, 86-52, and improved to 3-0 on the season. Chrissy Leeper won two individual events and Dayna Chucta set the school’s six-dive record.
“They’ve been working really hard since the first day of practice,” Woodland head coach Mike Magas said. “They’re starting to get in the right frame of mind.”
That mindset is equating to confidence. The meet started with seven-straight event victories for the Hawks.
Katie-Jean Hinckley, Carolyn Luddy, Leeper and Sydney Corneau won the 200-yard medley relay to kick-start the day. They finished in a time of 2:06.66, almost 11 seconds ahead of the second place team—also from Woodland.
Leeper exploded in the second event, the 200 free. She took first in a time in 2:12.38, ahead of teammate and second-place finisher, Rachel Gerard, who finished in 2:40.91.
Hinckley kept it going. She won the 200 IM in 2:29.14.
Again, the Hawks had quality finishes to build a big early lead. In the 200 IM, Whitney Stow took third and Katie Drewery placed fourth.
East Haven appears to be in a rebuilding year and the Hawks were the favorite entering the meet. Therefore, he challenged the team prior to the start.
“I told the team to take advantage of every time they’re in the pool,” Magas said.
More depth stretched Woodland’s lead in the fourth event. Emily Trumbley edged out Anna Boris in the 50 free.
Trumbley finished in a time of 30.52 seconds, while Boris featured a time of 30.88 seconds. Another Hawk, Sara Fowler, placed third in 32.38 seconds.
Chucta stole the show. She totaled a 217.70 in the diving event, almost doubling the second-place finisher, teammate Kim Thrasher.
Magas said he expected great things from Chucta, who broke the record held by her sister, Heather, a 2009 graduate currently diving at the University of Delaware. He attributed her early-season success to confidence and her coach, Katelyn Annino.
“I noticed big change over last year from Dayna,” Magas said. “Her mind was set on breaking that record from day one.”
Liz Martin of Woodland placed third in the diving event.
In the sixth event, the 100 butterfly, Corneau took the top spot and Boris again took a respectable second-place position. Becca Grabowski gave the Hawks more points in fourth.
The seventh event featured the second win of the day for Leeper, who won the 100 free in 1:01.25. Stow finished second and teammate Sam Solomon took third.
The Hawks will face its biggest test of the season to date with a home meet on Friday afternoon against the Naugatuck Valley League’s two-time defending champ, Torrington.
“I told the girls it will take a special effort to compete with Torrington this year,” Magas said.
Following the meet against the Red Raiders, Woodland will host Southington on Tuesday before visiting Watertown on Sept. 30.
