Erin Tateishi has the unique job of coaching both the Caribou Vikings swim team as well as the squad from the Maine School of Science and Mathematics.
While it brings some unique challenges, both Tateishi and the athletes have benefitted from the opportunity. With a combined roster of 21 athletes and a variety of swimming abilities, Tateishi works hard to tailor practices to meet the needs of the individual athletes. The team practices and hosts its meets at the Limestone Community School pool.
“Many of the MSSM athletes come from age group swimming programs,” she stated, “so they are able to help out and demonstrate various drills and techniques. The large number of athletes are able to push one another, and hopefully everyone’s performances will benefit.”
The Caribou squad includes seniors Courtney Cote, a team captain, and Maddy Yakel, who will both do backstroke and freestyle events. Juniors include co-captain Olivia Engstrom, a distance freestyler; Laura Doucette, a freestyler; Adrianna Bither, a new swimmer who will do backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle; and co-captain Austin Scott, who will do the butterfly, freestyle and IM.
Scott had a top-10 finish in the 100 fly a year ago at the state meet, and has already qualified this year in the 200 IM and 100 fly. He is shooting for a top five in the States this season and is improving every day, according to Tateishi.
The lone sophomore is Dominic Judd, who will compete in the freestyle, fly and breast. Judd already qualified in the 100 fly and just missed in the 100 breast. The freshman class includes Stewart Curtis, who has yet to compete, and Kyra Thibeault, who will do freestyle, backstroke and fly. Thibeault has already performed well in the fly portion of the relays. Freshman Moriah Connolly is working as the team manager, and she has been invaluable to Tateishi in handling many of the administrative functions.
“This is a very good Caribou team this year,” explained Tateishi. “We have had a strong start and it didn’t take long for them to get into swim shape. I have seen vast improvements as the season has progressed. About half the team members are new to the squad, and they have jumped right in to become a part of our swim family.”
The MSSM team is unique in that many of the athletes are coming from schools with established swim programs. The holidays pose a unique problem for many of them in that they travel home and are away from practices and meets during that time frame.
Leading the way is senior Zeb Keith-Hardy, who is back as a captain again this year. Keith-Hardy swims freestyle, backstroke and breast and was a state qualifier a year ago. Mara McDonough is the lone junior. She swims the fly and the freestyle, and just missed qualifying a year ago. Another team captain, Tateishi is confident McDonough can make the jump and qualify this year.
Sophomores are Nate Gere, who swims all strokes and has already qualified for the States this year, and three new swimmers — Emma Vannorsdall, who will focus on freestyle, and Laura Dolci and Irja Hepler, who will swim freestyle and breaststroke.
Rachel Pike is another new swimmer who is coming back from injury and has yet to compete. The freshman class has four new swimmers who are showing marked improvement every practice and meet. They are Naomi Kihn, who will compete in the freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke; Andrea Rawson in the freestyle, breast, and IM; Abby Raymond, who will swim all strokes; and Min Seung-Nam, who will swim freestyle and breast.
“I have high hopes for this team, and I can see many of them qualifying for States. Their relays are doing very well and can also qualify. This is the largest MSSM team I have ever had,” explained Tateishi, “and most of them have done some age group swimming. They are a great group of kids, and our teams have taken to each other. We see ourselves as one big team.”
On Saturday, Caribou made the trip to Ellsworth to take on both Ellsworth and George Stevens Academy of Blue Hill.
Highlights for the Vikings included both Scott and Judd turning on state-qualifying times. Scott swam the 50 free in 25.46 seconds, good for third place in the meet, and the 100 free in 56.88, which was a winning time. Judd recorded a time of 1:17.71 in the 100 breast, which placed him third.
Judd was also fifth in the 50 free in 27.09.
Adrianna Bither took third in the 100 breast in 1:54.52 and fifth in the 100 back in 1:35.37. Courtney Cote was fourth in the 100 back in 1:32.3 and fifth in the 100 free in 1:22.67, while Kyra Thibeault took fourth in the 50 free in 34.71 and Olivia Engstrom was fourth in the 500 free in 7:27.84 and fifth in the 200 free in 2:47.48.
Ellsworth beat the Caribou boys, 87-15, while also topping the girls, 72-51. GSA outscored the Vikings on the boys’ side, 69-22, while also taking the girls’ meet, 117-33.
The Caribou swim team also made the trip to Bangor’s Husson University Dec. 23 for a competition.
The Viking boys scored 11 points, with Scott taking first in the 200 freestyle in 2:08.25 and second in the 100 butterfly in 1:00.57. Judd placed third in the 100 breaststroke in 1:18.54 and took fourth in the 50 free in 27.56 seconds.
Engstrom, Cote and Thibeault paced the Caribou girls, which tallied eight points in the event. Engstrom ended up third in the 200 free in 2:48.61 and fourth in the 500 free in 7:49.39, while Cote was third in the 100 back in 1:34.03 and fourth in the 100 free in 1:24.46 and Thibeault third in the 100 free in 1:19.09 and fourth in the 50 free in 34.68 seconds.
Bither managed a fourth-place finish in the 100 breast in 2:02.23 and the 100 back in 1:35.66.
The combined squads have also had a home meet with Orono and Presque Isle. Upcoming meets include a trip to Hampden and home meets against Foxcroft Academy (this Saturday) and Washington Academy. The Penobscot Valley Championships will be held at the University of Maine at Orono Feb. 7, while the Class B championships are the following week. The boys compete on Feb. 14, and the girls on Feb. 16, with both also being held at Orono.
