Sandwich Boys’ Swim Team Locked And Loaded

By: Dan Crowley
Published: 12/03/10

Last year they finished as the Bay Colony Conference dual-meet champions, won the BCC Championship meet, and were the top team on Cape Cod, winning the Cape Cod Classic.This winter the Sandwich High boys’ swimming and diving team plans to hit the water hard and repeat their former success.

“I’m confident that we are returning a stellar squad,” Coach Tony Compton said. “We’re going to be aggressive and we expect to do just as well as we did last year.”

The team lost two premier swimmers to graduation, Bay Colony All-Stars Alex Dropo and Jack Stanton.

“They were two very fine swimmers,” Compton said of Stanton and Dropo. “But not having them does not excuse us from putting forth a strong effort. This team is competent and confident.”

Two new captains will lead the Blue Knights into the water this season. Senior Beau Stanton and junior Tom Cundiff are both three-year veterans of the program.

“I have all the confidence in the world that we will be ably led,” the coach noted.

Stanton will compete in the butterfly and the sprints and Cundiff, a veteran of the YMCA Mako program and BCC All-Star, will swim the butterfly, 50- and 100-yard freestyle, and the breaststroke.

Off the one-meter springboard Sandwich returns four seasoned divers. Juniors Grady Bergin and Sam Scott are both returning BCC All-Stars. Senior Chris Steele and junior Cole Cataneo-Ryan are also accomplished divers, making the Blue Knights the team to beat off the board.

Junior Nick Crossman returns for his third season. Also a BCC All-Star and year-round swimmer with the Makos, Crossman’s versatility will put him into the individual medley, 200 and 500 freestyle events, the breaststroke, and more.

“He figures prominently in our lineup,” Compton said. “He is one of those guys who can do all the strokes and do them well.”

Another Mako swimmer on the team for his third season is junior Trey Kamb.

“He has improved a lot over last year,” the coach pointed out. “He brings a lot to our team. His backstroke time has really dropped. He’ll swim the backstroke and maybe some IM and the 100 freestyle and the relays."

Kellen Comer is a veteran Mako swimmer who will see time in the 100, 200 and 500 freestyle events and the relays. Junior Chris Crowley will be back in the water, swimming the 50 and 100 freestyle events and the relays, as will be junior Mo Sykes who will swim freestyle, breaststroke, and the relays.

Another veteran junior, Max Drake, will swim the freestyle events and the relays, but with his versatility the coach expects to see Drake swimming other events as well. Christian Hassler, another junior, swims for the Makos and will compete in the breaststroke and the relays for the Knights.

Sophomore Alex Simpson earned BCC All-Star recognition as a freshman.

“He ended the season strong,” Compton explained. “Alex came back this year ready to go. I think he’ll pick up right where he left off.”

Simpson, also a member of the Cape Cod Swim Club, brings strength and versatility with the ability to swim most events.

“Brian Hann is back,” Compton said. “He is very strong in the butterfly and medley relay and may end up doing some freestyle and relays as well for us.”

Sophomore Andrew Wilson is a Cape Cod Swim Club member who returns to swim the backstroke, 200 and 500 freestyle events, the IM, and the relays. Veteran sophomores Evan Denmark and Mike Deptula are also returning to the squad, giving SHS quality depth in the freestyle events and the relays.

Last year Sandwich finished 10-2 overall and at 7-0 in their conference.

“We have experience,” Coach Compton added. “These guys have a lot of meets under their belts. I’m looking forward to another very nice season.”

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