Werenski overcomes gash in foot to win two swimming titles
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Stories abound of champion athletes dealing with injury in order to achieve great feats in their respective sport.
At Saturday's western Massachusetts swimming championships, Holyoke Catholic standout sophomore Meriza Werenski overcame more than just the rest of the field in taking home a pair of individual titles.
While stretching just before her 200-yard freestyle race, Werenski was kicking her legs to loosen up her hips when she became distracted for a split second and hit her right foot on the metal support of the lifeguard chair, opening a giant gash.
"Instead of getting prepared to swim, she's getting her foot taped up," said Gaels coach Ryan Yucka. "Basically she was kind of out of it the whole meet. She had an all-right swim, but it would have been nice to have had faster times."
As the top seed in both races, she still went on to win both the 200 free (1:55.57) and the 100 breast (1:06.34) by more than two seconds in helping lead the Gaels to a fifth-place finish.
"I was happy that I won both, but my times were a bit off and I wanted to do better," Werenski said. "I think it was more mental than physical, because that was the first time that happened to me. But once I got ready to swim, I told myself that it's fine, and when I got in the water it was fine. But what made me a little nervous was that it happened right before the race began."
Following the meet, instead of celebrating her western Mass. titles, Werenski went to the hospital to have the injury tended to. In her terms, the foot was "glued back together" because stitches wouldn't adequately support the cut.
Werenski missed practice Sunday and Monday, but returned to the pool Tuesday in preparation for this Sunday's state championships. The versatile sophomore is scheduled to swim two of her best events, the 200 individual medley and 500 free.
"I was out for a couple days, but I hope it won't affect me too much," she said. "I should be in much better shape by the weekend. I'm excited for what's coming up at states, because there are some strong contenders out there."
TRACK KICKS OFF - The state meets kick off this weekend at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston.
Amherst will compete in the Division 2 state meet at 9 a.m. Saturday.
John Latour is the sixth seed in the shot put at 46 feet, 6 inches while Mercedes Fissore O'Leary (1,000, 3:10.44) and Audrey Gould (2-mile, 11:54.50) are seventh seeds.
Northampton will compete in the Division 3 state meet Saturday at 3 p.m.
Alex Sullivan is the third seed in the 1,000 at 2:36.00, less than five seconds from the top seed Billy Looney of Bishop Feehan.
Ian Lutz is the fourth seed in the 2-mile at 9:52.58 while teammate Sam Coates-Finke is sixth in 9:56.93.
Mia Toffoli is third in the 600 (1:38.40), less than four seconds from top seed Mary Scanlan of Pembroke. Phoebe Hopkins is the fifth seed in the 600 (1:41.36). Viviane Ford is seventh in the 2-mile (11:46.26) while Charlotte Lellman is eighth (11:48.24). Adrienne Pascucci is seventh in the high jump (5-1).
The Blue Devils have the top seed in the 4x400 relay (4:06.94). Their time was converted from a 4:06.70 hand time. Pembroke is on their heels in second (4:07.14).
Northampton will choose four runners from Hopkins, Emma Larson, Pascucci, Galit Sarvet, Toffoli and Leah Tompkins to compete in the event. Last year's team of Hopkins, Larson, Toffoli and Natalia Paine set a meet record in 4:01.75.
Holyoke Catholic and South Hadley will compete in the Division 4 Sunday at 1 p.m.
Jon Horstman is the No. 1 seed in the 600 with a time a 1:22.76, which is the 10th fastest time in the country.
Wes Calhoun is the fourth seed in the long jump (20-7.5) while the 4x200 relay team of Calhoun, Dan Covington, Zak Guenther and Horstman is third (1:36.58).
Defending champ Brianna Tabin is third in the 55 dash (7.42). Victoria Miles of Millbury has a converted top time of 7.34. Tabin is also third in the 300 (42.50).
Fremgen Mirjam is fourth in the long jump (15-9.25) while the Tigers' 4x200 relay of Emily Dominik, Hannah Kelleher, Hannah Spring and Anna Sullivan is third (1:52.40).
Trevor Lewicki of Holyoke Catholic is tied for third in the high jump (6-0)..
ON THE MAT - The state Division 1 individual championships will be held at Methuen while the Division 3 tournament is at Holliston. Both championships start Friday, with the final round Saturday at 7 p.m.
Northampton's Jake Intrator (112), A.J. Chatterton (160) and Harrison Tremaine (215) will wrestle in Division 1.
In Division 3, defending champ Troy Johnson of South Hadley is the top seeded heavyweight, while his teammate and also defending champ Alex Dumais is the top seed at 185.
Other local wrestlers in Division 3 are: Granby's Mike Cupak (125), James Cupak (171) and Mack Ransford (140); Hampshire's Frankie Weir (140) and Ben Galica (215); Frontier's Jeff Tikos (135); South Hadley's Nick Rojas (145), Travis Warren (112) and Carter Levreault (152); and Belchertown's Dustin Gregoire (160).
STATE SWIMMING - It's a busy weekend at Harvard's Blodgett Pool as the state swimming and diving championships take over the building.
The boys Division 2 meet is Saturday at 3 p.m.
Amherst, Belchertown, Easthampton, Holyoke Catholic, Northampton and South Hadley will compete.
The girls Division 2 meet is Sunday at noon. Division 1 is Sunday is 5 p.m.
Belchertown, Holyoke Catholic, Northampton and South Hadley will compete in D2. Amherst and Easthampton are D1.
Leo Wright of Amherst has a chance for a great weekend. Wright is seeded first in the D2 100 breaststroke (59.14) and second in the 100 free (49.03).
Amanda Lucia of Easthampton is the second seed in the D1 200 IM (2:08.94). Lucia is also second in the 100 fly (57.55).
Easthampton's Jessica Harper is third in the 100 back (1:00.45).
Sabree Thomas of South Hadley is third in the D2 100 fly (59.02). Werenski is third in the 500 (5:00.43). The top three seeds are separated by 1.12 seconds. Werenski is also second in the 200 IM (2:06.59).
Northampton's 200 free relay team is third (1:42.53). Hamp's Alex Whiting is fifth in the 100 back (59.69) but she is 1.62 seconds shy of first. Teammate Johanna Fleming is fourth in the 100 breast (1:10.58), 1.28 seconds away from first.
GAME OF THE WEEK - Ware at Granby, girls basketball, Monday, 7 p.m.
The Rams' postseason hopes come down to their season finale against a strong Indians squad (11-6), which beat them 44-38 at home on Dec. 17.
Granby has lost numerous heartbreakers to be in this position. At one point this season, the Rams won eight of 12 games and lost four of them by a total of four points. They've since lost the last three games to Cathedral, Sabis and South Hadley.
Sports editor Mike Moran and staff writer Jim Pignatiello contributed to this story. Mike Wilkinson can be reached at mwilkinson@gazettenet.com.
