CAMBRIDGE — Winning the Div. 1 state championship is more than just a goal at the start of the season for the St. John’s Prep’s boys swimming and diving program.
The program entered Sunday’s championship meet as the two-time reigning champions and had won 15 of the last 17 titles. Despite having no individual winners, the strong depth on the roster helped the Eagles score 193 points to clinch a three-peat and continue their dynasty.
“We didn’t have any individual winners, we just had depth in the right places,” Eagles head coach Jeff Fiore said. “That’s how we’ve managed to win as many as we have. That’s how we do it.”
St. John’s Prep only had one second-place finish, which went to the 200 freestyle relay, instead relying on filling up the leaderboards with multiple swimmers or divers earning points in events. The Eagles registered points in 11 of the 12 events, including two divers earning a crucial 16 points that pushed them over the top.
“We owe a ton to our divers today, they really won the meet for us,” Fiore said. “Before those scores kicked in, it wasn’t in our favor. It’s also those guys who are toward the bottom or outside of the scoring who showed up, had a big swim on the right day and scored us some points.”
Senior Wes Ross a key contributor for the Eagles, finished third in the 200 freestyle and fifth in the 500 freestyle while adding a second-place finish in the 200 freestyle relay and a sixth-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay.
Overall, he helped contribute to 90 points and said the team was aware that it would take everyone chipping in to add to the trophy case again.
“It definitely wasn’t a sure thing,” Ross said. “It probably took until January to figure out where everybody fits in and where everybody does good in getting motivated. It definitely took some work in order to figure out how to lead this team.”
Westford Academy finished second in the meet with 183 points while Minnechaug finished third with 181 points. Westford Academy’s Aiden Gouldson had notable individual success, winning the 50 freestyle, 100 freestyle and contributing to a first-place finish in the 200 medley relay and a second-place finish in the 400 freestyle relay.
Still, the depth of St. John’s Prep could not be matched and that led it to the victory and a celebratory jump into the pool with the trophy that has become a noted tradition for the program.
Senior captain Ben Masterson, who was also on the 200 freestyle relay and helped contribute 66 points to the board, reflected on the victory and said it was a terrific way to cap his high school career.
“I love those guys, these are my brothers,” Masterson said. “I’m just so grateful and so happy that I could end my career with these guys here. I wouldn’t choose anybody else. This is the perfect ending for me.”
