{"id":932,"date":"2021-06-08T14:04:05","date_gmt":"2021-06-08T14:04:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/?page_id=932"},"modified":"2021-06-08T14:21:12","modified_gmt":"2021-06-08T14:21:12","slug":"swimming-2011","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/milestone-achievement-recognition\/swimming-2011\/","title":{"rendered":"Swimming 2011"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-page\" data-elementor-id=\"932\" class=\"elementor elementor-932\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-f0d9ae7 ang-section-padding-no elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default elementor-repeater-item-none elementor-repeater-item-none_hover\" data-id=\"f0d9ae7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-c3dac47 elementor-repeater-item-none elementor-repeater-item-none_hover\" data-id=\"c3dac47\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8651fb6 elementor-repeater-item-none elementor-repeater-item-none_hover elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"8651fb6\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.17.0 - 08-11-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>Twenty-five years ago Branford established a dynasty in swimming when the Boys High School Team won three consecutive state championships. No other boys\u2019 team at Branford had ever accomplished this fete and it still stands today as one of Branford\u2019s greatest athletic achievements. Each team consisted of dedicated individuals who were willing to make tremendous sacrifices for the good of the team. Preparation for the season, hard work at practice every day and a clear focus on the goal of winning a state championship were common elements of each of these teams. The annual training trip to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, in February each year served as a final preparation for the state championships and as a team bonding experience.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-db529e5 elementor-repeater-item-none elementor-repeater-item-none_hover\" data-id=\"db529e5\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6b58dd2 external_elementor-repeater-item-none_external elementor-repeater-item-none elementor-repeater-item-none_hover elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"6b58dd2\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.17.0 - 08-11-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img decoding=\"async\" width=\"195\" height=\"241\" src=\"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/06\/horent.gif\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-935\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-31bbd11 ang-section-padding-no elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default elementor-repeater-item-none elementor-repeater-item-none_hover\" data-id=\"31bbd11\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-no\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-feff062 elementor-repeater-item-none elementor-repeater-item-none_hover\" data-id=\"feff062\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c4b1d52 elementor-repeater-item-none elementor-repeater-item-none_hover elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c4b1d52\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Before the 84-85 season began, winning a state championship was a goal but by no means certain. The nucleus of the 1983 team that had tied for a state championship had graduated and Foran H.S. had won the 1984 state championship. Foran, the defending champion, was coached by Branford Sports Hall of Fame member Rich Thompson. Captains Mario Giardello, Geoff Hotz, and Tony Paluzzi led the team to an 11 win \u2013 2 loss season. At the state championships the team was led by All-Staters Paul Connolly, Sandy Lecza, Jim Mason and Jeff O\u2019Connor but it was the depth of the Branford team that nailed down the victory as sixteen team members scored in the final. Branford had to come from thirty-seven points behind and took the lead for the first time in the 500 free when they took first, second, third and sixth place. Branford won by scoring 197 points to Foran\u2019s 187 with the other twenty teams far behind.<\/p><p>The 85-86 team captains were Paul Connolly and Sandy Lecza. Confidence ran high as only four team members had graduated and there were several freshmen that would make an immediate impact. The team\u2019s dual meet record was ten wins and two losses. Branford dominated the Class M State Championships and finished far ahead of second place Darien. Chris Ariyan, Steve Ariyan, Paul Connolly, Ed Dingus, Jim Mason, Jeff O\u2019Connor and Steve Schwartz were all named to the All-State Team. In all eighteen Branford swimmers and divers scored at the state finals.<\/p><p>The 86-87 team set it sights on winning a third consecutive state championship. The task would not be easy as Darien had added several top swimmers to their already impressive lineup and Branford had graduated several top swimmers. The team was led by captains Steve Ariyan, Eric Golia and Jeff O\u2019Connor. Branford swam an extremely tough dual meet schedule which included a two point victory over Darien and a big six point win over Cheshire. This prepared them for the state meet where they again beat second place Darien for the third consecutive state championship by a score of 271 to 248, with all the other teams far behind. Chris Ariyan, Steve Ariyan, Ed Dingus, Phil Fischer, Chad Florio, Eric Golia, Jeff O\u2019Connor, Sean O\u2019Connor, Chris Patterson and Steve Schwartz were all named to the All-State Team. New Class M state records and Branford school records were set by Ed Dingus in the 200 yard freestyle and by the 400 yard freestyle relay of Chris Ariyan, Steve Ariyan, Ed Dingus and Jeff O\u2019Connor.<\/p><p>With three state championships under their belt Branford had established themselves as a swimming powerhouse. Chris Ariyan, Steve Ariyan, Craig Cassista, Steve Cusack, Phil Fischer, Chad Florio, Eric Golia, Bob Grenon, Greg Hopkins, Vin Mascola, Jeff O\u2019Connor and Steve Schwatrz were members of all three championship teams. All three teams were coached by head coach John O\u2019Connor and diving coach Sylvia Corley.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Twenty-five years ago Branford established a dynasty in swimming when the Boys High School Team won three consecutive state championships. No other boys\u2019 team at Branford had ever accomplished this fete and it still stands today as one of Branford\u2019s greatest athletic achievements. Each team consisted of dedicated individuals who were willing to make tremendous [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":930,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/932"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=932"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/932\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1218,"href":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/932\/revisions\/1218"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/930"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/branfordsportshalloffame.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=932"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}