Massachusetts Men’s Division 1 High School State Championships

By Brian Savard

CAMBRIDGE, Massachusetts, March 12. TWO-time Olympian Erik Vendt lost one of his two Massachusetts state records as a junior sensation made history at the Massachusetts Division 1 High School Championships.

Nick D'Innocenzo of Andover set the record with his preliminary swim of 1:50.67. Vendt clocked the former state standard of 1:51.55 in 1999 while swimming for Boston College High School. D'Innocenzo toppled a record later on in the meet that was set before he was born. His 57.26 100 breaststroke bettered the 1989 record of 57.64 set by Joe Sheehan of Malden Catholic.

Vendt's 500 freestyle record of 4:24.35 remained unscathed.

Andover bested its competition in two of the relay events. The 200 medley relay team containing Paul Hunter, Zach Hamer, Peter Saunders and D'Innocenzo edged St. John's Prep, clocking a 1:38.48. Fueled by a 45.77 D'Innocenzo split, the Andover 400 freestyle relay (Hunter, Mike Bakies, Saunders and D'Innocenzo) easily won with a time of 3:12.05.

Jason Cook from Amherst Pelham recorded an unimaginable score of 622.05 in the diving competition, resetting his 2007 record of 604.65. Cook, a senior, started diving five years ago and did gymnastics for seven years, according to Cook in an interview with WWLP, a news station in Springfield, Mass. He also told WWLP that he is considering diving at the University of Massachusetts next season. Ryan Shelley from Lincoln Sudbury scored a 508.40 and placed second while Adam DeVito from Xavierian finished up in third (467.75).

St. John's Prep took the overall Division 1 state title with 261 points. Andover finished up in second with 175 points while Boston College took third with 146 points.

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