Swim teams from YMCAs in Holyoke, MA, Westfield, MA, Northampton, MA, Pittsfield, MA and Keene traveled to Holyoke, Massachusetts, January 25, where they competed in the Western Massachusetts YMCA Swim League District Championships.

Fifty-four athletes from the Keene Family YMCA Dolphins Swim Team competed against 145 swimmers ranging in age from 5 to 18. The Dolphins leapt into an early lead after the first round of Medley Relays. Twelve & Under Boys and Girls and 13 & Over Girls won their relays by 5- second margins.

Makenna Knapp was the female high-point getter of the day, winning the 12 & Under Girls 50 yard Free, 50 Fly and 50 Back. Knapp’s younger brother, Cameryn, 8, won the 25-yard Free, 25 Breast and placed third in Keene’s sweep of the 25 Back in which Calvin Cutler placed first and Owen Houghton was second. Cutler also placed second in the 50 Free. Houghton won the 50 Free and placed second in the 25 Back and 25 Breast.

In the 8 & Under Girls division, Amelia Richardson placed second in the 25 Free and Tenley Rea placed second in the 25 Back. In 9-10 Girls, Catherine Hennigan won the 50 Breast and placed second and third in the 100 free and 200 IM, respectively. Olivia Cutler placed third in the 50 Breast.

In 11-12 Girls, Gillian Frink placed second in the 200 and 500 Free, while Savannah Rose took second in the 200 IM, third in the 100 Free and fourth in the 50 Fly. Kaya Gibson placed third in the 50 Free.

Keene’s 11-12 Boys were led by Andrew O’Donnell, who placed second in the 200 Free, 50 Fly and 100 Free. Brayden Rodgers placed second in the 50 Free and 50 Back. Colin Hennigan placed second in the 500 Free and third in the 50 Breast. Dominic Smith placed second in the 200 IM and third in the 50 Fly.

In 13-14 Girls, Emily Croteau won the 200 IM and placed second in the 100 Free and 100 Back. Eliza Leach won the 100 Back with a time of 1:08.78 and placed third in the 100 Free. MK Farkas took third in the 100 Back and 100 Free. Jenna Condap placed second in the 100 Breast.

In 13-14 Boys, Leighton Paulsen won the 100 Back and placed second in both the 100 Free and 50 Free. Braeden Scott placed second in the 100 Back and third in the 100 Free. In 15-18 girls, Sidney Curven won the 200 IM and 500 Free, and Anna Hennigan won the 100 Breast and placed second in the 100 Free. Lily Brown placed second in the 200 IM and 100 Fly and third in the 100 Back.

The Dolphins won with 1,537.5 points to best last year’s champs, Holyoke YMCA Vikings by 118.5 points. Keene had never won the district championships but placed second the previous two years. Team points broke down as follows:

Final tally:

Keene YMCA Dolphins, 1537.5

Greater Holyoke YMCA Vikings, 1419

Berkshire YMCA Polar Bears, 1084

Westfield YMCA Wave, 802.5

Hampshire Regional YMCA, 568

Forty swimmers from the Keene YMCA will travel to the Upper Valley Aquatics Center in White River Junction, Vermont, to compete in the USA Swimming New England Regional Championships.

Nineteen swimmers have qualified for the New England YMCA Championships, which are scheduled for March 20-22 at MIT’s Zeissiger Aquatics Center.

The Keene Family YMCA Dolphins have been competing in the New England region for more than 50 years.