By Kim J. Harmon

STRATFORD – It was not the best way to start a season, that’s for sure.

Never mind having to drive over to Stratford and Flood Junior High School and never mind losing 96-79 to one of the fiercest rivals in the South-West Conference, but having the bus break down on the way home and not getting in until midnight or so – now that’s too much.

Despite the loss, the swimmers have the opportunity to get right back in the pool and fix things. On Thursday, the girls were set to host Seymour (after press time) and on Friday will travel to Foran for a 4 pm meet.

Against Bunnell, Ashley Molden was a double winner, taking first in the 100-yard butterfly (1:11.88) and in the 100-yard backstroke (1:06.22). Kerin Sovern took first in the 100 breaststroke (1:20.12).

After that, it was a smattering of five second-place finishes and eight third-place finishes.

The results:

200 medley relay – 1. Bunnell 2:03.67, 2. Newtown (Molden, Sovern, Ashey, Matz) 2:04.39, 3. Bunnell 2:15.95.

200 freestyle – 1. McWilliams (B) 1:55.58, 2. Tyliczak (B) 2:13.32, 3. Rushefski (N) 2:13.44, 4. Debasz (B) 2:33.95, 5. Glander (N) 2:51.80.

200 individual medley – 1. DeCuperis (B) 2:26.28, 2. Finnegan (B) 2:30.53, 3. Ashey (N) 2:32.00, 4. Finnegan (B) 2:36.03, 5. Portnoy (N) 2:59.58.

50 freestyle – 1. Crown (B) 26.13, 2. Clark (B) 27.68, 3. Matz (N) 28.23, 4. L. Clark (B) 28.88, 5. Molden (N) 29.76.

Diving – 1. Santoro (B) 239.45 points, 2. Edwards (B) 106.75, 3. Leuzzi (N) 89.55.

100 butterfly – 1. Molden (N) 1:11.88, 2. Tyliczak (B) 1:12.81, 3. Lelenild (B) 1:13.52, 4. Dobosz (B) 1:26.70, 5. Portnoy (N) 1:22.43.

100 freestyle – 1. Crown (B) 56.18, 2. Clark (59.75, 3. Matz (N) 1:02.96, 4. Rastelli (N) 1:08.71, 5. Bacon (B) 1:11.90.

500 freestyle – 1. McWilliams (B) 5:02.11, 2. Finnegan (B) 5:54.78, 3. Rushefski (N) 6:08.54, 4. Sovern (N) 6:28.61, 5. Glander (N) 7:46.65.

200 freestyle relay – 1. Bunnell 1:50.06, 2. Newtown (Sovern, Rastelli, Molden, Rushefski) 1:57.91, 3. Bunnell 2:00.47.

100 backstroke – 1. Molden (N) 1:06.22, 2. Morlath (N) 1:31.73, 3. Bowen (N) 1:32.15.

100 breaststroke – 1. Sovern (N) 1:20.12, 2. Randall (N) 1:32.23, 3. Cohen (N) 1:33.44.

400 freestyle relay – 1. Newtown (Rushefski, Rastelli, Matz, Ashey) 4:21.12, 2. Newtown (Kovatch, Johnston, Glander, Minalgo) 5:08.59.