For the first time, central Massachusetts teams will be joining those from the west at the first West/Central Swimming and Diving Championship, Sunday at Springfield College.
The girls meet starts at 9 a.m., followed by the boys at 4 p.m.
“I think it’s great,” Northampton girls coach Jacob Wingfield said. “I think it gives the kids more opportunity for better competition. It is tough trying to find a balance from having more kids from western Mass. quality to more kids from Central, and less kids from Western Mass. We are lucky enough to have a lot of our kids get to go and compete.”
For the Blue Devils, Ruby Gottlieb is seeded No. 1 in the 100-yard butterfly (59.52) by over two seconds, and fourth in the 200 individual medley. Gottlieb is looking to repeat as the 100 fly champion.
Teammate Abbie Murphy is seeded fifth in both the 100 butterfly and 500 freestyle.
“For our girls team I’m looking for everyone to continue to improve on their times this season,” Wingfield said. “Hopefully for our individual people that means to get a better place and improve and for relays we will improve on the times and place.”
In the 100 breaststroke, the top four seeds are separated by less than a second.
Algonquin’s Angela Lin is first (1:11.28), followed by Belchertown’s Wiktoria Kaczor (1:11.53), Amherst Regional’s Vianka Acosta-McKenzie (1:11.59) and Minnechaug’s Margaret Petruzzelli (1:11.66).
Nicole Beaumont, of Belchertown, is fifth in the 100 breast.
Belchertown is third in the 200 medley relay. Amherst is fifth in the 200 free relay.
Jordyn Vandergrift of Northampton is among the contenders in diving.
Northampton’s Nick Whitcomb is ranked No. 1 in the 200 IM (1:57.39) by over seven seconds and No. 2 in the 100 back (53.48). Last season, Whitcomb won the 100 back in 50.89 at the Division 2 state championships.
Whitcomb’s teammate Quinn Nortonsmith is ranked No. 1 in the 100 breaststroke (1:02.58) and No. 2 in the 50 freestyle (22.18). Nortonsmith is seeded .05 seconds behind Tommy Russell of Westfield, while the top five seeds are all within .44 seconds of each other in the 50.
The Northampton 200 medley relay is second behind Westborough, while the Blue Devils’ 400 free relay is No. 1.
Three seconds behind in the 400 free relay is Belchertown at No. 2.
Individually for the Orioles, Ben Laclair is No. 1 in both the 200 free (1:46.51) and 500 free (4:52.37) and is looking to repeat as champion.
Last season, Laclair won the 500 and placed second in the 200 at the Division 2 state meet.
Christopher Chumbley, of Belchertown, is No. 2 in both the 200 IM (2:05.09) and the 100 free (49.95). He is 0.85 seconds behind Aaron Wong of Westborough in the 100 free.
For Amherst Regional, Yonatan Ben-Chaim is No. 3 in the 100 fly (54.27), while defending diving champion Luca Brashear should be among the favorites. Brashear finished second at the Division 2 state meet last year.