LEBANON – The Hanover High swimming and diving teams participated in their first meet of the season Tuesday at the CCBA’s Wetherell Recreation Center, with indications the Bears will again be strong during the upcoming season.

Rosie Keith, Elizabeth Staats, Sofia Ye and Iris Freeman, returners from last season’s girls state runner-up team, each posted qualifying times for this season’s state championship meet in each of their events. Among their triumphs was a time of 1 minute, 56 seconds in the 200-yard medley relay.

Staats won the 200-yard individual medley in 2:23 and the 100-yard backstroke in 1:03, as well as the 50-yard freestyle in 25.8 seconds. Ye triumphed in the 100-yard butterfly, finishing in 1:05.

Varsity newcomer Iris Freeman was first in the 200 free (2:06) and the 500 free (5:37) and was part of the victorious 400 free relay team with Staats, Keith and Sophie Wise (3:55). Another rookie, Ruby Litner, posted state championship qualifying times in the 50 free (28.9) and the 100-yard backstroke (1:13). Adelaide Cesanek did the same in the 50 free (28.6).

Gabe Clerkin was the 200 IM’s lone competitor and his time of (2:17) will send him to state competition. He did the same in the 100-yard backstroke (1:03).

“We had a number of swimmers who were competing in a meet for the first time,” said Hanover coach Trent Staats. “I’m especially proud of them for getting out there and giving it their all. It can be scary to step out like that and they did it with confidence and grace.

“I am really pleased at how enthusiastically the (athletes) supported one another. Though swimming is considered an individual sport, the encouragement of one’s teammates makes all the difference and I saw all our athletes cheering one another on (during) the whole meet.”

Staats said Hanover’s boys team suffered significant graduation losses and described its current undertaking as a “recovery year”. The squad also finished second in the state last winter. Josh Stearns showed promise with a victory in the 100 free (1:01).

Hanover diving standout Sam Calderwood bested one other competitor in that specialty. The Bears’ Skylar Spiro won the girls event over five other teammates.

Lebanon, which hosted the meet, put four swimmers into the water with three of them new to the sport. Rayna Graber was seventh in the 50 free in 37.52. Maya Kulo followed in 12th in 52.95. Will Cross was fifth in 1:30 in the boys 100 free.

Stevens’ Aubree Herzog was third in the girls 50 free in 30:3 seconds. Teammate Sara Gaspard was second in the 100 free in 57.2 seconds. Herzog follwed her in fifth in 1:10. Mascoma’s Andrew Price produced a fourth-place finish in the boys 100 back in 1:27. Fall Mountain, Mascenic/Conant and Bow also had competitors during the meet.