When “Wellesley’’ flashed at the highest position on the scoreboard at MIT’s Zesiger Pool on Saturday afternoon, coach Jen Dutton torqued her body in relief.
“I’m surprised,’’ said Dutton. “Pleasantly, but surprised.’’
The Raiders (376 points) seized the lead in the seventh event, the 50 freestyle, and carried the wave of momentum to their first South/Central girls’ swimming title since 1990, outdistancing runner-up and Bay State Conference rival Newton North by 44 points.
“I thought, sectionals, no way,’’ said Dutton. “I’ve never been in the hunt before. I’ve never even checked team scores before.’’
But Dutton and her assistants did not inform their swimmers of the running team total through the meet. But just before the last event, the 400-yard freestyle relay, assistant Stephanie Welch told her quartet to calm their nerves, that the Raiders were comfortably in the lead.
But the moment freshman Grace Meisner broke the water, the Raiders stole the race. Followed by sophomore Keleyia Rochelle, senior Stella Hu, and sophomore Nellie Thompson, Wellesley secured the top spot with a time of 3 minutes, 40.82 seconds.
It was a Herculean comeback for Hu, who fought back from an injured back last season to help her team.
“I worked, but it’s crazy to win this,’’ said Hu. “Dream come true.’’
Wellesley prevailed despite winning just two events, the relay and Kate Mullin’s victory in the 1-meter dive.
“Depth was our key,’’ said assistant coach Scott Becker.
Behind the podium, Marshfield had as much to celebrate. Senior BK Jeong, one of the boys on deck for the Rams, snapped the 200 individual medley record by four seconds (2:05:43) and the 100 freestyle meet record by three seconds (50:45).
“He was going for that at the start,’’ said Marshfield coach Barb Toohey. “He knew what the record was, and he wanted it.’’
Braintree, the runner-up to Walpole in the boys’ division, also had record-setters in junior John Harrington (100 backstroke, 58:02) and senior Sean McGurn (100 breaststroke, 1:03.38). Weymouth’s Brendan Pike broke his record in the 500 freestyle (5:28.20).
North — Andover rolled to another sectional title — its ninth since 2009 — racking up 409 points, 53 points more than Reading, and lapping rival Acton-Boxborough (264).
“It’s fun to win by a lot, and it’s nerve-wracking when it’s close,’’ said Andover coach Marilyn Fitzgerald, who described the victory as a team accomplishment.
On the boys’ side, Methuen junior Quang Vu surged to a meet record (57.79) in the 100 backstroke), defeating former title-holder Troy Eakman of Billerica. With help from Eakman, the Indians took the boys’ title with 193 points.
