2026 Boys Winter Swimming & Diving Sectional Championships: Xaverian Comes Out Ahead; St. John's Prep Shines; Minnechaug Dominates

The 2026 MIAA Sectional Boys Swimming Championships took place on Sunday, February 9. The North and South champions were crowned at MIT's Zegiser Pool, while the Central/West event was hosted at Springfield College's Linkletter Natatorium.

Here is a recap of the action:

South

Xaverian Brothers High School captured both the 200-yard freestyle and 400-yard freestyle relays and secured the program’s first sectional championship.

The Hawks finished with 207 points to outdistance the rest of the pack, led by runner-up Catholic Memorial School (184). Natick High School was third (179) and Duxbury High School fourth 168).

The foursome of seniors Matt Spalding, Henry Schwartz, Mark Ehrenzeller and Jack Herman gave Xaverian the victory in the 200 free relay with a time of 1 minute, 28.39 seconds. The Hawks then secured their sectional title in the meet’s final event, the 400 free relay, as Spalding, Ehrenzeller and Herman teamed with sophomore second leg Liam Hauser to finish in 3:17.32.

Herman added second-place finishes in the 50 freestyle (21.59) and 100 freestyle (47.47). Xaverian also got a second from freshman Ricky Siedel in the diving (416.45 points).

Catholic Memorial made its push after opening the meet with a win in the 200 medley relay with seniors Brian Wukitch and Jordan Kinch, sophomore Tomas Alves and junior Kevin Garvey (1:38.21).

Junior Leo Tran of Sharon High School and sophomore Zack Pecora of Franklin High School were double winners. Tran took the 200 freestyle (1:40.13) and 100 free (46.53), with Pecora earning gold in the 200 individual medley (1:52.62) and 500 freestyle (4.36.98).

Natick’s third-place team finish was paced by individual wins from senior Ivan Cheung in the 50 free (21.26) and Leon Kocherovsky in the 100 breaststroke (58.93).

Other individual winners were: senior Sean Leahy of Dedham High School (diving, 455.60); senior Philip Wang of Brookline High School (100 butterfly, 50.13); and junior Hunter Morgan of Sandwich High School (100 backstroke, 52.47).

South results 

North

Saint John’s Preparatory School also rode its sprint relays to victory and secured back-to-back sectional championships.

Sophomore Brendan Titley swam the lead leg and senior Wes Ross the anchor in the both races. In winning the 200 freestyle relay, they teamed with senior Ben Masterson and junior Eric Forsyth for a winning time of 1:28.44. The Eagles then capped the championship in the 400 free relay with Titley, freshman Brian Desmarais, sophomore Declan MacDonald and Ross winning in 3:15.38.

St. John’s Prep had a team total of 240.5 to outpace Wayland High School (212) and Mystic Valley Charter School (209).

Titley (100 free, 46.71) and Ross (500 free, 4:47.65) also had second-place finishes, and MacDonald took third in the 200 individual medley (2:01.27).

The meet featured a pair of double winners: senior Aiden Gouldson of Westford Academy in the 200 free (1:40.96) and 100 free (46.31), and sophomore Ivan Karpau of Andover High School in the 200 IM (1:57.5) and 100 breaststroke (57.96).

Wayland’s runner-up finish was led by junior Luke Kroncke’s win in the 50 free (21.69). Mystic Valley prevailed in the 200 medley relay (1:36.64) with seniors Jaden Anthony and Christian Antonucci, freshman Brandon Wamala, and senior Dylan Phan.

Also standing atop the podium were: junior Luke Denoncourt of Lexington High School (diving, 503.15); junior Cole Falk of Wilmington/North Reading High School (100 butterfly, 49.97); senior Brian Story of Haverhill High School (500 free, 4:42.78); and senior Jack Eaddy of Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School (100 backstroke, 52.24).

North results 

Central/West

Led by a pair of wins apiece by senior twin brothers Zach Parent and Alex Parent, Minnechaug Regional High School won 7 of the 12 events overall and brought home the program’s first sectional championship since 2023.

The Falcons scored 293 points to top the team leaderboard, followed by Belchertown High School in second (227). The tight pack continued with East Longmeadow High School (206), Algonquin Regional High School (202.5) and West Springfield High School (201.5).

Zach Parent was victorious in the 200-yard freestyle (1:41.68) and 100 butterfly (51.44), while Alex Parent cruised in the 200 individual medley (1:58.24) and 200 freestyle (1:41.68). Both also swam the final two legs of a pair of winning relays for the Falcons along with the 1-2 combo of seniors Jon Kowalski and Benjamin Latourelle – the 200 freestyle relay (1:30.62), and the 400 freestyle relay (3:18.01).

Sophomore Collin Purcell also won the diving (616.15) for the Falcons, Kowalski was second in the 100 free and third in the 50 free, and Latourelle fourth in the 100 butterfly and fifth in the 100 backstroke.

Belchertown started out well with a win in the 200 medley relay behind senior Ryan Gould, juniors Drake Dragon and J.R. Zlogar, and senior Ryan Shea (1:37.76). But the Orioles weren’t able to keep pace with the Parent wins or Minnechaug. Shea added an individual victory in the 50 freestyle (22.02).

Senior Thomas Carbone led East Longmeadow by placing first in the 100 freestyle (48.86).

Junior Sebastian Medina of Springfield Central High School was the winner of the 100 backstroke (53.92), and junior Maxwell Qi of Algonquin captured the 100 breaststroke (1:00.73).

Central/West results