Wayland Warriors Secure Back-to-Back Division 2 State Swimming Titles

CAMBRIDGE — The Wayland High School boys swimming and diving team achieved a remarkable feat on Sunday, winning the Massachusetts Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA) Division 2 state championship for the second consecutive year. The competition took place at the Zesiger Sports and Fitness Center on the MIT campus.

Dominating Performance and Team Depth

Wayland accumulated a team score of 291 points, narrowly defeating Dual County League rival Weston, which finished with 263 points. Coach Mike Foley emphasized the team’s resilience and depth as key factors in their success.

“I’m just elated right now,” Foley said. “We graduated a lot of seniors last year and a lot of people wrote us off, predicting we wouldn’t be as good. This year’s seniors didn’t though. They really rallied these troops, brought the underclassmen along and worked harder to get here. We had a lot of young guys who swam today who didn’t last year in this spot, but really contributed. We have our top line guys but a lot of depth which is extremely significant.”

Individual Victories and Family Legacy

The Warriors showcased their talent with wins in several events. Kevin Jia secured first place in the 200-yard individual medley with a time of 1:56.53. Luke Kroncke dominated the freestyle events, winning both the 50-yard freestyle (21.69) and the 100-yard freestyle (47.61). The team likewise triumphed in the 400-yard relay, finishing with a time of 3:16.85. Wayland also achieved top-four finishes in the 200-yard medley relay and the 100-yard breaststroke.

The rivalry between Wayland and Weston in Division 2 swimming is well-established, with the two schools combining to win the last 14 state titles. Adding a personal dimension to the competition, Coach Foley has a unique connection to Weston – he is a former star swimmer from Weston High School, coached by his father, Peter Foley.

This year’s victory was particularly special for the Foley family, as Coach Foley’s son, Ryan, contributed to the team’s success. “My dad was my coach back in the day at Weston, and now we have that big rivalry with my alma mater, but we all get along and it’s just great to experience another state title with my dad being here and Ryan as well,” Foley said. “Last year my older son was on that championship team, Ryan was too but he didn’t score any points in the title, but this year he did and helped us out. It’s just awesome.”

A New Generation of Foley Swimmers

Ryan Foley, who scored four points in the 100-yard backstroke, expressed his excitement about contributing to the team’s championship win and continuing the family’s swimming legacy.

“We have a lot of excitement going on here; there is a conga line going behind me right now,” Ryan Foley said. “It’s just a great feeling. It’s a different feeling this year now that I was able to contribute, and it’s something to build off. I know that my family has done this before, and they have experienced the same hardships and milestones, so it’s great to have that type of support around me.”