By Joseph Cyr
Sports Editor
CARIBOU — A small, but scrappy swim team will represent the Vikings in the pool this season. With just seven members on the squad, collecting team victories will be next to impossible for Caribou, but the group has set its sights on personal goals.
Contributed photo/MaineLine Studios
SWIM TEAM — Members of the Caribou swim team this season include, front from left, Corlyn Cavendar, Rilee Elliott, Rachel Wasson and Tom McLean; and back, Darren Newbegin, Cintamini Johnson, Devon C. Cote and coach Erin Tateishi-Ouellette.
“It is very disheartening that we have such a small team this year,” said Viking coach Erin Tateishi. “This is the smallest group we have had in all my 10 years of coaching. What makes it really hard, is when we swim against teams that have over 50 athletes. They are a great group of kids though, and we make it fun.”
Members of the girls squad include seniors Rilee Elliott and Cintamini Johnson; sophomore Rachel Wasson and freshman Corlyn Cavendar. The boys team features senior Devon Cote, sophomore Darren Newbegin and freshman Tom McLean.
“We lost a lot of athletes last year due to graduation, but Rachel, Cintamini, Darren, and Devon are returning swimmers,” the coach said. “Rilee is a transfer from Presque Isle, and she swam for them last year. Rilee and Darren were very close to qualifying for individual events last year. Darren was less then half a second off in the 100 butterfly.”
The coach added the two new freshmen are quickly learning the sport.
“They are all extremely hard working and dedicated,” Tateishi said. “Their love and my love for the sport is what keeps bringing me back.”
Seven swimmers from Limestone-MSSM are swimming with the Vikings this year. Those swimmers are Maddy Blaisdell, Imogen Page, Emily Franklin, Noah Entwisle, Ethan Maguire, Dominic Upham and Garrick Ellwood.
