Martha's Vineyard Swim Teams Make Championship History

The Martha's Vineyard Regional High School swim teams walked into their league championships chanting "I am awesome, I am loved," and then proved it with performances that rewrote school history.

The boys team dominated the Cape and Islands League Championships on Saturday, securing their third consecutive title with 375 points. They left second-place Nantucket trailing by nearly 100 points in a commanding victory that marked their fourth championship in five years.

But the real breakthrough came from the girls team. For the first time in school history, they climbed onto the podium with a third-place finish, bringing home a trophy that seemed impossible just seasons ago when they struggled to fill their roster.

"This team has grown into quite the family this season," Head Coach Jen Passafiume told The Times. This marks the first season in her coaching career where the girls roster was completely filled.

The meet delivered record-breaking moments throughout. Michael Calheta shattered his own school record in the 100-yard breaststroke with a time of 1:12.12, winning the event outright. The boys medley relay team set another school record at 1:45.52, punching their ticket to state championships.

Grady Stalgren, Moses Thomson, Ronan Mullin, and Claus Smith led multiple relay teams to first-place finishes. On the girls side, Kyla Webster and Leah Thomson posted personal bests that helped secure that historic third-place trophy.

The team spirit Passafiume described wasn't just pre-meet energy. It translated into qualifications for multiple swimmers to compete at Division 2 South Sectionals and state championships in the coming weeks.

The Ripple Effect

This victory represents more than trophies for a small island community. Years of rebuilding the girls program finally paid off, showing young athletes that persistence creates opportunities. The boys maintained excellence while the girls broke through barriers, proving that consistent coaching and full rosters can transform a program. Martha's Vineyard now sends multiple qualifiers to state meets, giving this tight-knit island something to rally behind as their swimmers head to Boston University and MIT for championship competition.

When a team chants about being awesome and loved before a meet, then backs it up with school records and historic finishes, that's the kind of confidence every young athlete deserves to feel.