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Walpole swimming captains (from left) Courtney Pomer, Morgan Smith, and Courtney Shea practice recently at Blue Hills Regional Technical High School. Below left, coach Cheryl Cavanaugh instructs Hanna O’Leary. Diver Morgan Smith does a twist during practice. Everyone - the coaches, the spectators, fellow swimmers - was standing and screaming.
The deafening roar reverberated throughout the pool area at Westwood High School as Bay State Conference rivals Norwood and Walpole vied for the Herget Division title.
The meet had come down to the final relay, the 400 freestyle, and the Walpole girls were starting to pull away in the fourth lane. Sophomore Samantha Pomer was nearly 14 yards ahead of her Mustang foe in Lane 3, but every Walpole swimmer dressed in blue and orange continued to jump and scream like the race was a deadlock.
The Rebels took first, third, and fifth in the 400, securing their second league title in three years with a 97-89 win. The foursome of junior captain Meaghan Smith and sophomores Becky Idman, Jenna Harrop, and Pomer, the anchor, finished in 4:00:13, nine seconds ahead of Norwood.
“An incredible, incredible win,’’ said Cheryl Cavanaugh, now in her 26th season as the head coach at Walpole. “It just came right down to the last relay; it’s what we’ve been doing lately, pulling it off at the last relay. The girls wanted it that bad. Mental toughness I guess.’’
It’s a toughness that the Rebels, 12-0-1 entering a makeup meet Friday against Braintree, have exhibited from start to finish.
The Rebels, as close-knit as a family, have remained focused and driven.
“We’re all best friends,’’ said senior captain Courtney Shea. “We classify ourselves as a family.’’
Fellow senior captain Morgan Smith said that the Rebels had been pointing to the meet against Norwood for some time. The Mustangs have always been an archrival because of their proximity, according to Cavanaugh.
“Everything that we’re doing from here on in is setting Walpole history,’’ Cavanaugh said. “We’ve never done any of this before. I have the most girls ever that are going to sectionals and states.’’
Nine girls have qualified individually for South sectional meet Nov. 14 at MIT and both relay teams have qualified as well. Last year, the Rebels had four swimmers qualify individually.
“Chemistry is a huge key,’’ Cavanaugh said of the team’s success. “Also their determination and dedication to come to practice every single day. They really wanted to make school history. In our town, swimming is not well known. They’re tired of it. They’re really going for it so we’re spotlighted.’’
Cavanaugh has been at the helm of the Rebel swimming family ever since she started the program back in 1985. Walpole has never won a state title; the program’s best finish was fifth place. A year ago, the Rebels placed eighth in the South sectional.
“They’re like a family,’’ Cavanaugh reiterated of her 23 swimmers. “No one misses practices. They do lots of stuff out of the pool together. They’re hard-working. They very seldom complain.’’
One specific tradition the senior captains started that has become a team favorite is spaghetti dinners. The night before every meet, the entire team will gather at someone’s house to load up on carbs.
“It’s a good way to get together and just get the carbs in us,’’ said senior captain Courtney Pomer.
They are determined to break records and exceed expectations, starting at the Bay State Conference meet Saturday at Wellesley College.
“We really try to take it one meet at a time. But if we’re looking ahead, we definitely want to look on to see if we can come in first place at the conference meet,’’ Cavanaugh said. “The week after that, see how many swimmers can score in the top 12 in sectionals and states.’’
Lizzy Snell can be reached at esnell@globe.com 
