It's going swimmingly

A gold medal was still within reach for the Northeast squad, but a silver was more realistic on Sunday, the final day of the swimming competition at the Bay State Summer Games.

The race had Central/Metro, Southeast/Coastal, and Northeast behind West after the competition’s second day.

Northeast pinned much of its hopes on Matthew Nutter, a 17-year-old Georgetown resident who was making his seventh appearance at the games. He showed his potential last summer, contributing a silver and bronze medal to a Northeast victory.

After he cruised through his preliminary heats in the morning at Harvard’s Blodgett Pool, Nutter captured silver in the 200-meter individual medley and then stroked to gold in the 100-meter freestyle event. Thanks to those efforts, in addition to his silver in the 400-meter freestyle the day before, Northeast placed second overall.

“My ultimate goal was to just win one of my events,’’ said Nutter. “To medal in all three is absolutely rewarding.’’

Awards are nice, but they are not the most important part of Nutter’s life.

About four years ago, he decided that he would not be defined by what he does in the pool, but rather by what he does for others in the community.

In 2006, his uncle, Daniel Nickerson, died from a rare heart condition at the age of 48. The following year at the Bay State Games, Nutter and his family decided to do something in his uncle’s honor.

The Nutter family put together a relay competition with the intention of raising money for the American Heart Association. They asked Bay State competitors to contribute to the cause.

“He passed away while I was competing in the Bay State Games,’’ said Nutter. “That was our inspiration to use the event to give something back. Our goal was $5,000, but we ended up raising over $7,000. It was really successful.’’

The outpouring of sympathy and giving inspired Matthew to continue giving back to the community. Over the past few years, he has made volunteering a part of his weekly routine.

In addition to his swim practices, Nutter spends his time tutoring eighth graders in math and science. On weekends, he helps out at the Northeast Animal Shelter in Salem.

Walking dogs and cleaning up the shelter can be difficult work, but Nutter is enjoying the experience.

“It is by far my favorite thing to do. I help out with anything they need before they open, and usually go three or four hours each week,’’ he said.

Despite the hours he spends assisting others, Nutter has remained dedicated to his sport, with an eye on his upcoming senior season and beyond.

“Once he gets warmed up, he’s unstoppable,’’ said his YMCA coach, Dan Reilly. “He can definitely make Junior Nationals by the time he graduates. After that, he’s got another four years where he could be knocking on the door of Olympic trials.’’

For now, he is happy to compete with his club team, the Andover YMCA Hurricanes. “I try to practice for a couple of hours eight to nine times a week,’’ said Nutter, his goal eventually to make the junior national team. “We usually cover three or four miles at each practice.’’

In three weeks, he and his teammates will travel to the University of Maryland, for the 2010 YMCA Long Course National Championship.

With a life full of giving back and swimming, it’s a wonder how Nutter has time for anything else.

And yet, he is the vice president of his class at Georgetown High, and treasurer of the National Honor Society.

At the start of the Games, he was rewarded for his efforts in the pool, the classroom, and in the community, one of six student-athletes to receive a $2,000 BSG Scholarship out of a group of more than 100 applicants.

“It makes me feel good to succeed at something, but it always makes me want to do more,’’ he said. “I like to have a challenge, to push myself . . . I just keep going until I hit the limit.’’

Doug Saffir can be reached at dsaffir@globe.com.