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By Mike Flanagan
Hometown Weekly Sports Editor
Local youth swimmers from all across MetroWest competed in the Jim Ehrlich Mile Swim at Dug Pond in Natick on Friday. Among the towns and Suburban Summer Swim League teams competing were members of the Sherborn Snappers, Walpole Barracudas, and Needham Sharks, as well individuals from Medfield and Westwood.
Needham’s Henry Keegan took home first place in the boys event with a time of 21:56.41. Sherborn’s Sam Dawley placed sixth at 25:06.53. Needham’s Will Vallatini (25:13.94) placed No. 10, helping the Sharks to a fourth-place overall team finish.
Walpole’s Patrick Parlon (25:19.06), Michael Rose (25:21.66), Andrew Hendricks (25:29.03) and Dallin Byerly (25:54.56) placed 11-14, respectively, and helped the Barracudas to a second-place team finish.
Westwood 13-year-old Gabe Greenwald (27:47.53) placed No. 21.
Needham had two top-10 finishes in the girls event with 16-year-old Ava Sirignano (23:44.28) placing second and 15-year-old Ula Haller (24:23.06) finishing seventh. The lady-Sharks pulled out a fourth-place overall team finish.
Other notable times in the girls race included Medfield’s Nora Herbstzuber (24:27.89), who placed No. 11, Walpole’s Grace O’Malley (26:27.60) at No. 13 and Anna Smith (27:07.60) at No. 19. Needham 12-year-old Julia Rowe (27:23.10) finished No. 21. Sherborn’s Bella Rinaldi (27:24.56) placed No. 22 with teammate Riley Correll (27:59.35) right behind at No. 24. Walpole’s Lindsay Ahmed (27:26.42) placed No. 23.
For funny and insightful sports analysis, follow Mike Flanagan on his personal Twitter @fLAno0.