Twenty local swimmers from the Groton based-Connecticut Aquatic Club (CAC) attended the 2011 Betty Philcox Invitational hosted by the ZEUS Swim Team at Norwalk High School on Nov.18- 20. Six other Connecticut teams attended.

Coach Christine Pelham had the team attend only Friday evening and Saturday. The attendance goals were to have fun and use the meet to gauge the swimmers progress from both a conditioning and technique perspective. CAC swimmers exploded placing in the top five spots 70 times with 17 firsts, 16 seconds, 15 thirds, 16 fourths, and six fifth-place finishes.

Notable performances were turned in by CAC eight-year-old swimmers competing in the 10 and under group on Saturday. Swimmers Emma McCall and Abby Vetrovec scored many top 10 finishes while competing against 9/10 year old swimmers.

CAC's Girls 11-12 Relay team took the top spot in the Girls 200 Medley Relay. Alexis Dumais, Michelle Saracovan, Erika Rohdin and Lea Koppermann swam a 2:20.77 to take first place. Saracovan delivered a come from behind finish in the relay's final 50 free leg. In the weekend's standout performance, Saracovan made up a two body length deficit in the relay's last 50 yards.

CAC's 15-Over Boys Relay team took the top spot in the Boys 200 Medley Relay. Teammates Andrew Janz, Logan Hellwig, and Adam Tran dressed for the event in tuxedo-styled Speedo suits. Billy Dumais, showed that dedication, hard training and quality coaching are what it takes when it comes to competitive swimming. Swimming to impress, the Boys 1:50.37 earned them the top spot.

CAC's Meet Spirit Award went to Ledyard's Jordan Legg. Jordan, 13, a Connecticut Top 16 Swimmer and CAC's top 13-14 Boys Division swimmer refused to let being under the weather keep him sidelined. Jordon had solid finishes in the Boys 13-14 Division 50 Free (29.14), 200 Free (2:16.27) and 100 Free (1:02.85).

CAC's 8-Under Girls Division Swimmers took 6 top five spots across both the 8-Under and 10-Under competitions.

North Stonington's Abby Vetrovec, 8, swimming in the 8-U Girls Division placed second in the 25 Breast (23.85), and sixth in the 25 Free (17.72) and 25 Fly (21.69) and 17the in the 25 Back (23.42). Abby also came back in Saturday to swim big in the Girls 10-U Division. Swimming against the big kids, Abby placed sixth in the 100 Back (1:37.95) and 50 Fly (47.64), ninth in the 50 Breast (51.17), and 14th in the 100 Free (1:30.42).

Pawcatuck's Maddie Rea, 8, a new swimmer to the CAC squad in the Girls 8-U Division, placed 31st in the 25 Back (25.19) and 35th in the 25 free (20.86). Teammates Abby Vetrovec and Emma McCall made sure Maddie got the right encouragement by giving her one of the coveted "rubber duckys" awarded at the meet to swimmers finishing first in their heats.

Pawcatuck's Wes Rea, 10, swimming in the Boys 9-10 Division racked up five top five finishes for CAC. Wes placed first in the 100 Free (1:09.33) and 200 IM (3:01.77) and second in the 100 Back (1:21.36), 50 Fly (36.18), and 50 Breast (45.51). Wes's time qualified for Connecticut Age Group Championships in the 100 Free, 100 Back and 50 Fly.

CAC's Girls and Boys 11-12 Division swimmers placed in the top five spots 15 times.

Westerly's Erika Rohdin, 12, placed second in the 200 Free (2:20.18), third in the 100 Free (1:04.22), 100 Breast (1:27.62), 50 free (30.27), and sixth in the 100 Back (1:17.69).

East Lyme's Alexis Dumais, 12, placed second in the 100 Back (1:13.84), fifth in the 100 Fly (1:30.64), sixth in the 100 Free (1:09.08) 50 Free (31.23) and seventh in the 100 Breast (1:31.09).

East Lyme's Michelle Saracovan, 12, placed third in the 100 Back (1:16.09), fourth in the 200 Free (2:23.68), 100 Free (1:06.31), 100 Breast (1:27.77) and 50 Free (30.31).

Westerly's Lea Koppermann, 11, placed fourth in the 100 Back (1:16.19), 100 Fly (1:27.71), 100 Free (1:06.58), fifth in the 200 Free (2:25.46) and sixth in the 100 Breast (1:33.19).

CAC's Girls and Boys 13-14 Division swimmers earned 16 top fiv finishes.

Pawcatuck's Julia Gavin, 14, placed first in the 200 Free (2:09.49), 100 Free (1:00.46), 100 Breast (1:19.28), 50 Free (27.35) and second in the 200 IM (2:31.24).

North Stonington's Lea Janz, 13, placed second in the 100 Free (1:02.31), 100 Breast (1:26.32), third in the 100 Back (1:13.11), 50 Free (28.89) and fourth in the 100 Fly (1:18.45).

North Stonington's Noah Vetrovec, 14, placed second in the 100 Breast (1:18.11), third in the 100 Back (1:06.15), 200 IM (2:23.32), and fourth in the 200 Free (2:04.92), 100 Free (57.54).

East Lyme's Ryan Dumais, 14, placed fifth in the 50 Free (27.97), eighth in the 200 Free (2:11.49), 100 Back (1:12.73), 100 Free (1:01.59), and ninth in the 100 Fly (1:20.17).

Pawcatuck's Sam Rea, 13, placed sixth in the 50 Free (28.97), seventh in the 100 Back (1:16.17). Wes also had solid finishes in the 200 Free (2:25.76) and 100 Free (1:03.75).

CAC's Girls and Boys 15-Over swimmers earned 28 finishes in the top five places.

Meredith Hird, 15, placed first in the 100 Back (1:08.15), 100 Free (58.64), 100 Breast (1:16.23), 200 IM (2:23.5), and second in the 50 Free (26.86).

Ledyard's Rachel Legg, 15, placed first in the 50 Free (26.52), second in the 100 Free (59.42), and fourth in the 100 Breast (1:28.78) and 200 IM (2:49.52).

Westerly's Logan Hellwig, 15, placed first in the 100 Back (58.54), 50 Free (23.72), second in the 200 Free (1:55.71), 100 Free 52.19), and third in the 100 Fly (59.63). Logan qualified for Connecticut Age Group and Senior Championships in the 100 Back, 50 Free, 200 Free, 100 Free, and 100 Fly.

North Stonington's Andrew Janz, 16, placed second in the 100 Fly (59.14), 100 Breast (1:08.82), third in the 200 IM (2:15.49) and fourth in the 100 Back (1:02.80) and 100 Free (55.65). Andrew qualified for Connecticut Age Group Championships in the 100 Fly, 100 Breast, 200 IM and 100 Back. He also qualified for Connecticut Senior Championships in the 100 Fly, 100 Breast, and 100 Back.

East Lyme's Billy Dumais, 16, placed third in the 200 Free (1:56.36), 100 Back (1:01.33), fourth in the 100 Free (55.57), 50 Free (25.35), and sixth in the 100 Fly (1:02.19). Billy qualified for Connecticut Age Group and Senior Championships in the 200 Free and 100 Back.

Mystic's Adam Tran, 16, placed third in the 100 Free (54.64), 50 Free (24.16), third in the 100 Back (1:02.17), 200 IM (2:18.36) and seventh in the 100 Fly (1:03.06). Adam qualified for Connecticut Age Group and Senior Championships in the 50 Free and 100 Back.