Photo: Belmont High’s Elizabeth Guevara heads towards victory in the 100 fly vs. Wakefield
After a recent meet, an official declared Belmont High Swimming Head Coach Lulu Emmons to be “the Queen of the Deep Sweep.” In swimming, a “deep sweep” is when a team’s athletes place in the top spots in each event. Even if they don’t win, for example, placing in the next three spots throughout a meet can be a back-breaker for an opponent.
And Belmont has some bittersweat history involving “deep sweeps”: Ten years ago, despite winning five events to one, Belmont could not match the depth of Bishop Feehan High School which went on to win the 2015 Div. 2 state championship over the Marauders, 314 to 293.
So Emmons is happy to have the title bestowed on her.
“The depth that we have this year is absolutely amazing. I have not had this depth since my first couple years of coaching as an assistant,” said Emmons, who has been on the Marauders coaching staff for eight years, the past four in the top post.
That depth showed up in Belmont’s upset victory over defending Division 1 state champions Acton Boxoborough, beating the traditional powerhouse 98-88, at Higginbottom Pool on Sept. 19.
“That was exciting. That was a lot of fun. Girls did great. And that was unexpected, because we were coming right off of a tough loss against Lexington,” said Emmons, a four point nailbiter.
Belmont currently holds a 4-1 dual meet record.
That ability to have runs of high placements is due to size and commitment of Emmons’ squad, numbering more than 50 student athletes which allows Belmont to carry a full varsity squad including three divers and also a JV squad.
“But we try not to use those terms,” said Emmons of two seperate squads. Rather, she tries to have everyone see themselves as “being maroon and blue,” because she want everyone to feel like they’re contributing and being part of the team, she said.
The quality shows as more than 10 swimmers have qualified for the Division 2 sectional championship meet including eight who qualified in the first meet of the season.
“So right off the bat, we were locked in, plus all of our relays have qualified. Most girls have at least two events that they qualify. So we have at least 10 athletes that have qualified for one or more of their events. We’re still working on a couple of those state cut times, but we have got a squad going.”
Every good team requires at least one swimmer who can hit the wall first. This year’s highlight reel includes senior Elizabeth Guevara, who is swimming for Belmont for the first time this year. Coming from the club swimming system with Revolution Aquatic, Guevara has state qualified in all the free style events at 50, 100 and 200 yards. Her versibility shows in qualifying in the 100 butterfly, the 100 backstroke, and Emmons believes she might have a time for the 500 yard free.
“She has everything to be a great swimmer,” said Emmons, being very humble, a great athlete who takes good direction. “Even though she is one of the top swimmers, [Guevara] hasn’t been on this team for that long, so she understands that she’s still earning her spot on the team,” said Emmons.
On the other end of the grade level is first year diver Maggie Han, who qualified for states and leads a full contingency of 1-meter divers – including Grace Fagan and Cecilla Held – into contests.
And the heart of the team is its junior class “which is one of our strongest across the board,” said Emmons. “Summing Chan (back-stroke), Karen Tao (freestyle), Reina Yano (500 free), Sophia Bufano, Ahana Shama (breast-stroke) are all phenomenal swimmers. All have qualifying times.”
Belmont will be tested in two very tough league dual meets remaining in the league schedule: Winchester on Monday, Oct. 6 at Higgenbottom and away to Reading, Oct. 16 to finish the season.
“I know that Reading and Winchester has a couple of good girls. But I’m feeling really confident that those are both going to be pretty winnable meets,” said Emmons. “My thought process is always put up a strong lineup, always making sure that even if I’m not going to get a first place finish, I’m going to work and get a second, third, fourth place, or some variation of that, because it’s those depth points that really count. They really add up.”
Following the duel meet season, Belmont heads to the Middlesex League Championships at Bentley with high expectations.
“My top goal is to win,” said Emmons, knowing she has the upper hand gooing into the meet as diving results will be included in the team totals. “because now that diving counts towards the meat, “That’s an automatic for a second, third place finish for us. So we’re going in with at least 100 points.” But Emmons will be there to prove that her team is not just relying on the meet’s first event. “My goal is to definitely get Lexington at League’s because I firmly believe that my girls have the ability to beat that team. So the goal is to beat Lexington and win by more than 100 points.”
The team will then head to the MIAA North Sectionals on Nov. 2, at MIT’s Zesiger Pool and the Division 2 State Championships on Nov. 9, at Boston University’s Competition Pool.
“We finished at States last year third. [Belmont, with 200 points, finished behind Wellesley (384 pts) and North Andover (225 points)] So I would love to get second at states. That would be amazing. I would love to finish really strong at North Sectionals (6th in 2024) as well. Anywhere above fifth would be great sectionals,” said Emmons.
